Elegant Corydoras

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Scientific Name

Corydoras elegans

Min. Tank Size

40 gallons

Personality

Peaceful/Males are quarrelsome

Temperature

70-82°F

pH

6.5-7.5/1-15°dGH

Size

2.5"

Diet

Omnivore

Breeding

Egglayer

Compatibility

Well suited to the community tank; can be kept with Characins, Cyprinids, Anabantids, Dwarf Cichlids and other Catfish.

Elegant Corydoras

Also known as the Elegant Catfish, Elegant Corydoras differ slightly in body shape than other species of Corydoras. The bodies of this species are less elongated than other Corydoras and its eyes are set lower in the head. Elegant Corydoras typically exhibit an olive coloration ornamented with dark gray or black markings. Most specimens also exhibit dark longitudinal striping and gray dots on the dorsal fin. Elegant Corydoras also differ from other Corydoras in that they tend to spend most of their time swimming in open water rather than hovering near the bottom of the tank.

Tank Set-Up

Elegant Corydoras are native to the upper Amazon River basin in Brazil, Ecuador, Columbia and Peru and would benefit from an Amazon biotope set-up. These fish tend to inhabit inland waters and tributaries with sandy substrate and dim lighting, so consider this when attempting to replicate their natural environment in the home tank. Aquatic plants are not a large part of the Elegant Corydoras’ natural habitat, but these fish can thrive in a planted tank. Like all Corydoras, these fish are a peaceful species well suited to the community tank. Elegant Corydoras prefer to be kept in groups with at least six of their own species and should not be kept with large or aggressive fishes.

Feeding

These Corydoras are not fussy eaters – they will likely accept any food you give them. Offer your Elegant Corydoras a varied diet of sinking pellets or wafers along with live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, Artemia and bloodworms. This diet can be supplemented with Spirunlina wafers and blanched vegetables, such as zucchini or spinach.

Breeding

Breeding Elegant Corydoras is similar to most other Corydoras, though they exhibit different spawning behavior. Whereas most Corydoras adopt a T-shaped spawning position in which the female holds the eggs in her pelvic fins for the male to fertilize, female Elegant Corydoras deposit their eggs directly on the aquarium glass and the male fertilizes them after they have been deposited. The eggs of this species are usually smaller than those of other Corydoras and they typically hatch in three to five days.