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Ehrhardt's cory

Hoplisoma ehrhardti

Also known as Corydoras ehrhardti

FreshwaterFish

Ehrhardt's cory (Hoplisoma ehrhardti)

Care at a glance

Temperature
66–77°F
19–25°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
Easy
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Brazil

Overview

Ehrhardt's cory is a hardy, peaceful shoaler that does best in a group of six or more spread across the bottom. It sifts sand for food throughout the day and mixes easily with small, calm community fish, tolerating a wider temperature range than many cories. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, and algae wafers, making sure the food reaches the substrate. Its adaptability makes it a forgiving choice, and a group settles well in a tank of around 60 liters or larger.

In the wild

Corydoras ehrhardti comes from cooler coastal river systems of southeastern Brazil, around Santa Catarina, over sand and among wood and leaves. It handles cooler water than most tropical cories, from about 19 to 25 C, so it fits an unheated or lightly heated room tank. Provide a soft sand bed, driftwood, and shaded planting, with pH around 6.0 to 7.5 and clean, gently moving water.

Good to know

This armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae grows to about 5 cm and wears a dark shoulder patch and eye band over a pale, faintly spotted body. It is one of the more temperature tolerant cories, which helps explain its reputation as an easy, robust aquarium fish. It has been spawned in captivity but is rated challenging, doing best when a cool water change is used to trigger a group into breeding.

Did you know

Unlike the many warmth loving cories of the Amazon lowlands, Ehrhardt's cory hails from cooler coastal streams in southern Brazil, so it stays healthy at room temperatures that would be too chilly for its tropical cousins.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Ehrhardt's 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 an Ehrhardt's cory need?

An Ehrhardt's cory needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Ehrhardt's cory need?

An Ehrhardt's cory is comfortable at 66–77°F (19–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

How big does an Ehrhardt's cory get?

An adult Ehrhardt's cory reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

Does an Ehrhardt's cory need a group?

Yes. An Ehrhardt's cory is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

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