All fish / Callichthyidae

Green Gold Cory

Corydoras melanotaenia

Also known as green gold corydoras, green gold catfish, gold stripe cory, black band cory, melanotaenia cory, corydoras melanotenia, コリドラス・メラノタエニア, 绿金鼠鱼

This small armoured catfish has metallic greenish-gold sides, an orange-gold head and back, and a dark band along the flank. It is a lively, sociable bottom dweller that keeps busy sifting sand, so it suits calm community tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

5.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: sinking pellets and wafers, bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Colombia (upper Meta River basin, Orinoco drainage)

Breeding

It breeds like most Corydoras: the female carries a few eggs between her pelvic fins and sticks them to glass or plants after a T-position embrace. A cool water change often triggers spawning, and rearing the fry is moderately easy if the eggs are moved away from the adults.

Good to know

Give it fine sand and clean water, as sharp gravel and poor water damage the barbels. Its fin spines can cause a painful jab when handled, and the colours vary a lot, so it is often mixed up with C. metae or C. aeneus.