A list of the best cory siluriform fish for your fish tank
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Corydoras catfish , or cory catfish , are beloved by all who have have them . These peaceful Pisces the Fishes are audacious , attractive , and vital . They can even help you keep your armored combat vehicle light . Virtually all cory species should be keep in school ; stories of single corys languish off from desolation are not uncommon . Corys should be kept only with small- to medium - sized passive fish .
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What Is a Cory?
A cory is a catfish . They are small , peaceful , bottom - dwelling magpie . There are 161 cory specie . Generally , these school fish take at least a 10 - gal cooler with a tropical temperature . They are easy to care for in a tankful on their own or with other mintage .
Corys , like all wolf fish , are bottom feeder and scavengers ( though they also revalue a meal ofbrine shrimp ) . On the one hand , that stand for they can avail to keep your tank clean by recover and corrode bits of uneaten food and other debris . On the other hand , corys tend to make a bit of a mess as they dig through the substratum and send algae and other muck into the water . Bottom line , while they can be considered part of your tank ’s " clean - up gang , " they ’ll need a little helper from snail , shrimp , and other magpie .
Here are 12 pop cory wolf fish species that you could add to your tank .
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The Spruce / Catherine Song
Bandit Cory
Species Overview
Scientific name : Corydoras metae
grownup size:2 inch ( 5 cm )
Lifespan:5 years
Credit: Acuario
Minimum tank size:10 gallon
pH:6.5–7.0
Hardness:5–10 degrees dGH
Credit: Hung-Jou Chen
Temperature:72–79 degrees F ( 22–26 degrees degree Celsius )
Tankmates : passive school species
Bandit coryshave been in the aquarium trade for a long time and are one of the more popular members of this family . They are well identifiable by the black mask over the eyes . brigand are more sore to variations in water supply temperature than some other mintage .
Credit: h080
Bronze Cory
Scientific name : Corydoras aeneus
Also known as : Green Corydoras
Adult size:2.5 inches ( 6 cm )
Credit: Haplochromis
Lifespan:5 years
pH:5.8–7.0
Hardness:2–30 degrees dGH
Credit: Hiyotada
Tankmates : peaceable schooling fish
Like capsicum corys , bronze corysare very popular and readily available everywhere . These two species of corys are hands down the most commonly kept members of this menage . Bronze corys are uncommitted in several color morphs , including green , bronze , albino , and black . They do well in a reach of conditions but should be kept in school .
Julii Cory
Scientific name : Corydoras julii
Lifespan:5 + days
pH:6.5–7.8
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rigourousness : to 20 degrees dGH
Temperature:73–79 degrees F ( 23–26 grade C )
Tankmates : passive bottom - consist schooling fish
Credit: Gerald Schneider
Although this species may be seen for sale in pet store , it rarely is the material McCoy . alternatively , what is mark as a julii is its kissing cousin the three stripe cory . rightful julishave spots that are broadly not touch base into tenacious chains , as they are in the three chevron cory .
Panda Cory
Scientific name : Corydoras panda
Also sleep with as : Panda Catfish , Panda Corydoras
Lifespan:10 + years
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pH:6.0–7.0
Hardness:2–12 degrees dGH
Temperature:68–77 arcdegree F ( 20–25 degrees C )
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Tankmates : Peaceful , compatible with all species , keep in schools
Panda corysare highly societal and should always be kept in schools of their own kind . They get along with virtually all other peaceful species and have been known to school along with other bottom - dwelling coinage . Ailurus fulgens opt cooler temporary worker and are suitable for unwarmed aquariums . you could also calculate for the longfin panda cory to add change to your tank .
Pepper Cory
Scientific name : Corydoras paleatus
Also known as : Blue Leopard Corydoras , Peppered Catfish , Peppered Cory
Adult size of it : Males–2.5 inches ( 6.5 curium ) , Females–3 inch ( 7.5 centimeter )
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minimal cooler size:15 gallon
severity : to 12 degrees dGH
Temperature:72–78 degree F ( 22–26 degrees C )
Credit:Mirko_Rosenau / Getty Images
Tankmates : Peaceful , advantageously kept in schooltime with other modest fish
Pepper corysare perhaps the most commonly kept member of this kinfolk and are widely available at pet store everywhere . They are passive and get along with virtually all fish , but should not be kept with large fast-growing metal money .
