TankBud

Dirty bandit cory

Hoplisoma loxozonum

Also known as Corydoras loxozonus, Loxozonus cory

FreshwaterFish

Dirty bandit cory (Hoplisoma loxozonum)
Soulkeeper · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–75°F
21–24°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
16 gal
60 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Colombia

Overview

The dirty bandit cory is a peaceful, social catfish for the floor of a calm community tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The dirty bandit cory gets its common name from mixing several patterns at once. It has the eye mask of a bandit cory, a slanted body bar and a dusting of julii-like spots.

Caring for the dirty bandit cory

Keep dirty bandit cories in a shoal of at least six, since a lone fish frets. A group is comfortable in 16 gal (60 L) or larger. Recreate their home with a soft sand bed, driftwood, some leaf litter and areas of shade.

Keep the water soft and slightly acidic, at a moderate 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Clean, well-filtered water with a gentle current keeps them in good health. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and daphnia, and a little wafer. Check that enough of it drops to the bottom.

Dirty bandit cories are peaceful and cruise the sand in a group, probing for food with their barbels. They suit a calm community of small tetras, rasboras or dwarf cichlids that leave the floor alone. They have been bred in aquariums, but breeding them is difficult. Spawning needs soft, cool, clean water and well-conditioned adults.

Good to know

The dirty bandit cory is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae. Its species name, loxozonus, comes from the Greek for oblique band. That refers to the slanted dark stripe that runs down across the rear of its body.

In the wild

The dirty bandit cory lives in the Meta River basin of Colombia. It stays in shallow, gently flowing water over sand.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The dirty bandit 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 dirty bandit cory need?

A dirty bandit cory needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a dirty bandit cory need?

A dirty bandit cory is comfortable at 70–75°F (21–24°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a dirty bandit cory eat?

A dirty bandit cory eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and daphnia, and a little wafer. Check that enough of the food drops to the bottom for it.

How big does a dirty bandit cory get?

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

Does a dirty bandit cory need a group?

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

How does a dirty bandit cory breed?

Dirty bandit cories have been bred in aquariums, but they are difficult to spawn. Well-conditioned adults need soft, cool, clean water before they will spawn.

Related species