TankBud

Ortega's cory

Hoplisoma ortegai

Also known as Corydoras ortegai, Loreto panda cory

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH
5.8–7.2
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
Origin
Lower Rio Putumayo drainage, Loreto, Peru
Family
Callichthyidae

Overview

Six or more in 60 liters over smooth sand suits it. It feeds without fuss on sinking prepared and frozen foods. Compared with the ubiquitous panda cory it runs warmer-blooded and rarer; breeding follows the same egg-on-glass pattern after cool changes but is reported far less often. A natural companion for Peruvian tetras and apistos.

In the wild

Ortega's cory comes from the lower Putumayo drainage of northeastern Peru, shoaling over sand and litter in soft, warm forest streams. Give it fine sand, leaf cover, and clean gentle flow at 23 to 27 degrees Celsius with pH 5.8 to 7.2.

Good to know

Described in 2007 by Britto, Lima and Hidalgo and named for the Peruvian ichthyologist Hernan Ortega, this species reaches about 5 centimeters and stands as Hoplisoma ortegai in the 2024 revision. The hobby calls it the Loreto panda for the black eye mask and tail-base blotch on a peach body, a bolder-nosed cousin of the true panda cory.

Did you know

It is the panda cory's dressed-up double from a different Peruvian river, and shops that receive both in one shipment routinely mix the bags.

Tank mates

Ortega's cory is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an Ortega's cory need?

An Ortega's cory needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH do Ortega's cory need?

Ortega's cory are comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 5.8–7.2.

How big do Ortega's cory get?

An adult Ortega's cory reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

Do Ortega's cory need a group?

Yes. Ortega's cory are a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Freshwater fish · Corydoras · Schooling fish · Community fish · Bottom dwellers

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