Concolor cory

Corydoras concolor

Also known as Slate cory

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2.4 in (6 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Origin: Orinoco River basin, western Venezuela (South America)
Family: Callichthyidae

Overview

Keep them in a group of at least six, with eight or more being better, in a tank of 75 liters or up. On their own or in small numbers they turn shy and skittish. They are peaceful bottom dwellers and do well with small tetras, rasboras, and dwarf cichlids. Run good filtration and keep the water well oxygenated, warm at 22 to 26 C, slightly soft, and acidic to neutral at a pH of 6 to 7.5, though they tolerate up to neutral and harder water. Use only soft fine sand on the bottom, since sharp gravel wears down and infects their barbels and is a common cause of barbel loss.

In the wild

Concolor corys come from the Orinoco River basin in western Venezuela, where they work over the soft sand and leaf litter of slow, shaded stretches of water. To match that, give them a soft fine-sand substrate and some shade from plants and driftwood. They settle in best in a tank of 75 liters or larger with a wide floor, since they spend their time foraging across the bottom. Keep the water on the warm side at 22 to 26 C and slightly soft, with a pH from 6 to 7.5.

Good to know

This is a bottom-dwelling catfish in the family Callichthyidae, the armored corys, reaching about 6 cm as an adult. Like all Corydoras it can gulp atmospheric air at the surface, so the occasional dash up for a breath is normal. Its pectoral spines are mildly venomous, so handle and net it with care. It has been bred in the hobby, though less often than the easy corys.

Did you know

To spawn them you have to imitate the rainy season. Condition the group on live and frozen foods, then do a larger water change with cooler water to mimic the cool runoff that floods their home streams. That drop in temperature is the trigger that tells them it is time to breed, which is why they are rated a step harder to spawn than the common corys.