Ourastigma cory
Corydoras ourastigma
Also known as Tail-spot long-snout cory
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
- Origin
- Rio Purus basin, Acre and Amazonas, Brazil
- Family
- Callichthyidae
Overview
Keep a group of six in 75 liters with sand deep enough to bury a snout in. It takes sinking foods and frozen fare, foraging more deliberately than smaller corys. Purus exports are irregular and the species has no aquarium breeding record, so treat any group as long-term keepers rather than a quick project.
In the wild
This long-snouted cory lives in the Purus basin of western Brazil, working soft sediment in slow whitewater tributaries. It digs deeper than round-nosed corys and needs a real sand bed. Keep it at 24 to 28 degrees Celsius, pH 5.8 to 7.2, over deep fine sand with wood and calm flow.
Good to know
Nijssen described Corydoras ourastigma in 1972; the name means tail spot, for the smudge of dark pigment at the caudal base that anchors an otherwise plain pale body. It reaches about 6.5 centimeters and remains in Corydoras in the strict modern sense, the long-snouted lineage of the 2024 revision.
Did you know
Its whole field mark is one smudge by the tail; collectors identify it as much by the long Roman nose as by any pattern.
Tank mates
Ourastigma cory is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.
Filament tetra
Hemigrammus filamentosusFreshwater1.7 in (4.3 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Dwarf botia
Ambastaia sidthimunkiFreshwater2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–86°F (20–30°C)
Blue panchax
Aplocheilus panchaxFreshwater3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Clown pleco
Panaqolus maccusFreshwater3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Dusky tetra
Moenkhausia phaeonotaFreshwater2.2 in (5.6 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma agassiziiFreshwater3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–84°F (22–29°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 do Ourastigma cory need?
Ourastigma cory are comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.8–7.2.
How big do Ourastigma cory get?
An adult Ourastigma cory reaches about 2.6 in (6.5 cm).
Do Ourastigma cory need a group?
Yes. Ourastigma 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
Keeping Ourastigma cory?
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Pastaza cory
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