Black band cory

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep black band cories in a group of six or more over smooth sand at 22 to 26 C in soft to neutral water. They are peaceful and hardy in a settled tank. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other small sinking foods.

In the wild

The black band cory lives in soft, slightly acidic tributaries of the Maranon watershed. It forages over sand in slow, shaded water among wood and leaf litter. Groups move along the open bottom during the day.

Good to know

A single narrow dark stripe runs along the upper flank but fades out before it reaches the lower part of the tail base. That fading stripe separates it from the very similar rust cory, whose band continues onto the lower tail base. The 2024 revision moved it to the genus Osteogaster as Osteogaster zygata.

Did you know

The black band cory is often sold as the rust cory, and the only reliable difference is whether the dark stripe reaches the lower tail base.

Related species

• 

  Blue cory

  Corydoras nattereri

  2.6 in (6.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–73°F (20–23°C)

• 

  Imitator cory

  Corydoras imitator

  2.6 in (6.5 cm)21 gal (80 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Peru black cory

  Corydoras semiaquilus

  2.6 in (6.5 cm)24 gal (90 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Spotted cory

  Corydoras ambiacus

  2.6 in (6.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)

• 

  Sterba's cory

  Corydoras sterbai

  2.6 in (6.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Bannertail cory

  Corydoras robineae

  2.6 in (6.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–79°F (23–26°C)