Salt and pepper catfish/corydoras (Corydoras habrosus) care guide

Group

Freshwater fish

Other names

Salt and pepper catfish, Dainty cory, Checker cory, Río Salinas cory, Venezuelan pygmy cory, Dwarf cory

Family

Callichthyidae (armoured catfishes)

Origin

Upper Orinoco basin in western Venezuela and eastern Colombia (Apure, Arauca and Casanare systems) – llanos lagoons, slow streams and flooded forest and grassland.

Water

freshwater

Maximum size

2 cm

Temperature

22–26°C

pH

6.2–7.2

Hardness

Soft to medium, 2–10 dGH

Minimum tank

54 litres

Care level

beginner

Temperament

peaceful

Care

A tiny, cheerful cory that – unlike the pygmy and tail-spot pygmy corys – stays mostly on the bottom. It is social and gregarious, so keep a group of at least six and ideally ten or more of the one species; in a bigger group they are bolder and more natural. Despite its size it is not really a nano fish: Seriously Fish suggests a tank with a base of at least 60 × 30 cm (around 54 litres). Use a soft sand substrate so it can sift for food without damaging its barbels, and add plants, leaf litter (PlanetCatfish suggests oak leaves) and some driftwood for cover. PlanetCatfish notes it prefers soft water with little current, so keep filtration gentle. PlanetCatfish gives 22–26 °C and pH 6.2–7.2, which we use here; Seriously Fish gives a wider 20–26 °C and pH 5.5–7.5, in soft to moderately hard water. In the wild it lives in seasonal wetlands, but in the aquarium it needs clean, stable water: avoid letting nitrate build up or the substrate become dirty, and take care with salt and medications, which corys tolerate poorly. Occasional dashes to the surface for air are normal. It can be confused with Corydoras cochui, which has more dark blotches along the side; PlanetCatfish notes habrosus usually shows three flank blotches against four in cochui, plus a distinct large blotch on the tail stalk. Colour pattern varies between fish. After the 2024 split of Corydoras the valid name is Hoplisoma habrosum, though it is still nearly always sold as "Corydoras habrosus". FishBase lists it as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List (PlanetCatfish shows it as not evaluated), so captive-bred fish are the better choice where available. PlanetCatfish and FishBase give a maximum of 2 cm standard length, which we use (Seriously Fish says 3.5 cm). Sources: PlanetCatfish (planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?speciesid=482); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Corydoras-habrosus.html); Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-habrosus/); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corydorashabrosus). Checked October 2026.

Diet

A foraging omnivore. Feed small sinking dried foods (pellets, tablets or crumbled granules) as the staple, with small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, Daphnia and brine shrimp for variety and condition. Give it its own food rather than expecting it to live on what other fish leave.

Breeding

PlanetCatfish notes that a group of 3–5 will spawn readily, even in a tank of only a few litres. Use two or more males to each female; females grow larger and become clearly broader and deeper-bodied when mature. Condition the group well, then trigger spawning with a 50–70% change of soft, cooler water and extra aeration, repeated daily until they spawn. Eggs are stuck to the glass, plants (often under the leaves) or spawning mops, and the spawning male may chase off other males. Remove the adults or the eggs afterwards. Eggs hatch in 3–4 days; once the fry have absorbed their yolk, offer microworm or newly hatched brine shrimp. The fry tend to do better, and suffer fewer ailments, when raised over a thin layer of sand.

Compatibility and tank mates

Peaceful and suitable for a quiet community of small fish: small tetras, rasboras, pencilfish, small livebearers, dwarf cichlids and other small catfish, plus shrimps and snails. Avoid large, boisterous or predatory fish that could eat or bully such a small bottom-dweller.

Last updated 5 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.