Slate corydoras

The slate corydoras is a small armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, native to the Rio Guapore basin of Brazil and Bolivia. It has a plain slate-gray to bluish body, sometimes with subtle darker mottling and a warmer tone on the fins, giving it an understated, elegant appearance. It is a peaceful, gregarious bottom-dweller that should be kept in a group of six or more, where it forages and shoals contentedly. It suits calm community aquariums and coexists well with small, non-aggressive tankmates. It is somewhat less commonly available than other corydoras. It appreciates soft, slightly acidic, clean water and a fine sand substrate that protects its sensitive barbels. It is an omnivorous scavenger, taking sinking pellets, tablets, and small frozen foods, and benefits from a varied diet rather than leftovers alone. Like other corydoras it lays eggs on surfaces, and cooler water changes can help induce spawning.