Peppered corydoras care guide
Also called: Peppered cory, Pepper cory, Peppered catfish, Mottled corydoras, Blue leopard corydoras, Corydoras paleatus
The peppered corydoras is a hardy, gray-green cory with dark blotches, from the cooler south of South America. It is easy to keep and breed and suits cooler community tanks, but it needs a group of 6 or more on soft sand.
Peppered corydoras need a tank of at least 20 gallons (76 L), a group of 6 or more, and water at 20–25°C (68–77°F) with a pH of 6–7.5. They grow to about 6.5 cm (2.6 in) and are peaceful.
Plan a tank with peppered corydorasSee all tank mates
Peppered corydoras quick facts
| Scientific name | Hoplisoma paleatum |
|---|---|
| Family | Callichthyidae |
| Origin | Lower Paraná basin in Argentina, Paraguay and southern Brazil, plus coastal rivers of southern Brazil and Uruguay (most sold are farm-bred) |
| Adult size | 6.5 cm (2.6 in) |
| Minimum tank | 20 gallons (76 L), at least 60 cm (24 in) long |
| Temperature | 20–25°C (68–77°F) |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 2–12 dGH |
| Group size | 6 or more (shoaling fish) |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims at | Bottom |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Care level | Easy |
| Lifespan | 5–10 years |
| Safe with shrimp? | Mostly (eats baby shrimp) |
| Safe with plants? | Yes |
- Needs sand or smooth, fine gravel to protect its barbels and belly.
Tank setup
Give a group of 6 at least 20 gallons (76 L) with a floor at least 24 in (60 cm) long. Fine sand is best because they spend the day sifting it for food; smooth gravel only works if you keep it very clean. Add wood, rocks or plants for cover and leave a gap under the lid so they can reach the surface for air.
How many peppered corydoras in a tank?
The smallest common tank that suits peppered corydoras is a 20 gallon. Here is roughly how many fit in each size when they are the only fish, based on adult size and waste output. Leave room if you want tank mates.
| Tank | Peppered corydoras (alone) |
|---|---|
| 3 gallon | Too small |
| 5 gallon | Too small |
| 10 gallon | Too small |
| 15 gallon | Too small |
| 20 gallon | 6–13 |
| 20 gallon long | 6–13 |
| 29 gallon | 6–19 |
| 40 gallon | 6–26 |
| 55 gallon | 6–36 |
| 75 gallon | 6–49 |
| 125 gallon | 6–82 |
What you need for peppered corydoras
Sized for a 20 gallon tank, the smallest common size that suits a group of 6 peppered corydoras. For a different tank or a mix of fish, use the stocking calculator for a list sized to your plan.
Tank and equipment
- 20 gallon aquarium (tank or kit) (opens Amazon in a new tab)Bigger tanks are more stable and easier for beginners. How to choose
- Aquarium stand for 20 gallons (opens Amazon in a new tab)The water alone weighs about 167 lb (76 kg), before glass, gravel and rock. How to choose
- Adjustable heater, 50 W (opens Amazon in a new tab)Holds about 73 °F (22.5 °C) in a room at 65 °F (18 °C). How to choose
- Aquarium thermometer (opens Amazon in a new tab)Check it daily: heaters can fail stuck on or off. How to choose
- Hang-on-back filter rated 80–120 GPH (opens Amazon in a new tab)Community tank: 4–6 times the tank volume per hour. How to choose
- About 25 lb of aquarium sand (opens Amazon in a new tab)Enough for a layer about 1.5 in (4 cm) deep. Soft sand protects the barbels of corydoras, loaches and other diggers. How to choose
- Water conditioner (dechlorinator) (opens Amazon in a new tab)Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water. Seachem Prime is a popular, concentrated choice. How to choose
- Liquid test kit (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH) (opens Amazon in a new tab)Liquid kits are more accurate than strips. The API Freshwater Master Test Kit is the common choice. How to choose
- Gravel vacuum (siphon) (opens Amazon in a new tab)Cleans the gravel and does the water change in one go. How to choose
- LED aquarium light, about 24 in long (opens Amazon in a new tab)Match the light to the tank length. Basic LEDs grow easy plants. How to choose
Food and extras for peppered corydoras
- Sinking pellets or wafers (opens Amazon in a new tab)Bottom feeders need food that reaches the floor.
