Bronze cory

Corydoras aeneus

Also known as Green cory, Lightspot cory

FreshwaterFish

Bronze cory (Corydoras aeneus) — Andrew Keller · CC0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 70–81°F (21–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3 in (7.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Easy
Rarity: Very common
Origin: South America
Family: Callichthyidae

Overview

Keep them in a group of six or more; they're social bottom dwellers that get stressed and listless when kept alone or in pairs. They're peaceful and do well in a 75 liter community tank. They forage along the bottom, so make sure sinking food actually reaches them rather than getting eaten up top. Feed sinking pellets and wafers plus frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp. Keep pH from 6 to 7.5.

In the wild

Bronze corys are widespread across South America, living in shallow, slow waters with soft substrate where they root around for food. Give them a soft sand bottom or smooth rounded gravel so they can sift it without wearing down their barbels. Sharp substrate is the main thing to avoid. They handle a wide range, from the low 20s to mid 20s C.

Good to know

Corydoras aeneus is an armored catfish in the family Callichthyidae, reaching about 7 cm. They're easy to breed, laying adhesive eggs that the female carries between her pelvic fins and sticks to surfaces around the tank. They have a backup trick of gulping air at the surface and absorbing oxygen through their gut, which lets them cope with poor water.

Did you know

That occasional dash to the surface for a gulp of air is normal, not a sign of bad water. Corys can use their intestine to take oxygen from swallowed air, an adaptation for the low-oxygen pools they sometimes live in.