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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
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Brazil

Overview

Ehrhardt's cory is a hardy, peaceful shoaling catfish for the bottom of a community tank. Its adaptability makes it a forgiving choice and easy to keep.

Did you know

Unlike the many warmth-loving cories of the Amazon lowlands, Ehrhardt's cory stays healthy at room temperatures. Those temperatures would be too chilly for its tropical cousins.

Caring for the Ehrhardt's cory

Keep Ehrhardt's cories in a group of six or more, spread across the bottom of a tank of 16 gal (60 L) or larger. Provide a soft sand bed, driftwood and shaded planting.

They handle cooler water than most tropical cories, from 66 to 77°F (19 to 25°C), so they fit an unheated or lightly heated room tank. Keep the pH at 6.0 to 7.5 and the water clean and gently moving. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and algae wafers, and make sure the food reaches the substrate.

Ehrhardt's cories are peaceful and sift the sand for food throughout the day. They mix easily with small, calm community fish. They have been spawned in captivity, but breeding them is challenging. A cool water change works best to trigger a group into breeding.

Good to know

Ehrhardt's cory is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae. It wears a dark shoulder patch and an eye band over a pale, faintly spotted body. The species is listed as Hoplisoma ehrhardti and also known as Corydoras ehrhardti.

In the wild

Ehrhardt's cory comes from cooler coastal river systems of southeastern Brazil, around Santa Catarina. It lives over sand and among wood and leaves.

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Tank mates

The 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.

What does an Ehrhardt's cory eat?

An Ehrhardt's cory eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and algae wafers. Make sure the food reaches the substrate, where it feeds.

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.

How does an Ehrhardt's cory breed?

Ehrhardt's cories have been spawned in captivity, but they are challenging to breed. A cool water change works best to trigger a group into spawning.

Related species