Corydoras Catfish: Peaceful Cleaners for Your Aquarium
What Is a Cory?
Corey is a catfish. They are small, peaceful, and bottom cleaners. There are 161 varieties of Corey normally. These schooling fishes need a minimum tank with a tropical temperature of 10 gallons. They are simple to care for in a tank, on their own or with other species.
Corydoras as Cleaners:
The Cores like all catfish are down eaters and cleaners (although they also appreciate eating salted shrimp). On the one hand, that means they can help keep your tank clean or find and eat uneven food or other debris. On the other hand, the Corydoras can sometimes create a mess as they dig through the substrate, stirring up algae and other debris into the water.
The Bottom Line:
While they can be considered part of your tank's "clean-up crew," they will need some help from snails, shrimp, or other cleaners.
12 Famous Cory Catfish Species:
1. Bandit Cory:
- Adult size: 2 inches (5 cm)
- Lifespan: 5 years
- Minimum tank size: 10 gallon
- pH: 6.5–7.0
- Hardness: 5–10 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 72–79 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)
The bandits have been in the Korise aquarium trade for a long time and are one of the most popular members of the family. They can be easily recognized by wearing black masks on the eyes. The Bandits are more sensitive to water temperature than some other species.
2. Bronze Cory:
- Adult size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)
- Lifespan: 5 years
- Minimum tank size: 10 gallon
- pH: 5.8–7.0
- Hardness: 2–30 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 72–79 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)
Like Pepper Corys, Bronze Corys are very popular and easily available everywhere. These two species of Corriz are the most housed members of this family. Bronze Corys are available in several colors, including green, bronze, albino, and black. They perform well in various situations but should be kept in schools.
3. Julii Cory:
- Adult size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)
- Lifespan: 5+ years
- Minimum tank size: 10 gallon
- pH: 6.5–7.8
- Hardness: to 20 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 73–79 degrees F (23–26 degrees C)
Although this species can be seen for sale in pet stores, it is rarely real McCoy. Instead, the fish known as Julie is actually her close relative, the Three Stripe Cory. Real Julii Corys have distinct spots that are not typically connected in long chains, unlike the Three Stripe Cory.
4. Panda Cory:
- Adult size: 2 inches (5 cm)
- Lifespan: 10+ years
- Minimum tank size: 10 gallon
- pH: 6.0–7.0
- Hardness: 2–12 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 68–77 degrees F (20–25 degrees C)
Panda Cories are very social and should always be kept in schools of their kind. They meet virtually all other peaceful species and are known in the school as well as other living species below. Pandas prefer cooler temperatures and are suitable for non-hot aquariums. You can also find Long Fin Panda Cory to add different types to your tank.
5. Pepper Cory:
- Adult size: Males-2.5 inches (6.5 cm)
- Females size: 3 inches (7.5 cm)
- Lifespan: 5 years
- Minimum tank size: 15 gallon
- pH: 6.0–7.0
- Hardness: to 12 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 72–78 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)
Black pepper is probably the most commonly kept member of the family and is widely available at pet stores everywhere. They are peaceful and get along well with most fish, but they should not be kept with large, aggressive species.
6. Skunk Cory:
- Adult size: 2 inches (5 cm)
- Lifespan: 5 years
- Minimum tank size: 10 gallon
- pH: 6.8–7.5
- Hardness: 2–25 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26 degrees C)
Skin cores are more susceptible to elevated ammonia and nitrates than other species. They are therefore not advised for a brand-new aquarium. Instead, wait until the tank matures before adding this species.
7. Three-Stripe Cory:
- Adult size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)
- Lifespan: 10 years
- Minimum tank size: 10 gallon
- pH: 5.8–7.2
- Hardness: to 18 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 72–78 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)
The Three-Stripe Cory is readily available in most pet stores, but it could be Jolly Cory. The three stripes can be identified by the spots on the head that are attached to a long string, which give them a maze-like shape.
8. Sterbai Cory:
- Adult size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)
- Lifespan: 15-20 years
- Minimum tank size: 10 gallon
- pH: 6.0-7.6
- Hardness: to 15 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 73–82 degrees F (23–28 degrees C)
Caring for strabycary is as easy as other koreans, and can be well combined with different types of fish. They are dark brown to black in color but have white dots all over their body and wings so they definitely attract your attention as they float under your tank.
9. Pygmy Cory:
- Adult size: 1 inch (2.54 cm)
- Lifespan: 3 years
- Minimum tank size: 8 gallon
- pH: 6.4-7.5
- Hardness: 6-10 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 72–79 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)
Pygmy Corys are smaller than other species, only 1 inch in length, so if you have small aquarium, they can be a good choice. They are also different from the other Corrises that they will swim in the middle of the tank, not just downwards. They perform best in six or more fish schools.
10. Albino Cory:
- Adult size: 2.5 inches (6.5 cm)
- Lifespan: 5 years
- Minimum tank size: 20 gallon
- pH: 5.5-7.5
- Hardness: to 15 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 70–81 degrees F (21–27 degrees C)
Unlike other Cory's with amazing colors and patterns, the albino corri is yellow, from pink to white. They are easy and hard to care for, so they are good for beginners, and these little fishes are peaceful so they can live in tanks with different types of fish.
11. Barbets Cory:
- Adult size: 4 inches (10 cm)
- Lifespan: 5 years
- Minimum tank size: 30 gallon
- pH: 6.0-8.0
- Hardness: 2-25 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 68–82 degrees F (20–28 degrees C)
Barbets Cory is one of the larger Cory species, so they need a large tank. Also, like other Cory's, they are peaceful and excel in schools.
12. Orange Laser Cory:
- Adult size: 2.5 inches (6.35 cm)
- Lifespan: 4 years
- Minimum tank size: 30 gallon
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- Hardness: 2-12 degrees dGH
- Temperature: 76–80 degrees F (24–27 degrees C)
The orange laser is a bright colored color, with an orange strip that makes them stand out compared to the other fish in your tank. It's o
ne of the easiest fish to take care of because they don't have complex needs. And, like the other Corys, they are the best choice for a community tank.
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