Bronze corydoras is an incredibly eye-catching fish among the aquarium enthusiasts which is also referred to as Brown Cory, Bronze catfish, Gold Lazer Cory, Light Spot Corydoras, Bronze Cory, Green Corydoras, or Albino Cory etc.
It is a silurid fish under Callichthyidae family of class Actinopterygii. Body flank is often greenish in color which gives the popular common name ‘Green corydoras’.
It was at first explained by American ichthyologist Theodore Nicholas Gill in 1858. It is not evaluated as threatened species on the IUCN Red Data List.
Bronze corydoras (Corydoras aeneus) has several synonyms such as Corydoras macrosteus, Hoplosoma aeneum, Callichthys aeneus or Corydoras venezuelanus, Corydoras microps etc.
Systematic Position
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Callichthyidae
Genus:Corydoras
Species:Corydoras aeneus (Gill, 1858)
Distribution and Habitat
In nature, it is distributed in Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad. Generally, it prefers to live in shallow running waters where soft muddy bottoms are available. It is a peaceful schooling fish which always prefers to form school with 20 individuals or more.
Body Shape and Colors
Body is long with the short, rounded snout and an arched back. Two pairs of barbels are present on Jaws, of which, barbels of the upper jaw expand nearly up to the gill slits.
Body is crimson yellow in color with ashen belly and blue-gray back while the fins are yellow or reddish pink in color. Just before the dorsal fin, a brownish to orange decoration is seen on the head.
Dorsal fin bears 1 spine with 7 soft rays while the anal fin contains 1-2 spines with 5-6 soft rays. Caudal fin is forked and a supplementary pointed barb is present in the dorsal, pectoral and adipose fins with a docile poison which helps them protection from any attack of other predatory fish.
Size and Lifespan
In captivity, it can grow up to 17 cm long and its lifespan varies from 5 to 10 years if you take correct care.
Quick Bronze Corydoras Facts
- Scientific Name:Corydoras aeneus
- Origin: South America
- Grown-up size: 17 cm
- Temperament: Peaceful
- Tank Region: Bottom
- Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
- Breeding: Egg-spawner
- Temperature: 75-80 degree F
- pH: 6.0 – 7.5
- Hardness: 8-12 dGH
- Water Movement: Moderate
- Diet: Omnivore
- Lighting: Moderate – normal lighting
- Care level: Easy
- Lifespan: 5 -10 years or more
Feeding Behavior
It is an omnivorous fish and in the wild condition, its food consists of worms, insects, and benthic crustaceans, dead or even injured fish and plant matters.
In aquarium condition, fish should be fed 2-3 times daily with sinking algae pellets, flake food or other sinking foods like catfish pellets.
Housing and Care Facts
The Bronze Corydoras prefers no more less than 10 gallons tank or larger is suggested with driftwood, dark substrate, thick vegetation and some suspended aquarium plants with an extra space.
The aquarium should contain very smooth-edged substrates such as gravel or sand to avoid the damage of barbells. The tank should also have efficient filtration system to make your aquarium water crystal clear.
They need sufficient hiding spots due to their shyness behavior. You should use driftwood or floating plants for making suitable hiding place. It is a peaceful schooling fish which can be stored with 6 or more individuals.
To keep your fish healthy, you should frequently change water for 20-30% weekly basis.
Tank-mates
It is a community and schooling fish. Suitable tank-mates are Plecos, Platies, Guppies, Danios, Swordtails, Mollies, Tetras, Barbs, Angelfish, Gouramis, Dwarf Cichlids, Rasboras, Discus, Rainbowfish etc.
Breeding Behavior
It can easily breed in the aquarium with proper care. Spawning occurs during the monsoon period with heavy rain falls. The breeding tank should have good water quality with aquatic plants.
The mature female lays about 200-250 eggs on the plant`s surface or tank`s wall. Generally, hatching of the eggs occurs within five days.
After hatching, you feed the fry with newly hatched artemia, infusoria or any liquid fry food.
During the period of grows out of fry, you should change tank water on frequently to make your fry happy and healthy.
Male and Female Sex Differences
It is hard to make the distinction between the female and male. Generally, the female is larger in size and slimmer body with less colorful than the male fish.
During the spawning season, the belly of the female fish becomes wider when she carries eggs in her belly.
Disease and Preventive Measures
The bronze cory is a hardy fish but sometimes it is susceptible to parasitic, fungal or bacterial diseases due to inappropriate tank management.
Barbels also damage due to high nitrate levels in the aquarium water. In this case, regular water changes should be done to keep nitrate level below 20 mg per liter of water.
To treat parasitic diseases, you can use pimafix or melafix. You can also use malachite green or formalin with proper dosage. In this case, you should take an extra caution to use all medications.
It should not be treated with potassium permanganate or copper based medications due to their scale-less or naked body.
As preventive measures, you should give them well balanced diet and make the environment natural adding live aquarium plants, substrate and decorations to the tank.
To make your fish healthier and happy, you quarantine the new fish, plants or decorations before adding to the tank.
Concluding Remarks
The bronze corydoras is a very exciting and attractive fish among the pet fish keepers due to its brilliant and dazzling body coloration.
To keep this fish healthy, proper sanitation and balanced diet must be provided. It is well-known and fashionable fish which is now available with many color variations in the aquarium stores with reasonable price.
To make your aquarium more appealing, we prescribe you to retain this eye-catching fish in your fish tank. If you are looking for something different you can read about Cardinal Tetra.