Ourastigma cory
Corydoras ourastigma
Also known as Tail-spot long-snout cory
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 5.8–7.2
- Adult size
- 2.6 in
- 6.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Shoaling
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Callichthyidae
- Origin
- Rio Purus basin, Acre and Amazonas, Brazil
Overview
The Ourastigma cory is a peaceful shoaler for a sand-bottomed community tank. It is a step up from the easiest corys.
Did you know
Collectors identify the Ourastigma cory as much by its long Roman nose as by any pattern. Its whole field mark is one smudge by the tail.
Caring for the Ourastigma cory
Keep a group of six Ourastigma corys in a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). They dig deeper than round-nosed corys, so they need a real bed of fine sand, deep enough to bury a snout in. Add some wood and keep the flow calm.
Keep the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.8 to 7.2. They take sinking foods and frozen fare, and forage more deliberately than smaller corys.
Ourastigma corys are peaceful and safe with other community fish. Purus exports are irregular, and the species has no aquarium breeding record. Treat any group as long-term keepers rather than a quick project.
Good to know
Nijssen described Corydoras ourastigma in 1972, and the name means tail spot. Apart from that mark, its body is plain and pale. It remains in Corydoras in the strict modern sense, the long-snouted lineage of the 2024 revision.
In the wild
The Ourastigma cory lives in the Rio Purus basin of western Brazil, in Acre and Amazonas. It works the soft sediment of slow whitewater tributaries.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Ourastigma 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.
Bloodfin tetra
Aphyocharax anisitsi
Freshwater2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Blue panchax
Aplocheilus panchax
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Vampire shrimp
Atya gabonensis
Freshwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Clown pleco
Panaqolus maccus
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Indian glassy fish
Parambassis ranga
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)68–86°F (20–30°C)
Kuekenthal's halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon kuekenthali
Freshwater3.3 in (8.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Ourastigma cory need?
An Ourastigma cory needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Ourastigma cory need?
An Ourastigma cory is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.8–7.2.
What does an Ourastigma cory eat?
An Ourastigma cory takes sinking foods and frozen fare. It forages more deliberately than smaller corys.
How big does an Ourastigma cory get?
An adult Ourastigma cory reaches about 2.6 in (6.5 cm).
Does an Ourastigma cory need a group?
Yes. An Ourastigma cory is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
Related species
2.6 in (6.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Fuller's cory
Corydoras fulleri
2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.6 in (6.5 cm)24 gal (90 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Peru black cory
Corydoras semiaquilus
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2.8 in (7 cm)26 gal (100 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Fowler's cory
Corydoras fowleri
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2.8 in (7 cm)30 gal (115 L)73–77°F (23–25°C)Long nosed arched cory
Corydoras narcissus
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2.8 in (7 cm)22 gal (85 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Pastaza cory
Corydoras pastazensis
2.8 in (7 cm) · 22 gal (85 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Northern longnose cory
Corydoras septentrionalis
2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)