What tank size does a Emerald Cory need?

A Emerald Cory needs an aquarium of at least 120 litres (31.7 US gallons) with a footprint at least 100 cm (39.4 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.

What water parameters does a Emerald Cory need?

Emerald Cory does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 5.8–8 and a general hardness of 2–25 °dGH.

What group size does a Emerald Cory need?

Emerald Cory is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Emerald Cory suitable for beginners?

Yes — Emerald Cory is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.

Species library

Emerald Cory

Corydoras splendens

Callichthyidae

FishDifficulty: ●●○○○Data: well-established

📷 NonstickRon · CC BY-SA 2.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

Emerald Cory — Corydoras splendens — 📷 NonstickRon · CC BY-SA 2.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The emerald cory is a larger, deeper-bodied relative of the common Corydoras, long known under the name Brochis splendens, from the sluggish, well-vegetated waters of the western Amazon basin. Its stocky flanks shimmer with a metallic green sheen, and it is peaceful, gregarious and hardy, spending its days rooting through soft substrate in the company of its own kind.

Care

Keep a shoal of 6 or more over soft sand in a roomy, well-oxygenated tank with gentle to moderate flow and stable, near-neutral water. A hardy, peaceful bottom-dweller; provide a lid, as it gulps air at the surface.

Diet

Omnivorous substrate sifter; feed sinking pellets and wafers supplemented with frozen or live bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp. Soft sand lets it forage naturally without damaging its barbels.

Tankmate compatibility

Gets along with (89)

African Butterfly Cichlid Agassiz's Cory Amano Shrimp Assassin Snail Bamboo Shrimp Banjo Catfish Black Neon Tetra Black Phantom Tetra Black Ruby Barb Black Skirt Tetra Blackline Rasbora Bleeding Heart Tetra Blood Parrot Cichlid Bloodfin Tetra Blue Velvet Shrimp Bolivian Ram Brichard's Teleogramma Bristlenose Pleco Bronze Corydoras Celestial Pearl Danio Cherry Barb Cherry Shrimp Chinese Algae Eater Clown Pleco Cochu's Blue Tetra Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid Congo Tetra Diamond Tetra Dwarf Flag Cichlid Dwarf Gourami Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish Dwarf Orange Crayfish Dwarf Pea Puffer Elephantnose Fish Emperor Tetra Featherfin Squeaker Flame Tetra Forktail Rainbowfish Freshwater Clam Ghost Shrimp Glass Catfish Glowlight Tetra Golden Dwarf Cichlid Golden Pencilfish Golden Tetra Golden Wonder Killifish Guppy Harlequin Rasbora Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra Honey Gourami Julii Cory Keyhole Cichlid Kribensis Lemon Tetra Little Corydoras Malaysian Trumpet Snail Mystery Snail Otocinclus Peaceful Betta Penguin Tetra Pictus Catfish Platy Polka Dot Loach Purple Emperor Tetra Pygmy Corydoras Rainbow Shark Ramshorn Snail Red Whiptail Catfish Red-Tail Shark Rosy Tetra Salt and Pepper Cory Scarlet Badis Scissortail Rasbora Serpae Tetra Siamese Algae Eater Silver Tip Tetra Skunk Cory Sparkling Gourami Striped Kribensis Thai Micro Crab Thick-lipped Gourami Tiger Barb Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid Upside-down Catfish Vampire Shrimp Venezuelan Cory Wrestling Halfbeak X-ray Tetra Yoyo Loach

Possible with care (141)

