Corydoras
The corydoras, or “Cory”, is a small family of catfish that’s native to South America – the Amazon to be more precise. Their appetite, social nature and resilience make them an excellent addition to most freshwater ecosystems.
and counting
Quick Fact: There are over 150 reported variations of corydoras.
The Function of the Corydoras
Putting cute looks aside, cories are excellent scavengers. Most of their time is spent near the substrate where they happily snack on fallen food. These uneaten particles would build up toxicity without scavengers like the corydoras, resulting in undesirable living conditions. Cories are part of the cleanup crew.
Social by Nature
It would be cruel to a cory to have only one in your tank. They love socializing in shoals. One might even argue that the more of them there are in a group, the happier they seem to be. The result of this inclination to be so social results in a more visually engaging aquarium. It almost looks like they’re playing one giant game of tag sometimes.
Built Cory Tough
Cories can hold their own in a fight, defensively speaking. If assaulted, they’re equipped with unique armor that can even stand up to a piranha! And if that weren’t enough, they’ll also inject a toxin from the spines in their fins into anything dumb enough to assault them. Should you ever need to handle your corydoras and they sting you, it won’t kill you – but it will definitely burn for a few minutes. To a small predator, however, it could mean paralysis or death.
Flexible Water Parameters
Variables like water temperature, hardness and pH are less of an issue with the corydoras. They certainly have preferences – especially if your intention is to get them to spawn. But if they’re being kept simply as pets or pond inhabitants, chances are they’ll survive in whatever kind of water you already have.
Varieties of Corydoras
There are upwards of 150 identified varieties of corydoras. They come in different shapes, sizes and with all sorts of unique markings. Some of the more popular ones include:
Albino
Camouflage is nearly impossible for the albino cory, which is part of what makes them so popular. And if their pale coloring and pink eyes don’t catch your attention, their energetic movements around the aquarium will.
Green
Behaviorally speaking, the green corydoras are very similar to the albino. The only real difference is in the color of the fish. The shade of green in the green cory will fluctuate between an emerald and very dark – almost brown – green.
Paleatus
Covered in dark freckles and being lined with shades of green, purple and orange, the paleatus cory is much more visually appealing than the green or albino. Compared to other cories, they have large appetites and are much more subdued in their demeanor.
Panda
One of the most adorable in the corydoras family, Pandas are noticeably smaller than the albino, green and paleatus. Their behavior is similar to that of other cories, however I’ve found them to be a bit calmer than other types.
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