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Blue cory

Hoplisoma nattereri

Also known as Corydoras nattereri

FreshwaterFish

Blue cory (Hoplisoma nattereri)
Carsten Müller · Copyrighted free use

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–73°F
20–23°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2.6 in
6.5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Brazil

Overview

The blue cory is a peaceful, active shoaler that should be kept in a group of at least six to look and behave its best. It patrols the bottom in a loose pack, sifting sand for food, and mixes happily with small, gentle community fish that favor similar cooler water. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and daphnia, and the odd algae wafer, and make sure the food gets past faster mid water fish. Give a group a tank of around 75 liters or larger.

In the wild

Corydoras nattereri lives in cooler coastal rivers of southeastern Brazil, from Espirito Santo to Parana, over sand and among roots and leaves. It prefers water on the cooler side, roughly 20 to 23 C, so avoid a hot tank. Provide a soft sand bed, driftwood, and shaded planting, with pH around 6.0 to 7.5 and clean, well oxygenated water kept moving gently.

Good to know

This armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae grows to around 6.5 cm and takes a metallic blue green sheen along the flanks, brightest across the gill covers. It is named for the Austrian naturalist Johann Natterer, who collected the first specimens in Brazil. It has been spawned in aquaria but is regarded as tricky, responding best to cool, clean water and live foods to bring the adults into condition.

Did you know

The blue cory earns its name from the soft metallic blue sheen that washes over its body, with green highlights around the gills. It honors Johann Natterer, the Austrian explorer whose long expedition through Brazil turned up many of the region's fishes.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Blue 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 Blue cory need?

A Blue cory needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Blue cory need?

A Blue cory is comfortable at 68–73°F (20–23°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

How big does a Blue cory get?

An adult Blue cory reaches about 2.6 in (6.5 cm).

Does a Blue cory need a group?

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

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