Are you planning to keep a pet fish but unsure how to start? Well, we will make it easy for you by recommending one of the popular pet fish – the Cory catfish. It is an ideal pet fish for many beginning fish keepers. You might be wondering, “are cory catfish hardy?”. Let us all find out.
What is Cory Catfish?
Corydoras or popularly known as Cory catfish is a type of fish which mostly live in freshwaters of South America. Cory catfish is characterized by their numerous skin pigments and varying body types. Their skin is so firm as a result of their natural defense mechanism against possible predators; hence, the Greek words Kory which means helmet and doras means skin.
Their body is also equipped with a backbone full of mild toxin that may be triggered when they are feeling stressed or when they sense danger, so it is advisable not to carelessly touch them.
Why cory catfish is ideal for beginners?
We see a lot of aquariums filled with charming cory catfish. They make our tank look picturesque with their exquisite colors radiating from within the water. Their long yet graceful fins and tails also contribute in making our aquarium extra beautiful. Aside from these physical traits, their calm demeanor is also a well – known fact to many aspiring cory catfish owners. It is no doubt that a lot of fish keepers are mesmerized in taking couples of cory catfish home from the pet shop. Here’s why:
- Cory catfish are known to be good at sharing the same habitat with other marine animals. They are naturally gentle and rarely show threatening actions unless if provoked with possible intimidations of a predator.
- Mixing cory catfish with other aquatic animals 4 times bigger with their size is not a problem because of a low possibility for them to aggravate others. They also go along well with other smaller animals such as shrimps.
- Cory catfish are easy to feed because of their non-fuzzy eating attitude. They eat anything that is dropped on the tank floor.
- They can help clean your tank by foraging any left over food in the tank.
Are cory catfish hardy?
Hardy fish refers to a situation where a fish which is usually bred in a tank has the ability to be flexible in various water conditions. This is ideal for many beginning fish keepers because of the low maintenance and non-complicated keeping procedures they require.
Cory catfish is one of the hardy fishes that is highly recommended to beginners, beacuse it is easy to take care of and have amazing sociable demeanor ideal for a tank with many various fishes.
How to feed your cory catfish?
Just like any other types of catfish, corydoras or cory catfish are bottom feeders because they prefer to eat their food on the tank floor. It is advisable that you feed your fish with pellets that can sink at the bottom so they won’t have to struggle getting food with the other fish in the tank surface.
They mostly suck their food so we often see their faces half buried at the tank bottom. You can feed them with basic food such as shrimp pellets, bottom feeder tablets, bloodworms and other small insects. Since they are omnivores, you can also give them algae wafers or vegetable remnants, just make sure that the vegetable remnants are cut into small pieces enough to fit their small mouth.
It is advisable that you feed your pet cory catfish once a day in which they can consume it in the span of 3 to 5 minutes.
What tank and water conditions are ideal for cory catfish?
Tank
- Cory catfish are community fish which means they can be housed together with other fishes without difficulties. However, you must avoid putting a cory catfish with Jack Dempsey and aquarium crayfish because of the possibility of being agrieved or worst eaten by these aquarium animals.
- Put more aquatic plants inside the tank to provide a safe place for your fish who mostly love to stay at bottom. They can also nibble on the plants which can contribute on their diet.
- 10 to 20 gallons of water can be used in housing your cory catfish. 20 gallons of water is ideal if you plan to put more than 6 fish. It is recommended to have at least 6 to 8 cory catfish in a tank for them to grow vigorously.
- You can put some decorations such as gravel in your tank but they have to be round, and no visible sharp edges should be seen to avoid hurting themselves when rummaging food at the bottom or when swimming.
Water Conditions
- Make sure to put nitrate – free water or any other toxic substances in your tank because cory catfish are quite delicate and not susceptible to chemicals.
- Cory catfish are good at adapting water temperatures however, ideally, water temperature should be constantly in 70 to 78 degrees farenheight.
Conclusion:
You must have been convinced that Cory catfish are ideal for beginners. They are hardy fish because they are easy to keep, and the good thing is, there are various types of cory catfish which you can choose from.