TankBud

Duplicate cory

Hoplisoma duplicareum

Also known as Corydoras duplicareus, False adolfo cory

FreshwaterFish

Duplicate cory (Hoplisoma duplicareum)
Marek Kriz · CC BY 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.0–7.2
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg depositor · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Upper Rio Negro system, Brazil

Overview

The duplicate cory is a peaceful catfish for the bottom of a soft, acidic community tank. It is best kept with a little experience.

Did you know

The duplicate cory is easy to mix up with Corydoras adolfoi, and the two get sold under each other's names all the time. The tell is a wider, heavier black shoulder patch on the duplicate cory, along with a thicker black band down the back.

Caring for the duplicate cory

Keep duplicate cories in a school of at least six, and more if you have room, in 20 gal (75 L) or larger. They settle and color up better in a group. A blackwater setup with leaf litter suits them best, along with driftwood and dim light.

Use a soft sand bottom, because sharp gravel scrapes their barbels and infects them. Keep the water soft and on the acidic side, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.2.

Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworms and the odd algae wafer. Duplicate cories are peaceful bottom dwellers that forage over the sand all day, so pick small, calm tank mates. Their pectoral fin spines can give a painful sting, so net and handle them with care.

They are moderately hard to breed. They lay sticky eggs on glass and plants in the T-position cories are known for. The parents give no care after spawning.

Good to know

The duplicate cory is a cory catfish in the family Callichthyidae. A healthy adult can live several years. Most fish in the trade are wild-caught, though tank-bred ones turn up.

In the wild

Duplicate cories come from the upper Rio Negro system in Brazil. Their home is soft blackwater streams, stained dark by tannins and littered with fallen leaves over a sandy bottom.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The duplicate 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 duplicate cory need?

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

What temperature and pH does a duplicate cory need?

A duplicate cory is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.

What does a duplicate cory eat?

A duplicate cory eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworms and the odd algae wafer.

How big does a duplicate cory get?

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

Does a duplicate cory need a group?

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

How does a duplicate cory breed?

Duplicate cories lay sticky eggs on glass and plants, in the T-position cories are known for. The parents give the eggs no care, and breeding them is of medium difficulty.

Related species