Acei Cichlid African Butterflyfish Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid Altum Angelfish Angelfish Auratus Cichlid Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Bladder Snail Blue Acara Blue Dolphin Cichlid Blue Tiger Shrimp Boesemani Rainbowfish Borleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo Sucker Brevis Shell Dweller Brichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Buenos Aires Tetra Buffalohead Cichlid Bumblebee Cichlid Bumblebee Goby Butterfly Hillstream Loach Calvus Cichlid Cardinal Tetra Celebes Rainbowfish Checkerboard Cichlid Checkered Barb Chili Rasbora Chocolate Cichlid Chocolate Gourami Clown Killifish Cobalt Blue Zebra Colombian Ramshorn Snail Compressiceps Cichlid Congo Dwarf Cichlid Convict Cichlid Crystal Red Shrimp Cuckoo Catfish Cylindricus Cichlid Cyprichromis Demasoni Cichlid Denison Barb Discus Doctor Fish Dogtooth Cichlid Dojo (Weather) Loach Dwarf Chain Loach Dwarf Petricola Catfish Dwarf Rasbora Electric Blue Ahli Electric Yellow Lab Ellioti Cichlid Elongate Mbuna Ember Tetra Endler's Livebearer Even-spotted Synodontis Festivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 Puffer Firemouth Cichlid Five-bar Cichlid German Blue Ram Glowlight Danio Gold Barb Golden Julie Green Discus Green Neon Tetra Heckel Discus Hongi Cichlid Jack Dempsey Japanese Trapdoor Snail Jewel Cichlid Johanni Cichlid Kenyi Cichlid Kissing Gourami Kuhli Loach Lambchop Rasbora Least Killifish Lemon Cichlid Leopard Danio Livingstoni Macmasteri Dwarf Cichlid Maingano Cichlid Marble Hatchetfish Marlieri Cichlid Masked Julie Medaka Ricefish Molly Moonlight Gourami Multifasciatus Shell Dweller Neon Tetra Nerite Snail Ocellatus Shell Dweller Odessa Barb Panda Corydoras Paradise Fish Paraguay Eartheater Peacock Cichlid Pearl Danio Pearl Gourami Peppered Corydoras Port Cichlid Powder Blue Cichlid Rabbit Snail Rainbow Cichlid Red Empress Red Rainbowfish Red Zebra Cichlid Redhead Cichlid Regan's Julie Reticulated Hillstream Loach Rosy Barb Rubber Lip Pleco Rummynose Tetra Rusty Cichlid Sailfin Molly Salvini Cichlid Sand-sifting Xenotilapia Saulosi Cichlid Severum Similis Shell Dweller Spotted Hoplo Star Sapphire Sterbai Corydoras Strawberry Rasbora Striped Raphael Catfish Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp Sunshine Peacock Sveni Eartheater Swordtail T-Bar Cichlid Taiwan Reef Cichlid Threadfin Acara Threadfin Petrochromis Threadfin Rainbowfish Three-spot Gourami Turquoise Rainbowfish Uaru (Triangle Cichlid)Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)White Cloud Mountain Minnow Zebra Danio Zebra Mbuna Zebra Pleco

Avoid (41)

Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.

Telling males from females

What works for this species, most reliable first.

Width from aboveStrong · from about 8 months, once they are adult-sized
Corydoras are sexed from directly above, never from the side. Look down at the group while they rest on the sand.
Bristles and cheek spinesA hint only · from about a year
Male plecos grow odontodes — spiny growths on the cheeks and along the leading pectoral rays. Bristlenose males additionally grow branching tentacles across the snout and over the top of the head.

All the methods, with diagrams

Also in these lists

Fish for a first aquarium Bottom dwellers Peaceful community fish

Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Emerald Cory need?: A Emerald Cory needs an aquarium of at least 120 litres (31.7 US gallons) with a footprint at least 100 cm (39.4 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
What water parameters does a Emerald Cory need?: Emerald Cory does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 5.8–8 and a general hardness of 2–25 °dGH.
What group size does a Emerald Cory need?: Emerald Cory is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the Emerald Cory suitable for beginners?: Yes — Emerald Cory is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.

Sources

Water & tank

Temperature22–28°C

Optimal temp.23–26°C

pH5.8–8

Hardness (GH)2–25°d

Carbonate (KH)1–15°d

Adult size9 cm

Min. volume≥ 120 L

Min. tank length≥ 100 cm

Group size≥ 6

Swimming zoneBottom

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowModerate

Lifespan~10 yrs

Try in the calculator