Horseman cory
Osteogaster eques
Also known as Corydoras eques, Red-top cory, Horseman's cory
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°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
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Callichthyidae
- Origin
- Central Amazon along the rio Solimoes in Brazil.
Overview
Keep the horseman cory in a group of six or more over soft sand at 22 to 26 C in soft, acidic water. It is peaceful and best kept with calm tankmates. Feed a mix of sinking pellets and small frozen foods such as bloodworm and daphnia.
In the wild
The horseman cory comes from the central Amazon, where it forages over sand in warm, soft, slightly acidic water. It occurs in slow margins and side channels among leaf litter and wood. The fish gather in groups over open sand between patches of cover.
Good to know
This species is the type of the resurrected genus Osteogaster, so the whole revived genus that now holds the rust and bronze cory relatives is named after it. It carries a strong green gold sheen over the head and shoulders with a coppery orange ridge along the back, which earns it the name red top cory. Most stock is wild caught, as it is not commonly bred.
Did you know
Corydoras eques is the namesake type species of the genus Osteogaster, revived in the 2024 catfish revision.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Horseman 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.
Gold rabbit snail
Tylomelania gemmifera
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Cuming's barb
Pethia cumingii
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Fanning characin
Pyrrhulina rachoviana
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Oil catfish
Duringlanis perugiae
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
White spotted rabbit snail
Tylomelania towutica
Freshwater4.3 in (11 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)
Blueberry tetra
Hyphessobrycon wadai
Freshwater1.7 in (4.2 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Horseman cory need?
A Horseman cory needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Horseman cory need?
A Horseman cory is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
How big does a Horseman cory get?
An adult Horseman cory reaches about 2 in (5 cm).
Does a Horseman cory need a group?
Yes. A Horseman cory is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
2.4 in (6 cm)17 gal (65 L)68–73°F (20–23°C)Gold laser cory
Osteogaster melanotaenia
2.4 in (6 cm) · 17 gal (65 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Rust cory
Osteogaster rabauti
2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Venezuelan orange cory
Osteogaster aenea
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1.6 in (4 cm)15 gal (55 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Volcano cory
Osteogaster hephaestus
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2.6 in (6.5 cm)21 gal (80 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Black band cory
Osteogaster zygata
2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)
3 in (7.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)Bronze cory
Osteogaster aenea
3 in (7.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)