All fish / Callichthyidae

Elegant Corydoras

Corydoras elegans

Also known as elegant cory, elegant catfish, elegans cory, elegant corydoras catfish, cory elegans, コリドラス・エレガンス, 秀丽兵鲶, 美丽兵鲶

This is a small armoured catfish with a greenish brown body, a dark band along the flank and irregular pale markings. Unlike most corydoras it often hovers and swims in midwater, so it is more visible than its bottom-dwelling relatives. Keepers like it as a lively, peaceful shoaling fish for community tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: sinking pellets and wafers, bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia and small live foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Upper Amazon basin in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru

Breeding

It is an egg scatterer that sticks its eggs on plants and glass, often among fine-leaved plants rather than in the classic T-position clusters of other corydoras. Spawning in captivity is fairly achievable with a well-conditioned group and a cool water change, and the eggs should be moved away from the adults.

Good to know

Use soft sand to protect its barbels and avoid keeping it with large or aggressive tankmates. It is sometimes confused with Corydoras nanus and other similarly patterned species in the trade.