TankBud

Gossei cory

Hoplisoma gossei

Also known as Corydoras gossei, Pale Spotted Cory

FreshwaterFish

Gossei cory (Hoplisoma gossei)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2.4 in
6 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Rio Mamoré / upper Rio Madeira basin, Rondônia, northwestern Brazil (likely also northern Bolivia)

Overview

Keep them in a shoal of at least five or six, and more is better, in a tank of 75 liters or larger. They are peaceful and spend their time foraging along the bottom, and a group that is too small gets stressed and hides. Soft fine sand is not optional here, since these corys use delicate barbels to sift the substrate and sharp gravel wears them down and invites infection. If you cannot use sand, only very smooth rounded gravel kept scrupulously clean will do. Hold the water at 22 to 26 C with a pH of 6 to 7.5, soft to moderately hard. Feed sinking pellets, wafers, and frozen foods like bloodworms or daphnia, and make sure food reaches the bottom. Never release unwanted fish into local waters, and check your local rules before rehoming.

In the wild

Gossei cory comes from the Rio Mamoré and the upper Rio Madeira basin in Rondônia, northwestern Brazil, and likely northern Bolivia as well. These are warm lowland Amazon waters with soft sand and leaf litter on the bottom, where the fish root around for food. Give them a tank of at least 75 liters with a long footprint, since floor space matters more than height. A base of about 90 by 30 cm suits a group. Use soft fine sand for the substrate, keep the water from 22 to 26 C, and aim for a pH of 6 to 7.5 on the soft, slightly acidic to neutral side.

Good to know

This is a bottom-dwelling catfish in the family Callichthyidae, reaching about 6 cm as an adult. It is a facultative air breather, so it sometimes darts up to the surface for a quick gulp of air, which is normal behavior. The pectoral fin spines can lock out and pierce skin, so net and handle the fish carefully rather than scooping it by hand.

Did you know

Breeding takes some work and copies a seasonal trigger from the wild. A large water change with noticeably cooler water, paired with stronger flow, mimics the rainy season and prompts the group to spawn. The catch is the fry, which need pristine water to grow, so raising a batch means staying on top of clean conditions until they are sturdy.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Gossei 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 Gossei cory need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Gossei cory need?

A Gossei cory is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

How big does a Gossei cory get?

An adult Gossei cory reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

Does a Gossei cory need a group?

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

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