Fairy cory

Corydoras atropersonatus

Also known as Caracha

FreshwaterFish

Fairy cory (Corydoras atropersonatus) — MaurizioCorydoras · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 70–81°F (21–27°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2 in (5 cm)
Minimum tank: 16 gal (60 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Origin: Ecuador, Peru
Family: Callichthyidae

Overview

Cories are social, so keep at least six and ideally more. They are peaceful bottom dwellers that spend the day sifting sand for food. Feed sinking pellets, wafers, and frozen foods like bloodworm or daphnia, and do not assume they will live on leftovers from fish above. They want clean, well-oxygenated water in the low to high 20s C. A group fits in around 60 liters with a long footprint for foraging.

In the wild

Fairy cories come from clear, slow streams in the upper Amazon drainage of Ecuador and Peru. The bottom is soft sand and fine debris where they root around for food. Give them a tank with a smooth sand bed, since sharp gravel wears down their delicate barbels, plus some leaf litter, wood, and shade. Soft, slightly acidic to neutral water from pH 6 to 7.5 works well.

Good to know

This is an armored catfish in the family Callichthyidae, reaching about 5 cm. Like other Corydoras it wears bony plates instead of scales and can gulp air at the surface, taking oxygen through its gut. It is an egg layer that deposits sticky eggs on surfaces, with no parental care after spawning, and it is not the easiest cory to breed at home. It carries fine speckling and a dark mask across the eyes.

Did you know

Cories can breathe air. When oxygen runs low they dash to the surface, gulp a mouthful, and absorb it through a specialized stretch of their intestine before releasing the spent bubble. An occasional trip up top is normal, but if the whole group is doing it constantly, check your water and aeration.