Peppered cory
The peppered cory is one of the oldest and hardiest aquarium catfish, native to the cooler, temperate waters of the La Plata basin in southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. Its mottled dark-green and grey pattern gives it its name, and long-finned and albino strains are widely bred. Because it comes from subtropical latitudes it tolerates a broad temperature range, from around 18 to 24 C, and even brief cooler spells, making it ideal for unheated or lightly heated tanks. Keep it in shoals of six or more over soft sand. It is completely peaceful and undemanding regarding water chemistry, accepting a wide pH and hardness span. Offer sinking omnivore foods, frozen invertebrates and some plant matter. Easy to breed, it lays eggs on glass and broad leaves.
Water parameters
| Temperature | 18 – 24 °C |
|---|---|
| pH | 6 – 7.8 |
| Carbonate hardness (KH) | 2 – 15 °dKH |
| General hardness (GH) | 2 – 18 °dGH |
Tank & stocking
| Minimum tank volume | 70 L |
|---|---|
| Volume budget per individual | 9 L — adds up with tank-mates |
| Minimum group size | 6 individuals (shoaling) |
“Minimum tank volume” is a reasonable floor, not an absolute limit. The per-individual budget is used by the Aqua app to estimate how heavily a tank is stocked.
Frequently asked questions
What size aquarium does Peppered cory need?
Provide at least 70 litres for a small group to keep Peppered cory in good conditions.
What water parameters does Peppered cory need?
A temperature of 18–24 °C, pH 6–7.8.
Is Peppered cory peaceful or aggressive?
Its temperament is peaceful.
What does Peppered cory eat?
Its diet: omnivore.
How many Peppered cory should be kept together?
It is a social species: keep a group of at least 6.
How big does Peppered cory get?
Around 7 cm as an adult.
Is Peppered cory suitable for beginners?
Care level: beginner.
Planning a tank with Peppered cory?
AquaTender turns these parameters into live advice: it checks whether your tank is big enough, how heavily it's stocked, and whether your fish are compatible — then tracks water tests, photos and maintenance for you.
Fish from the same biotope
Report an error on this page
Care data is community-assisted. Spotted something wrong? Let us know — it won't change the page instantly, but it goes to moderation.
Care data is generated and manually reviewed; always cross-check before major decisions. ← Back to the encyclopedia