It is not for nothing that the metal Cory catfish is one of the most popular ornamental fish, because with a group of the extravagant metal Cory catfish you can literally give your underwater world a very special shine and make it a real eye-catcher.
There are many varieties of metallic Cory catfish – what they all have in common is their extravagant metallic sheen.
You can find all the information you need to know about the origin, fish-friendly care and housing, feeding, reproduction and breeding, as well as many answers to the most frequently asked questions in our profile.
Origin
The original habitat of the metal-bodied catfish lies in South America: Here the sociable group of fish frolics in the waters of Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad up to the La Plata basin, the mouth of the huge South American rivers Paraná and Rio Uruguay, 290 km long and up to 220 km wide, in the Atlantic Ocean. There he prefers to stay in sandy and soft bottom areas and lives there in flocks of up to 30 members of his species. Corydoras aeneus loves clear water, rich in oxygen and with a gentle current.
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Behave
In its original habitat, the metallic chorus catfish lives in groups of up to around 30 members of the species, which together forage for food and scavenge for food on the bottom of bank areas and in shallow stretches of water. In a swarm the goal is to preserve the entire group: if a fish reacts instinctively to danger, its companions blindly follow it in their reaction and hide. For this reason they sometimes seem a little skittish or shy, so there should always be enough hiding places available in the home aquarium. Since metallic Cory catfish usually expect predators from above rather than from the sides, lighting that avoids casting shadows on the bottom of the aquarium can help eliminate your catfish’s fear and give them confidence.
By the way, Cory Metal catfish have so-called intestinal respiration, which gives them a second option for absorbing oxygen. They are able to release the blood oxygen they have ingested onto the surface of the water through their highly perfused intestine. It is therefore not surprising if you see your Cory Metal catfish, which actually prefer to stay at the bottom of the aquarium, occasionally rising to the surface of the water. However, if this behavior occurs frequently, it could be an indication of a lack of oxygen in the tank!
Fish-friendly assistance and accommodation
Since your Metal Cory catfish breathe intestinally, you must ensure that they always have free access to the water surface in your aquarium, despite more or less lush plants.
Another important prerequisite for breeding Cory Metal catfish in a fish-friendly manner is a substrate consisting of fine sand and rounded gravel. A substrate with sharp edges can cause injury, chafing, or shortening of the barbels, which serve as your armored catfish’s taste organs.
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Additionally, your aquarium should have sufficient plants that still leave room for swimming; Here a thin border or background planting is recommended. Corydoras also like to hide, so you can e.g. B. should provide sufficient opportunities for this through the roots.
To provide your metal catfish with an environment that replicates its original habitat as closely as possible, the water should have a temperature between 22°C and 28°C, the pH value should be between 6 and 7.5 and the overall hardness should be between 2° and 19°. The total volume of your aquarium should be at least 100 liters, although it is not the depth of the water that is important, but rather the length of the edges, since your Cory Metal catfish mainly stay in the lower layers of the water and only occasionally rise to the surface to breathe.
THE Bronze Corydoras it is not a solitary animal and should therefore always be kept in a larger group of at least six to eight members of its species. Further socialization with smaller tetra species or with other not too large, peace-loving ornamental fish, which prefer to stay in the middle or upper water layers, is usually possible without problems.
Cory Metal Catfish are considered very hardy ornamental fish that, if kept properly, are not very susceptible to disease. However, catfish are sensitive to copper. Therefore, you should definitely avoid using copper-containing medications or anti-snail or anti-algae products containing copper, as these can lead to the death of your Cory Metal catfish.
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Nutrition
Metal Cory catfish are small omnivores. Being omnivorous, they feed on worms, insect larvae, small crustaceans, algae and detritus (decaying organic substances) in their native habitats. In your aquarium they are rather parsimonious in their diet and are satisfied with flake food that has fallen to the bottom, frozen food and food tablets, but they do not disdain in any case even small live foods, such as: B. Artemia or mosquito larvae.
Reproduction and breeding
At a water temperature between 26 and 28 °C, the larvae hatch after just three or four days and initially feed on the yolk sac; If this is exhausted, the minnows can e.g. B. be fed Artemia.
Questions and answers about Corydas aeneus
1. How many metallic Cory catfish should you keep together?
Metallic corydora are sociable and non-solitary fish, so they should always be kept in a larger group of at least six to eight members of their species. Your small herd may also consist of several subspecies of Corydoras. All not too large and non-aggressive ornamental fish are suitable for further socialization, such as: B. smaller tetra species.
2. Can you keep metallic Cory catfish by yourself?
No. Corydora are considered extremely sociable group fish and therefore should not be kept alone, but always in a larger group of at least six to eight members of the same species
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3. How big does a Cory Metal catfish get?
A female Cory Metal catfish is significantly larger and bulkier than her male counterpart. It can reach 8 cm in height, while males only measure around 5 cm.
4. Why do metal cormorants swim on the surface?
Metal Cory catfish are so-called intestinal breathers. Therefore not only can they absorb dissolved oxygen in the water through their gills, but they are also able to release oxygen into the bloodstream via swallowed air at the water surface via the highly perfused intestine. Nature’s intelligent way of allowing fish to survive even in oxygen-poor waters. Occasionally you will see your metallic cory catfish swimming to the surface to breathe air. However, if you suddenly observe this behavior more often than usual, this may be a warning that the oxygen content in your aquarium water may be too low.
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