Peppered cory

Hoplisoma paleatum

Also known as Corydoras paleatus, salt and pepper catfish

FreshwaterFish

Peppered cory (Hoplisoma paleatum) — NiKo at German Wikipedia · Public domain

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F; 22–26°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2.8 in; 7 cm
Minimum tank: 21 gal; 80 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Shoaling
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Easy
Rarity: Common
Family: Callichthyidae
Origin: Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina

Overview

A peaceful bottom dweller that does best in a school of six or more. A tank of around 80 liters suits a group. Keep them on the cooler side, low to mid 20s C, with a pH of 6 to 7.5. They forage along the bottom for sinking pellets, frozen foods, and leftovers, but feed them directly rather than relying on scraps. They are an easy, friendly community fish.

In the wild

Peppered corys come from cooler, slow waters in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina, further south than most popular corys. That southern range means they handle the lower end of tropical temperatures well. Give them a soft sand bottom so they can sift it without scraping their barbels, plus some plants and shade.

Good to know

This is a member of the Callichthyidae, the armored catfish family, with bony plates along the body in place of scales. Adults reach about 7 cm. It is an egg layer that spawns readily, with the female carrying eggs in her pelvic fins and sticking them to glass and plants. They can live well past 5 years.

Did you know

Peppered corys gulp air at the surface and absorb oxygen through their gut, so a quick dash to the top now and then is normal. This species was also one of the first aquarium fish bred in captivity, going back to 1800s France.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Peppered 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