One of the most popular fishes to keep as pets in a home fish tank are Cory Catfish.
They are effortless to maintain; hence, even a newbie at aquariums can easily keep them without prior experience.
However, before deciding to get one, let’s get to know a little more about them so that it’s easier for you to keep them.
Like all other family members of the catfish clan, Cory Catfish are also bottom feeders.
It means that they like to scout at the bottom of the tank and search for leftover food in the gravel rather than eating the meal directly at the top of the tank.
The best thing about Cory Catfish is that they are peace lovers. They are never involved in fights with other fish.
They also tend to find their food on their own without causing any trouble to other fish in the tank.
As bottom feeders, Cory Catfish are highly beneficial to a fish tank.
They remain civil with other species of fish, and their bottom-feeding habit and searching for food at the bottom of the fish tank make them the perfect vacuum cleaner of the fish tank.
Yes, Cory Catfish are Bottom Feeders
Cory Catfish like to dwell at the bottom.
So, most likely, you will always find them at the bottom of the tanks searching for their food and not with other fish in the tank or swimming along with them in the middle or surface of the aquarium.
They like to stick to the bottom and find their food. This habit of the Cory Catfish makes them very attractive and appealing to aquarists.
They have become known in the fish world for being peaceful and calm.
They are the least bothered and always mind their own business at the bottom of the aquarium, while finding their food in the gravel and sand.
Cory Catfish have around 165 different recorded species, and each is different from the other.
The only similar and desirable characteristic among all Cory Catfish is that they are all bottom feeders.
Another essential feature of the Cory Catfish is how they look. Their appearance is quite distinguished from other fish. They have armor-like skin.
The overarching genus name for this group of fish is Corydoras which comes from two Greek words (Kory and doras), which mean helmet skin.
This name is because of the unique bony plate that runs along the length of their body, giving it an armor-like shape and look to them.
Considering the name and body shape, their calm and peaceful behavior is pretty contradictory.
The different species of Cory Catfish are different in size too and range from 1 and 4 inches in length.
Bottom Feeder Fish are Good for Your Aquarium
Bottom feeders are helpful to the aquarium’s aquatic life.
Cory Catfish are like your personal underwater recycling machine. They eat all the leftover food and suck all organic matter that would otherwise rot and make your fish tank dirty.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that a Cory Catfish is like hiring a personal cleaner for your aquarium.
They prevent your aquarium from getting dirty and looking dirty; Besides this, they are also good-looking.
The regular colorful, attractive and bright fish that you generally take from fish stores are either surface or mid-level feeders. This can lead to disputes over territory between the new and old fish.
Most fish keep lingering around the surface or in the middle of the tank, where they all like to eat and feed themselves.
Moreover, when you bring too many surface feeders, they keep hovering around on the surface, leaving your aquarium looking empty in the middle and bottom.
When you bring in new fish and take the different types of feeders, you will be able to create an aquarium that is peaceful, balanced, and full of life.
So, it would be best if you always remembered bottom feeders when getting fish for your aquarium because they are great for the water environment.
They complete the look of a lively aquarium.
5 Most Popular Cory Catfish Types for Aquarium
To know which Cory Catfish should become a part of your aquarium, you must know more about the various species to make a good decision.
Following is a list most popular species of Cory Catfish:
Albino Cory Catfish
Albino Cory Catfish are unique specie differentiated by the white/pink pigment in their skin and red eyes.
They are extremely beautiful looking, and adding them to your aquarium will make your aquarium more attractive.
You’ll see this beautiful Cory Catfish dwelling in the gravel at the bottom of your fish tank.
Green Cory Catfish
Green Cory Catfish are famous in the aquarium community for their extremely passive personality.
They are peace lovers, and they look gorgeous with their green pigmented skin.
Panda Cory Catfish
Panda Cory Catfish, as their name may suggest, resemble pandas. They have white bodies and black eyes. People mostly buy them because of their unique-looking features.
Like other Cory Catfish, they are bottom feeders, which means that Panda Cory Catfish will also keep the aquarium clean for a long time.
Pygmy Cory Catfish
Pygmy Cory Catfish are famous because of their size. The Pygmy Cory Catfish only grow up to 1 inch.
They are tiny, and because of their size, other aggressive fish may intimidate them and pick fights with them.
They are also peaceful and passive; however, you need to make sure to put them in a tank with no aggressive fish.
Emerald Cory Catfish
Emerald Cory Catfish are beautiful and have transparent bodies. This feature makes them the most popular in the Cory Catfish family.
When light reflects on their body, it shines like a precious stone.
They have beautiful colors, a rare feature in bottom feeders, hence explaining their popularity.
On the whole, Cory Catfish are one of a kind, regardless of the species. They are excellent, passive bottom feeders and very easy to take care of.
Best Water/Aquarium Conditions for Cory Catfish?
Although Cory Catfish is a low-maintenance species and does not have any specific survival requirements, you still need to provide them with a habitat that meets certain conditions.
Following is the list of aquarium conditions for Cory Catfish:
- A minimum of a 10-gallon tank is required to habitat Cory Catfish. If you have a 20 or 30-gallon tank, then it is recommended that you keep multiple species of Cory Catfish.
- Approximately 3 gallons of water are required for one fish.
- Cory Catfish survive in freshwater tanks.
- The temperature of the freshwater tank must be maintained at 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You need to constantly change partial water to keep nitrate levels of the water at zero.
- The pH levels of the aquarium must be maintained between 6 and 8.
Average Life of a Cory Catfish
If you look at the numbers from the wild, Cory Catfish are only expected to live for around 6-7 years.
However, if put in the right aquarium conditions, some Cory Catfish have been reported even to have lived for longer than 20 years!
So, if you are planning to bring one home, be prepared that this one is going to be a part of your family for a long time.
Cory Catfish are amazing species and are definitely a must-have for any aquarium.
The Bottom Line
We hope you enjoyed reading this guide on ‘Are Cory Fish Bottom Feeders?’ and we answered all your concerns regarding it.
If you want to know more about Cory Fish behavior or other fish-related guides, keep watching this space.
Happy Fishing to You!
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