Skunk Cory Cat

General information

These fish are gray with a white underside, black dots and a black longitudinal stripe on their back. They can reach 2 inches. Corys are facultative air breathers due to their highly vascularized intestine so they often go to the surface for a gulp of air. To keep these fish in captivity, water temperature should be between 72ºF and 79ºF and water pH should range from 5.8 to 7.0. The tank should be densely vegetated, have rocks, plenty of bogwood and a sandy substrate. This species is peaceful and can be kept in a community aquarium as long as its tankmates are peaceful as well. These fish should be kept in groups of at least 5.

This species omnivorous. It can be fed with sinking dried foods and live and frozen foods like bloodworm. They may be bottom dwellers and eat some leftovers but they should not be expected to survive simply on those.

Mature females are larger and rounder than males.

To breed this species in captivity, it is very important to feed them with live food and do cold water changes. Once the female starts getting fatter, which means she is full of eggs, the male will start to chase her around. They will then do a T-shaped position and fertilize the eggs. Eggs take 3 to 4 days to hatch.

This species originates in the upper Amazon in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.

Corys have hardened pectoral spines that are able to pierce human skin so these fish should be handled carefully. This spines get easily entangled in a net’s mesh so a plastic container should be used to move them.

It is very important to keep a clean aquarium to prevent any damage to the barbels of the fish.