Cory catfish are very popular bottom dweller fish in the aquatic world. There are over 160 species of corydoras. They are peaceful creatures and usually live on small streams, ponds, and large rivers’ margins. But are they tropical fish? So, Are cory catfish tropical fish? Let us find out.
Cory catfish are freshwater tropical fish and love to live in a community tank. They are peaceful bottom dweller fish and easy to take care of, making them the best option for a beginner. Provide your cory catfish with their ideal living conditions and parameters, and they will thrive.
This article will discuss whether cory catfish are tropical fish and the natural habitat of a cory catfish. Also, we will discuss the ideal water parameters of a cory catfish. So, let us get into it.
Contents
Is cory catfish tropical fish?
Cory catfish are tropical freshwater fish that loves to live in a community tank with other peaceful fishes.
They are peaceful, hardy fish and can be kept in a community tank.
They require stable water parameters that mimic their natural habitat to thrive in captivity.
They will thrive in a heated aquarium with a water temperature between 70-82 °F.
Cory catfish are bottom dwellers and will spend most of their time scavenging on the bottom, searching for food.
They use their barbels to search for the food on the bottom and use their mouth to dig and suck up the food.
Also read: Are Cory Catfish Bottom Feeders?
Cory catfish natural habitat.
Cory catfish are tropical fish usually found on the streams, rivers, and ponds of South America.
Corydoras are omnivore fish and require meat and plant matter food to fulfill their ideal dietary requirement and ensure their faster growth and development.
They feed on worms, insects, larvae, and some vegetable matter from the bottom in their natural habitat.
They are peaceful freshwater fish and prefer to live in clean water conditions.
Corydoras prefer to live in slightly acidic or neutral or slightly alkaline or neutral water conditions.
Also read: Are Cory Catfish Hardy?
What are the ideal water parameters of a cory catfish?
Most corydoras species will thrive between the water temperature of 70-82 °F.
However, false julii cory catfish can live in water temperatures as low as 59 °F, and barbatus cory catfish at 61 °F.
The most common cory catfish, albino’s, sterbas, pygmy, and panda, will thrive in the water temperature between 70-82 °F.
So, consider maintaining the water temperature between 70-82 °F to provide your cory catfish their ideal water temperature.
Make sure to keep the water pH level between 7 and 8.
The water hardness should be between 5 and 19 dGH.
Ensure all these and your cory catfish will thrive.
Also read: Ideal Water Temperature For Cory Catfish?
Do cory catfish require a heater in their tank?
Cory catfish do require a heater in their tank.
You will need a heater to maintain the water temperature between 70-82 °F.
However, we recommend adding a heater to your aquarium to stabilize the water temperature.
If your tank water temperature is not stable, your cory catfish will come under stress and become prone to various diseases and parasites.
Unstable water temperature will result in cory catfish losing their appetite and becoming weak.
So, make sure to add a heater to your cory catfish tank to ensure a stable water temperature.
Also, consider adding a digital thermometer to your cory catfish tank to check water temperatures and maintain a stable water temperature.
How many cory catfish should we keep in a tank?
Cory catfish are peaceful schooling fish and like to live in a large group.
You should at least keep 5-6 cory catfish together to form a good school for them.
Keeping less than 5-6 cory catfish is not recommended as it can make them feel lonely and come under stress.
And you must know that fish living under stress for a long time will become weak and prone to various diseases and parasites.
So, consider keeping at least 5-6 cory catfish together in a tank.
Also, corydoras are peaceful fish and love to live and interact with other peaceful fish in a community tank.
So, you can also consider keeping them in a community tank with other peaceful fish.
Which gallon tank is suitable for a cory catfish?
When deciding how many gallons cory catfish require to live comfortably, we should follow the one-inch one-gallon rule.
The one-inch one-gallon rule means one inch of fish per gallon of water.
Cory catfish can be as long as 4 inches in size, with an average of 2-2.5 inches.
Most of the corydoras species lie between 2-2.5 inches.
And it is essential to keep them in a group of at least 5-6.
So, by all that calculation, we can see that a 20-gallon tank is the minimum size tank you will require for keeping cory catfish.
Following the one-inch one-gallon rule, you will also be able to prevent your tank from getting overcrowded.
Also read: How Many Cory Catfish In A 10 Gallon Tank?
Conclusion:
Cory catfish are tropical freshwater fish, and the most common bottom dweller fish aquarists prefer to add to their community tank.
They are peaceful fish and love living and interacting with other non-aggressive fish.
Corydoras are bottom dwellers and spend most of their time scavenging on the bottom in search of food.
They thrive in a water temperature between 70-82 °F.
They like to live in stable water parameters and clean water conditions.
Keep at least 5-6 cory catfish together in a tank to form a good school for them.
Corydoras love to feed on bottom-dwelling insects, worms, and larvae.
They will also feed on the vegetable matter as they are omnivore fish.
Reference: Wikipedia, ResearchGate, Britannica