Green Laser Cory
Osteogaster sp. 'CW009'
Callichthyidae
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About
CW009 is a code, not a species name, and it works exactly the way an L-number does: PlanetCatfish's Cat-eLog writes it zero-padded as CW009, gives 'Green Laser Cory' as the common name, and carries no formal description behind it. What has changed is the genus on the label. The 2024 Corydoradinae revision (Dias et al., Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society) resurrected four old genus names and split Corydoras seven ways; the aeneus group - lineage 7, where this fish sits - became Osteogaster. PlanetCatfish has followed and now files the code as Osteogaster sp. (CW009), and FishBase calls the ordinary bronze cory Osteogaster aenea. Most shops still write Corydoras sp. CW009 or Corydoras aeneus 'Green Stripe', and both names will find the same fish for years yet, so we file under the new genus and keep the old one searchable. On how settled it is, we would rather quote than pick a side: AMAZONAS, reporting the revision, called it a large step forward after which 'there are still many open questions', and suggested many aeneus-group populations be labelled 'Osteogaster aff. aeneus for the time being'. The code, not the binomial, is what identifies this fish. The fish itself is a wild Peruvian aeneus-group cory from the Ucayali around Pucallpa: an ordinary bronze-cory shape carrying one electric green stripe from the shoulder back.
Care
Treat it as a bronze cory with a better paint job: a group of six or more - eight is better - over soft sand at 23-26 C, with food that actually reaches the bottom. The Cat-eLog's furniture note for CW009 is specific about the floor: 'Ideally substrate should be sand, but rounded gravel is an imperfect alternative. Avoid keeping over rough edged (chipped) gravel', because digging in sharp grit wears the barbels away. It calls the fish 'A peaceful, shoaling, community fish', and Seriously Fish's warning for the aeneus group is the one to remember at feeding time: they should not be expected to live on left-overs from the fish above them. Keep a lid on, because corydoras dash to the surface to gulp air. Much of the stock is wild-caught in Peru, so quarantine and take the first weeks gently - though it is bred in the hobby, and the Cat-eLog logs 13 breeding reports.
Diet
Bottom-foraging omnivore. Sinking tablets, granules and larger flakes plus frozen or live bloodworm, whiteworm, grindal worm, Daphnia and Tubifex. Feed the floor deliberately rather than hoping something drops.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (243)
Possible with care (126)
Avoid (49)
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.
Also in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Health
Disease guide entries relevant to this species — worth a read before you reach for medicine.
The full disease guide →Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
These links are unpaid: we get nothing for them and ask for nothing.
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Green Laser Cory need?
- A Green Laser Cory needs an aquarium of at least 75 litres (19.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 80 cm (31.5 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Green Laser Cory need?
- Green Laser Cory does best at 21–28 °C (69.8–82.4 °F), pH 6–7.8 and a general hardness of 2–18 °dGH.
- What group size does a Green Laser Cory need?
- Green Laser Cory is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Green Laser Cory suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Green Laser Cory is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.