TankBud

Blackstripe cory

Hoplisoma bondi

Also known as Corydoras bondi

FreshwaterFish

Blackstripe cory (Hoplisoma bondi)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–79°F
21–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
15 gal
55 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
The Guianas

Overview

The blackstripe cory is a peaceful, sociable little catfish for the bottom of a community tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The blackstripe cory wears one clean dark line drawn straight along its flank, where many cories are speckled or masked. It belongs to a cluster of similar slender cories from the Guianas that can be tricky to tell apart.

Caring for the blackstripe cory

Keep blackstripe cories in a group of at least six, since they need the company of their own kind. A group settles well in 15 gal (55 L) or larger. Give them a fine sand bed, driftwood and some shady plant cover.

Keep the water clean and gently moving, at 70 to 79°F (21 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Regular water changes keep this slender cory comfortable. Feed a varied diet of sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and the occasional wafer, and make sure the food reaches the floor.

Blackstripe cories forage across the bottom in a loose shoal, working the sand with their barbels. They are peaceful, so house them with calm community fish that stay out of their way at feeding time. Aquarium breeding of this species is not well documented. Its close relatives pair briefly, then deposit sticky eggs onto firm surfaces.

Good to know

The blackstripe cory is a slim armored catfish in the family Callichthyidae, listed as Hoplisoma bondi and also known as Corydoras bondi. Like the rest of its family, it wears two overlapping rows of bony plates along each flank instead of scales.

In the wild

Blackstripe cories are native to the Guianas. They live in soft, warm rivers and streams, over sandy beds scattered with wood and leaves.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The blackstripe 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 blackstripe cory need?

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

What temperature and pH does a blackstripe cory need?

A blackstripe cory is comfortable at 70–79°F (21–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a blackstripe cory eat?

A blackstripe cory eats a varied diet of sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and the occasional wafer. Make sure the food reaches the floor, where it forages.

How big does a blackstripe cory get?

An adult blackstripe cory reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

Does a blackstripe cory need a group?

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

How does a blackstripe cory breed?

Breeding the blackstripe cory in aquariums is not well documented. Its close relatives spawn after a brief pairing, depositing sticky eggs onto firm surfaces.

Related species