Smudge Spot Cory 'Rio Jamari' (Hoplisoma simile)

Common Name

Smudge Spot Cory ‘Jamari’

Scientific name

Hoplisoma simile

Collection

Jamari River, Madeira basin, Brazil

Origin and Habitat

Collected from the Jamari River in Rondônia, a clear to tea tinted tributary of the Rio Madeira. Shorelines here are warm, soft, and well oxygenated with fine sand, scattered leaves, and root tangles. Smudge Spot Corys sift along quiet margins where micro foods collect in the top layer of sand. Jamari origin fish are prized in the hobby, and true Jamari collections are not common, which makes these a standout when available.

Temperature and Water Conditions

Preferred range is 72 to 79 F, which is 22 to 26 C. Wild water is typically soft and mildly acidic to near neutral, often about pH 6.0 to 7.2. For home aquaria we do not recommend chasing exact numbers. Stable, clean, well oxygenated water is far more important, with any parameter tweaks reserved for special breeding attempts.

Appearance and Size

Creamy silver body with a distinctive dark diffuse blotch, the smudge, just below and behind the dorsal fin. Fine peppering across the flanks and a neat, rounded head give a tidy look. Fins are mostly clear with subtle shading, and the dorsal can show a hint of dusky pigment near the spine. Adults reach about 5 to 5.5 cm standard length, roughly 2 to 2.2 inches. Females grow deeper and rounder when in condition, males stay a bit slimmer.

Diet in the Wild

Micro predator and detritus sifter. Feeds on tiny insect larvae, micro crustaceans, worms, and edible biofilm found in leaf pockets and the upper few millimeters of sand.

Feeding in Captivity

Match the small mouth with fine foods. Offer high quality sinking micro pellets, crushed wafers, and fine granules. Add baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, and finely chopped bloodworm for conditioning. Scatter food broadly across soft sand so the whole group can graze together. A fine sand bed protects barbels and encourages natural sifting.

Behavior and Tank Setup

Peaceful and very social. Keep a proper school for confident foraging and synchronized sifts. A longer footprint tank with soft sand, leaf litter pockets, and shaded retreats will help them settle. Provide gentle to moderate flow with high oxygen. Ideal companions include small calm characins and other peaceful fish that enjoy clean, warm water.

Breeding

Classic Corydoras T position courtship with adhesive eggs. Success usually follows a few weeks of rich feeding on quality live and frozen foods, then a series of larger cool water changes that imitate seasonal rains. Offer fine leaved plants, spawning mops, or clean glass and tiles for egg placement. Adults will eat eggs, so remove parents after a spawn or move eggs to a small hatching container with gentle aeration. Eggs typically hatch in three to five days depending on temperature. Start fry on paramecium or a suitable liquid fry food for the first days, then transition to microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp. Keep water very clean and shallow at first, with sponge filtration and frequent small changes.

Quick Facts

• Scientific name: Hoplisoma simile (formerly Corydoras similis)
• Collection: Jamari River, Madeira basin, Brazil
• Adult size: about 5 to 5.5 cm standard length, roughly 2 to 2.2 inches
• Temperature: 72 to 79 F (22 to 26 C)
• Wild pH: about 6.0 to 7.2, soft to near neutral water
• Temperament: peaceful schooling catfish, keep in groups
• Diet: micro predator and substrate sifter, accepts fine prepared and frozen foods
• Breeding: adhesive egg layer, T position spawner, responds to cool water changes

Tropical Fish Co. Notes

Jamari Smudge Spots are special. The true diffuse shoulder blotch, the neat peppering, and the calm schooling behavior look incredible over pale sand with dappled shade. Since Jamari collections are hard to find, we treat them like a little treasure. Give them steady, clean water, a proper school, and lots of soft sand to sift, and they repay you with nonstop synchronized charm.