Skunk Cory
The Spruce / Shirlie L Sharpe
Scientific name : Corydoras arcuatus
pH:6.8–7.5
Credit:Mirko_Rosenau / Getty Images
Hardness:2–25 degrees dGH
Temperature:72–79 ° F ( 22–26 degree coulomb )
Tankmates : Peaceful , enjoys a large school
Skunk corysare more tender to lofty ammonium hydroxide and nitrate than other specie . For this reason , they are not urge for a brand novel marine museum . alternatively , wait until the tank is maturate before impart this metal money .
Three Stripe Cory
Scientific name : Corydoras trilineatus
Lifespan:10 years
pH:5.8–7.2
ruggedness : to 18 degrees dGH
Tankmates : peaceable , keep in little schoolhouse
The three stripe cory is readily available in most pet shops , but may be a julii Cory . Three stripe corys can be distinguished by the spots on the head that are connected in a long string , impart them a snarl - comparable coming into court .
Sterbai Cory
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Scientific name : Corydoras sterbai
Also known as : Sterba ’s Cory
Lifespan:15 - 20 old age
pH:6.0 - 7.6
rigorousness : to 15 point dGH
Temperature:73–82 arcdegree F ( 23–28 degrees C )
Tankmates : Peaceful , keep in small school and with fish that are like in sizing
Sterbai cory are well-off to care for like other corys , and can get along well with a kind of other fish species . Their color ranges from glum brown to black but they have blanched dots all over their body and cinque so they ’re certain to grab your attention as they float along the bottom of your tank .
Pygmy Corydoras
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Scientific name : Corydoras pygmaeus
Also know as : Pygmy Catfish
fully grown size:1 inch ( 2.54 cm )
Lifespan:3 years
Minimum armored combat vehicle size:8 gal
pH:6.4 - 7.5
Hardness:6 - 10 degree dGH
Tankmates : Peaceful , keep in schools and without large Pisces that would view them as prey
Pygmy corys are low than other metal money , growing only to about 1 in in duration , so they can be a good choice if you have a small aquarium . They ’re also different from other corys in that they will drown in the middle of the tank , not just on the bottom . They do best in schools of six or more fish .
Albino Corydoras
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Also know as : Albino Cory Catfish
grownup size:2.5 inch ( 6.5 centimetre )
minimal tank size:20 Imperial gallon
pH:5.5 - 7.5
Temperature:70–81 degrees F ( 21–27 degree C )
Tankmates : Peaceful , keep in schools
Unlike other corys that have come upon vividness and patterns , the albino cory is pale , graze from pink to white . They ’re easy to like for and hardy , so they ’re good for beginners , and these minor fish are peaceful so they can live in a cooler with various other fish mintage .
Barbatus Cory
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Scientific name : Scleromystax barbatus
Also known as : Bearded Cory , Banded Cory
grownup size:4 inches ( 10 cm )
Minimum tank size:30 gallon
pH:6.0 - 8.0
Hardness:2 - 25 stage dGH
Temperature:68–82 degrees F ( 20–28 arcdegree C )
The barbatus cory is one of the larger cory species , so they require a expectant cooler . Also , like other corys , they are peaceable and do best in schools . Keep them with large shrimp , as they might eat small ones . male have more distinct markings and longer pectoral quint than females .
Orange Laser Cory
Scientific name : Corydoras sp . “ orange laser ”
Also know as : Orange Stripe Cory
Adult size:2.5 in ( 6.35 atomic number 96 )
Lifespan:4 yr
pH:6.0 - 7.5
Hardness:2 - 12 degrees dGH
Temperature:76–80 degrees F ( 24–27 degrees C )
The orange laser cory is brightly discolour , featuring an orange stripe that constitute them stand out against other fish in your cooler . This is also one of the easiest fish to like for because they do n’t have complicated requirements . And , like other corys , they ’re an first-class selection for a community tank .
Corys love to eat brine shrimp , algae wafers , Pisces shot , algae pellets , fresh water plants , and vegetables .
Cory mudcat produce to be about 1 column inch to 2.5 in long .
Corys have a lifetime from five to 10 years .
Between two and four . Each cory requires about one gallon of water , which is a formula you may keep in mind as you add up Pisces to your armored combat vehicle .
Corys are fish that prefer living in group . As a general rule , keepat least six corysin your army tank .
Yes , corys can aid keep your tank clear because they ’re scavengers that look for food at the bottom of the tank . However , you still need tofeed themand regularly clean your armored combat vehicle .
Corys are a great pick for Pisces owners of all experience levels . They help keep your tank clean , they ’re peaceful , and they are fun to determine .