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Pastaza cory

Corydoras pastazensis

FreshwaterFish

Pastaza cory (Corydoras pastazensis)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
22 gal
85 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Ecuador, Peru

Overview

The Pastaza cory is a peaceful, larger cory for the sandy bottom of a community tank. It needs a little more care than the easiest fish.

Did you know

The Pastaza cory is named straight after the river where it was found, as a number of cories are. The Rio Pastaza is a fast, Andean-fed tributary that flows from Ecuador into the Peruvian Amazon.

Caring for the Pastaza cory

Keep Pastaza cories in a group of at least six. Their size and social needs call for a tank of at least 22 gal (85 L). Give them a soft sand bed with open areas to forage over, plus driftwood and shaded planting.

Keep the water clean and well filtered, with regular maintenance. They suit a warm range of 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.

Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other meaty foods, plus a little wafer. Make sure the food reaches the substrate, since they graze the sandy bottom with their barbels.

Pastaza cories are peaceful and mix well with calm, medium-sized community fish that leave the floor clear. Reliable aquarium spawning is not well documented. Cories as a group lay adhesive eggs onto firm surfaces after a brief pairing.

Good to know

The Pastaza cory is an armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae. It carries a dark shoulder patch and eye band over a pale body, in the style of several upper Amazon cories. Two rows of bony scutes armor each flank.

In the wild

The Pastaza cory comes from the Rio Pastaza and neighboring upper Amazon drainages of Ecuador and Peru. It lives over sand in warm, soft, gently flowing water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Pastaza 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Pastaza cory need?

A Pastaza cory needs at least 22 gal (85 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Pastaza cory need?

A Pastaza cory is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a Pastaza cory eat?

A Pastaza cory eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other meaty foods, plus a little wafer. The food has to reach the substrate, where it grazes with its barbels.

How big does a Pastaza cory get?

An adult Pastaza cory reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

Does a Pastaza cory need a group?

Yes. A Pastaza cory is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

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