TankBud

Barred-tail cory

Hoplisoma cochui

Also known as Corydoras cochui

FreshwaterFish

Barred-tail cory (Hoplisoma cochui)
PalaciosAn · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–82°F
21–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
1.4 in
3.5 cm
Minimum tank
13 gal
50 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg scatterer
Rarity
Rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Brazil

Overview

The barred-tail cory is a peaceful schooling cory that works the bottom of a community tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The barred-tail cory's small size makes it one of the few cories that fit a nano tank. Like other cories, it can gulp air from the surface and absorb oxygen through its gut. That backup breathing trick helps in the low-oxygen pools where it sometimes lives.

Caring for the barred-tail cory

Keep barred-tail cories in a group of at least six, since a lone one is stressed and inactive. A tank of at least 13 gal (50 L) suits them, with soft sand, hiding spots, plants and shade. They sift the substrate constantly, and sharp gravel wears down their barbels.

Keep the flow gentle and the water at 70 to 82°F (21 to 28°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed sinking pellets and wafers plus frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp. Make sure food actually reaches the bottom, where they work all day.

Barred-tail cories are peaceful and safe with other community fish. They are egg scatterers with no parental care, and the eggs hatch in roughly three to five days.

Good to know

The barred-tail cory, Hoplisoma cochui, is a small armored catfish in the family Callichthyidae. Its common name comes from the dark bars on its tail fin. Wild populations face pressure from deforestation and pollution, but they are not formally listed as endangered.

In the wild

Barred-tail cories come from clear, slow streams and small tributaries in the Rio Araguaia basin in Brazil. They live over sand and mud with plant cover.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The barred-tail cory is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a barred-tail cory need?

A barred-tail cory needs at least 13 gal (50 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a barred-tail cory need?

A barred-tail cory is comfortable at 70–82°F (21–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a barred-tail cory eat?

A barred-tail cory eats sinking pellets and wafers, plus frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp.

How big does a barred-tail cory get?

An adult barred-tail cory reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).

Does a barred-tail cory need a group?

Yes. A barred-tail cory is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a barred-tail cory breed?

Barred-tail cories are egg scatterers and give their eggs no parental care. The eggs hatch in roughly three to five days.

Related species