Oiapoque cory
Hoplisoma oiapoquense
Also known as Corydoras oiapoquensis, Flagtail panda cory, Flag-tailed cory, Flag tail panda cory
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–79°F
- 23–26°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.2
- Adult size
- 2.2 in
- 5.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Shoaling
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Callichthyidae
- Origin
- Rio Oyapock basin in French Guiana and Brazil.
Overview
Keep them in a group of six or more over smooth sand at 23 to 26 C in soft, slightly acidic water. They are peaceful and suit a quiet planted community. Feed sinking pellets and small frozen foods such as bloodworm.
In the wild
The Oiapoque cory lives in soft, slightly acidic streams of the Oyapock basin on the border of French Guiana and Brazil. It forages over sand among leaf litter and wood. Groups gather in slow, shaded water.
Good to know
It looks like a panda cory, with a black eye mask and a dark shoulder blotch, but it also carries wavy dark bars across the tail and has no spot on the tail base. The 2024 revision placed it in the genus Hoplisoma as Hoplisoma oiapoquense. The striped tail is why it is sometimes called the flagtail panda cory.
Did you know
The striped flag tail and the missing tail base spot separate this fish from the true panda cory it otherwise resembles.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Oiapoque 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.
Marble wood shrimp
Atya scabra
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Dwarf rainbowfish
Melanotaenia maccullochi
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Rex halfbeak
Nomorhamphus rex
Freshwater2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Aizawl loach
Schistura aizawlensis
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Black widow tetra
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Blue panchax
Aplocheilus panchax
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Oiapoque cory need?
An Oiapoque cory needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Oiapoque cory need?
An Oiapoque cory is comfortable at 73–79°F (23–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.
How big does an Oiapoque cory get?
An adult Oiapoque cory reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).
Does an Oiapoque cory need a group?
Yes. An Oiapoque cory is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
2.2 in (5.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Bluespotted cory
Hoplisoma melanistium
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
2.2 in (5.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Boeseman's cory
Hoplisoma boesemani
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
2.2 in (5.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Burgess's cory
Hoplisoma burgessi
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.2 in (5.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Julii cory
Hoplisoma julii
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.2 in (5.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Sipaliwini cory
Hoplisoma sipaliwini
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
2.2 in (5.5 cm)16 gal (60 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Threestripe cory
Hoplisoma trilineatum
2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)