Masked cory

Corydoras metae

Also known as bandit cory

FreshwaterFish

Masked cory (Corydoras metae) — Gonzalo Valenzuela · CC BY-SA 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 70–79°F (21–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2 in (5 cm)
Minimum tank: 15 gal (55 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Origin: Colombia, Venezuela
Family: Callichthyidae

Overview

Keep masked corys in a group of at least six, more if you have room. They are peaceful schoolers that work the bottom of the tank. Feed sinking foods such as wafers and pellets plus frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, and make sure food actually reaches the floor. They want soft, clean water and a smooth substrate. They mix well with other calm, soft-water community fish. A 55 liter tank suits a small group.

In the wild

The masked cory comes from clear, soft streams in Colombia and Venezuela, working sandy bottoms among leaf litter and roots. Set up the tank to suit that. Use a soft sand substrate so it can sift without damaging its barbels, add some shade from plants or wood, and keep gentle flow. Keep the water on the soft side with pH 6 to 7.5 and temperatures in the low to mid 20s C.

Good to know

Corydoras metae is a small 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 using its gut to pull oxygen, handy in low-oxygen water. It is an egg layer. The female carries eggs in a pouch formed by her pelvic fins and sticks them to surfaces. The dark band running over the head and through the dorsal gives it the masked look.

Did you know

Corydoras like this one can breathe air. They dart to the surface, grab a gulp, and absorb oxygen through a section of their gut, which lets them get by in warm, stagnant pools where many fish would struggle. A cory making regular surface trips in a healthy tank is normal, not a warning sign on its own.