Cory catfish are the most common bottom dwellers aquarists prefer to add to their community tank. Their peaceful and hardy nature makes them the best option for a community tank and beginners.
Cory catfish will not be easily affected by diseases and parasites or any other issues as they are hardy fish with an armored plate that protects them from bacteria and parasites. However, sometimes they can become sick and require a salt treatment to treat the issue. Also, some beginners ask if we can put salt in our cory catfish tank. So, Can cory catfish live in brackish water? Let us find out.
Cory catfish cannot live in brackish water as they are very sensitive to salt. Salty water can result in your cory catfish suffering from dehydration and kidney failure. However, you can use salt to treat diseases in your cory catfish as they will live for 2-3 days in saltwater.
This article will discuss whether we can keep cory catfish in brackish water. Also, we will discuss the ideal water conditions requirement of a cory catfish. So, let us get into it.
Contents
Can cory catfish survive in brackish water?
Cory catfish will not survive for long in brackish water as they are freshwater fish and don’t prefer salt in their water.
We don’t recommend keeping your cory catfish in brackish water as that will affect their health.
Cory catfish are scaleless creatures, but they have scutes instead of scales.
Scutes are the bony armored plate that you see on your cory catfish.
They are more protective than scales and protect your corydoras from various issues.
However, it doesn’t mean that your cory catfish will live comfortably in brackish water.
Cory catfish are sensitive to salt, and will harm them by resulting in hydration and kidney failure.
In freshwater, the fish inside has more salt concentrations than the outer surroundings.
So, there is a tendency to lose salt and absorb more water living in freshwater.
To overcome this, freshwater fish use their kidney to excrete the water from their body quickly.
Also, they are able to absorb more salt from the water with the help of their special cells.
Keeping freshwater fish in brackish water will result in more salt outside their body, and the risk of dehydration and kidney failure is common in such cases.
So, keeping freshwater fish in brackish water is not advisable as it can make them suffer from life-threatening conditions.
Cory catfish ideal water conditions.
Cory catfish are freshwater fish and prefer to live in clean water conditions.
Keeping them in salted water and poor water conditions will make them suffer from critical conditions and become prone to various diseases and parasites.
| Particulars | Cory catfish Requirement |
|---|---|
| Water condition | Clean water condition |
| Ammonia | 0ppm |
| Nitrite | 0ppm |
| Nitrate | 0ppm |
To ensure good water conditions for your cory catfish, perform a weekly water change of at least 35% to keep the water clean.
Add a good water filtration system with biofilter media to protect the water from harmful toxins like ammonia and nitrite.
Keep a regular check on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate level and ensure to maintain ammonia and nitrite at 0ppm, whereas nitrate should be below 20ppm.
Even a little amount of ammonia and nitrite in your tank can cause major issues for your corydoras.
We recommend using the API master test kit to regularly check ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels as it shows accurate results.
You can also check the water pH level using the API master test kit.
You can buy it from amazon: API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT.
Also, consider adding plenty of live aquatic plants to your cory catfish tank to keep the water clean and oxygenated.
Also read: Ideal pH Level For Cory Catfish?
Can I treat my sick cory catfish with salt?
Cory catfish will not prefer to live in a saltwater tank or brackish water.
However, when it comes to treating your cory catfish with salt, you can do that.
Keeping your cory catfish in saltwater for 2-3 days to treat them with some diseases or infections will not harm them.
This means that your cory catfish will live in water that contains salt for two to three days.
Now, the quantity of salt to treat your cory catfish completely depends on the severity of the issue.
We recommend using one tablespoon for a 10-gallon tank. However, you have to decide the quantity according to the salt requirement for treating the issue.
Also read: How To Treat Swim Bladder Disease In Cory Catfish?
Conclusion:
Cory catfish cannot live in brackish water as they are freshwater fish and don’t prefer salt in their water.
Cory catfish are sensitive to salt and will not tolerate much salt in the water.
However, when treating your corydoras with salt, they will live for 2-3 days in salt water.
You can use salt to treat your corydoras. However, here we are talking about treating and not keeping cory catfish in salty water for a long time.
They will survive for 2-3 days in salt water, so you should only use salt in your cory catfish tank when you have to treat some disease using salt.