- Caves and hides (opens Amazon in a new tab)Gives shy and territorial fish their own space.
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Water parameters
Aim for 20–25 °C (68–77 °F), pH 6.0–7.5 and 2–12 dGH. Peppered corys come from subtropical rivers and like cooler water than most corys, so they suit tanks kept at the low end of the tropical range. They dislike hot water, sudden swings and dirty substrate, so change about 25% of the water each week.
Best tank mates for peppered corydoras
These popular species share peppered corydoras' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 77 good matches.
Cherry shrimp
3 cm (1.2 in) · 20–27°C (68–81°F)
Nerite snail
2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)
Guppy
5 cm (2 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)
Neon tetra
3.5 cm (1.4 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)
Panda corydoras
4.5 cm (1.8 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)
Bronze corydoras
7 cm (2.8 in) · 21–26°C (70–79°F)
Fancy goldfish
15 cm (5.9 in) · 18–23°C (64–73°F)
Zebra danio
5 cm (2 in) · 18–25°C (64–77°F)
Avoid keeping peppered corydoras with
- Oscar: Oscar can eat peppered corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
- Boesemani rainbowfish: They need different temperatures: Peppered corydoras 20–25°C (68–77°F), boesemani rainbowfish 26–29°C (79–84°F).
- Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful peppered corydoras.
- Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful peppered corydoras.
- Discus: They need different temperatures: Peppered corydoras 20–25°C (68–77°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
- Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Peppered corydoras don't belong in that setup.
Feeding
In the wild they eat worms, small crustaceans, insect larvae and some plant matter. Feed sinking pellets or wafers daily, plus frozen or live bloodworm, daphnia or brine shrimp a few times a week. Make sure the food actually reaches them on the bottom.
Behavior
Peaceful, social and always busy, they forage in loose groups and often rest together. Good tank mates are small tetras, rasboras, danios and other calm fish that like similar temperatures. Avoid goldfish and large cichlids, which can swallow or harass them.
Breeding
One of the easiest corys to breed. Keep about two males per female, feed plenty of live or frozen food, then do a large water change with water a few degrees cooler. The female holds a few eggs between her pelvic fins, sticks them to glass or plants and repeats this many times. Adults eat the eggs, so move them; fry hatch in about 3–4 days.
Tips from experienced keepers
- A good cory for cooler tanks. Pair it with fish that like 20–25 °C (68–77 °F), not hot-water species.
- Males are slimmer with taller dorsal fins. Females are larger and rounder when seen from above.
- Albino and long-fin peppered corys need the same care, but keep long-fin forms away from fin nippers.
- Keep the sand clean and nitrate low. Eroded barbels are a sign of dirty substrate.
- Feed sinking food. Peppered corys are not scavengers that can live on leftovers.
Frequently asked questions
How many peppered corydoras should be kept together?
Keep at least 6 of the same species. They are shoaling fish and become shy and inactive in small groups.
Can peppered corydoras live in an unheated tank?
Only if the room keeps the water at about 20–25 °C (68–77 °F) all year. They tolerate cooler water than most corys, but use a heater if the tank drops below about 20 °C (68 °F).
What is the difference between peppered and bronze corydoras?
They are similar in size and care. Bronze corys are a plain metallic green-bronze, while peppered corys have dark gray-green blotches and prefer slightly cooler water.
What is the new scientific name of the peppered cory?
Recent research moved it to the genus Hoplisoma, so newer labels may say Hoplisoma paleatum. It is the same fish shops have long sold as Corydoras paleatus.
Sources
We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.