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No federal permit to keepBronze corydoras
Corydoras aeneus
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Callichthyidae (Corydoras and armored catfish)
The bronze corydoras (Osteogaster aenea), also known as the green corydoras, bronze catfish, lightspot corydoras or wavy catfish, is a species of freshwater fish in the armored catfish family, Callichthyidae, often kept as an aquarium fish.
Care at a glance
Species-specific values
Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.
| Water temperature | 70–81 °F (21–27 °C) Seriously Fish aquarium recommendation; not a wild collection measurement. Source uses Osteogaster aenea; commercial bronze-cory stocks may have uncertain identification. CSV name retained. | 278 |
| Water pH | 6–8 pH Seriously Fish aquarium recommendation; not a wild collection measurement. Source uses Osteogaster aenea; commercial bronze-cory stocks may have uncertain identification. CSV name retained. | 278 |
| Water general hardness | 2–15 dGH Seriously Fish aquarium recommendation; not a wild collection measurement. Source uses Osteogaster aenea; commercial bronze-cory stocks may have uncertain identification. CSV name retained. | 278 |
| Maximum standard length | 75 mm SL Source maximum; not total length or a guaranteed adult size. | 278 |
| Minimum tank base | length: 80 cm; width: 30 cm Source applies to bronze-cory aquarium stocks under this name; identification caveat applies. | 278 |
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 3.0 in / 7.5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 77–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–8.
- Hardness: 5–19 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
- Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a herbivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 31 × 12 in (roughly 19 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 70–81 °F, pH 6–8, 2–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Ideally use a substrate of fine sand, although rounded gravel is an acceptable alternative provided it's kept scrupulously clean.”
- Breeding: “Can be bred in a similar fashion to many other Corydoras species.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Corydoras and armored catfish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Shallow South American streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Soft sand substrate, groups of six or more, and clean water.
Diet
- Sinking pellets, wafers and frozen bloodworms.
Social life
- Keep in groups.
Health watch
- Barbel erosion on dirty or rough substrate.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is widely distributed in South America on the eastern side of the Andes, from Colombia and Trinidad to the Río de la Plata basin; however, as presently defined it is a species complex and a taxonomic review is necessary. It was originally described as Hoplosoma aeneum (based on a specimen from Trinidad) by Theodore Gill in 1858 and has historically also been referred to as Corydoras aeneus.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Bronze corydoras” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Stays near the bottom. Found mostly in quiet, shallow waters with soft bottoms. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 77–82 °F (25–28 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 5–19 dH. |
| Climate | Subtropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: brood hiders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 77–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 88°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 54°F (down to 49°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 68–78°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 72–77% on average (driest month about 66%) |
| Rainfall | about 1412 mm a year |
Measured at 275 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The bronze corydoras (Osteogaster aenea), also known as the green corydoras, bronze catfish, lightspot corydoras or wavy catfish, is a species of freshwater fish in the armored catfish family, Callichthyidae, often kept as an aquarium fish. It is widely distributed in South America on the eastern side of the Andes, from Colombia and Trinidad to the Río de la Plata basin; however, as presently defined it is a species complex and a taxonomic review is necessary. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | During the spawning process, corys assume the so-called "T" position, with the male assuming the top part of the "T" and the femalae oriented perpendicular to him. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | The adult size is 6½ cm for males and a slightly larger 7 cm for females (2½ to 2¾ inches). Females have a slightly higher body frame than males in accordance with their larger abdominal region. Their average life span is 10 years. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Found mostly in quiet, shallow waters with soft bottoms, but also inhabit running waters. Adults stay in schools of 20 to 30 individuals. Because of their ability to breathe air intestinally, they take air 1 to 45 times per hour. — FishBase |
Data and studies
Researched care notes
Researched care notes
Findings checked against veterinary, zoo, welfare, keeper and peer-reviewed sources. Air, basking-surface and water temperatures are kept separate, and where sources disagree both are shown. “Study” notes report what a paper measured, not a universal rule.
Corydoras (Bronze cory example)
- The bronze-cory profile gives water temperature 21–27°C, pH 6.0–8.0 and hardness 2–15 dGH; these values must not become genus-wide Corydoras defaults.1
- Seriously Fish recommends an 80 × 30 cm aquarium footprint for the bronze-cory trade profile; this is keeper guidance, not a tested welfare threshold.1
- Use fine sand, or smooth rounded gravel kept thoroughly clean, with sheltered areas.1
- Provide a conspecific group; the bronze-cory profile recommends at least 4–6 individuals.1
- Feed a varied sinking diet directly; cory catfish should not be expected to live on other fishes' leftovers.1
- The identity of some commercially bred bronze corys is uncertain; retain the trade identification rather than assuming every specimen is a verified wild-origin taxon.1
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 31 × 12 in (about 19 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Preliminary Investigations into Use of Metomidate for Euthanasia of Ornamental Fishes Yanong RPE et al., Journal of aquatic animal health 2021
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
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