Sixray cory

Care at a glance

Overview

This is a peaceful, social bottom dweller that should be kept in a group of six or more, and its small size makes it a good fit for nano tanks of around 50 liters. It spends its time foraging across the sand. Feed sinking pellets, wafers, and small frozen foods like brine shrimp or bloodworms, and make sure food reaches the bottom. A soft substrate, gentle flow, and soft acidic water keep it healthy.

In the wild

The sixray cory comes from soft, slightly acidic streams in Brazil, often in slow, shallow water over sand with plant cover and leaf litter. Recreate that with a soft sand bottom, gentle flow, some shade, and a temperature in the low to mid-20s C. A planted tank with hiding spots helps these shy fish settle in. Keep the water on the soft, acidic side, around pH 5.5 to 7.

Good to know

Aspidoras pauciradiatus is a small armored catfish in the family Callichthyidae, closely related to Corydoras. It is tiny, topping out around 3.5 cm, which makes it one of the smallest of the group. It scatters eggs onto plants and surfaces, with eggs hatching in a few days, and breeding it is difficult. Like its relatives, it carries bony plates instead of scales.

Did you know

Like other corys, the sixray can take a quick gulp of air at the surface and absorb oxygen through its gut, a backup system that lets it cope when oxygen in the water runs low.

Related species

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  Brown-Point Shield Skin

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• 

  Albater cory

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• Loach catfish

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• Aspidoras Cory-Cat

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• 

  Barred-tail cory

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• 

  Salt and pepper cory

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  1.4 in (3.5 cm)15 gal (55 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)