Peru black cory
Corydoras semiaquilus
Also known as Black Peru cory, Semiaquilus cory
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 2.6 in
- 6.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 24 gal
- 90 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Shoaling
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Callichthyidae
- Origin
- Western Amazon in Peru and western Brazil.
Overview
The Peru black cory is a peaceful, shoaling cory for the bottom of a soft water community tank. It needs a little more experience than the easiest fish.
Did you know
The Peru black cory looks much like Fowler's cory. The nape region is one of the features used to tell the two apart.
Caring for the Peru black cory
Keep Peru black cories in a group of six or more, in a tank of at least 24 gal (90 L). Give them smooth sand to forage over.
Keep the water soft and slightly acidic, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. They do best with good water quality. Feed sinking pellets and small frozen foods, such as bloodworm and daphnia.
Peru black cories are peaceful and safe with other community fish. Breeding them is hard.
Good to know
The Peru black cory takes its trade name from the heavy dark pigment across its back and upper sides. It kept its place in the genus Corydoras after the 2024 revision, in the family Callichthyidae.
In the wild
The Peru black cory lives in soft, slightly acidic tributaries of the western Amazon, in Peru and western Brazil. It forages over sand and leaf litter in slow, shaded water. Groups move along the open bottom during the day.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Peru black 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Apple snail
Pomacea canaliculata
Freshwater5.9 in (15 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)64–81°F (18–27°C)
Barred danio
Devario pathirana
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)Siamese flying barb
Laubuka siamensis
Freshwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Peru black cory need?
A Peru black cory needs at least 24 gal (90 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Peru black cory need?
A Peru black cory is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a Peru black cory eat?
A Peru black cory eats sinking pellets and small frozen foods, such as bloodworm and daphnia.
How big does a Peru black cory get?
An adult Peru black cory reaches about 2.6 in (6.5 cm).
Does a Peru black cory need a group?
Yes. A Peru black 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)20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Ourastigma cory
Corydoras ourastigma
2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
2.8 in (7 cm)26 gal (100 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Fowler's cory
Corydoras fowleri
2.8 in (7 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)
2.8 in (7 cm)30 gal (115 L)73–77°F (23–25°C)Long nosed arched cory
Corydoras narcissus
2.8 in (7 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)
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)