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Apiaka cory

Hoplisoma apiaka

Also known as Corydoras apiaka, Apiaka dwarf cory

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH
5.5–7.2
Adult size
1.8 in (4.5 cm)
Minimum tank
15 gal (55 L)
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Origin
Rio Arinos, Teles Pires and Preto tributaries of the upper Tapajos basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Family
Callichthyidae

Overview

A shoal of six or more suits a 55-liter tank with soft sand for barbel-safe digging. Feed small sinking granules and frozen foods. It is completely peaceful and combines naturally with small tetras from the same basin. Captive breeding has been managed only rarely; cool, fresh water changes are the usual trigger experiment for Tapajos corys.

In the wild

This small cory lives in clear and tannin-tinted tributaries of the upper Tapajos system in Mato Grosso, over sand in shallow, gently flowing water. A tank floor of fine sand with scattered wood and leaves, good oxygenation, and warmth at 24 to 28 degrees Celsius with pH 5.5 to 7.2 mirrors home.

Good to know

Corydoras apiaka was described in 2014 by Espindola and colleagues and named for the Apiaka people of the upper Tapajos. It reaches about 4.5 centimeters, and the 2024 revision lists it as Hoplisoma apiaka. Its pattern of fine speckling over a pale body with a dusky dorsal blotch fits the region's sand-bed camouflage school.

Did you know

It carries the name of the Apiaka people, whose river territory in the upper Tapajos is exactly where the species swims.

Tank mates

Apiaka cory is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an Apiaka cory need?

An Apiaka cory needs at least 15 gal (55 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH do Apiaka cory need?

Apiaka cory are comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.

How big do Apiaka cory get?

An adult Apiaka cory reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

Do Apiaka cory need a group?

Yes. Apiaka cory are a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Freshwater fish · Corydoras · Schooling fish · Community fish · Bottom dwellers

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