Salt and Pepper Cory

The salt and pepper cory is one of the smallest members of the Callichthyidae, the South American armoured catfishes shielded by two overlapping rows of bony plates. It rarely exceeds 3.5 cm, females being rounder and slightly larger than males. A silvery-tan body carries an uneven line of black blotches along the flank and darker speckling over the head and back, the pattern behind its common name, while three pairs of barbels constantly probe the sand. The species inhabits the upper Río Orinoco basin in eastern Colombia and western Venezuela, where it appears to be restricted to left bank tributaries. It lives in shallow, soft, slightly acidic to neutral waters cluttered with leaf litter and submerged roots, over sandy beds that offer both food and cover. It is a shoaling fish: six individuals are a bare minimum, ten or more bring out its true behaviour. Seriously Fish calls for a 60 x 30 cm footprint and explicitly rules out nano tanks, since a small fish that forages all day still needs floor space. Fine sand is essential, as coarse gravel damages the barbels. An omnivore, it takes sinking pellets, frozen daphnia and brine shrimp, but must never be left to scavenge leftovers. Cool water changes trigger spawning.