Loreto Cory
Hoplisoma loretoense
Callichthyidae
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About
A small, pale, high-finned cory from the upper Amazon in Peru, its epithet pointing at the Loreto region — FishBase's common name for it is simply 'Loreto cory'. Seriously Fish's one-line description is the best way to pick it out of a mixed Peruvian shipment: 'This species is an attractive, elegant looking cory with a very long dorsal spine.' Seriously Fish gives the distribution as 'Upper Amazon, Peru' and FishBase as the Upper Amazon River basin. Then there is the name on the label, which is in the middle of changing. The 2024 Corydoradinae revision (Dias et al., Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society) split Corydoras seven ways and resurrected four old genus names - Brochis, Gastrodermus, Hoplisoma and Osteogaster alongside Aspidoras, Corydoras and Scleromystax. This fish landed in Hoplisoma, and FishBase now gives the valid name as Hoplisoma loretoense (Nijssen & Isbrücker, 1986), as does PlanetCatfish's Cat-eLog. Every shop in Lithuania still writes Corydoras loretoensis, and will for years. We file under the new genus and keep the old name searchable, and we do not pretend the revision has settled every question: AMAZONAS, reporting it, called it a large step forward and added that 'Despite the large step forward in clarifying the relationships among the vast subfamily Corydoradinae, there are still many open questions'. Sizes differ by source and both are right: Seriously Fish gives a maximum of 5 cm and FishBase 3.6 cm standard length, which is the same fish measured to the tail base rather than the tail tip.
Care
Everything the rest of our Corydoras want, and no exceptions. Six minimum, eight better, over fine sand, in soft to moderately hard water at 23-25 C: Seriously Fish gives 22-25 C, pH 6.0-7.2 and 2-12 dH, FishBase 22-25 C, pH 6.0-8.0 and dH 2-25, so ordinary soft-to-neutral tap water is fine and there is no need for a blackwater tank. Seriously Fish's stated base for this species is 45 x 37.5 x 30 cm, which is smaller than the 60 cm we ask for; we hold the corydoras house minimum instead, because a group of six needs foraging length more than it needs the bare footprint one fish can survive in. Sand matters more here than the litres do - sharp gravel wears the barbels off, and a dirty substrate does the same. Keep a lid on, because corys dash to the surface to gulp air, and remember Seriously Fish's warning that the pectoral spines can pierce skin, so net this one into a container rather than out of the water. Peaceful company only: small characins, rasboras, dwarf cichlids, other quiet catfish.
Diet
Omnivorous bottom forager. Sinking pellets, granules and wafers plus frozen or live bloodworm, brine shrimp, Daphnia, Tubifex and chopped earthworm. Feed the sand on purpose and siphon it afterwards.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (225)
Possible with care (127)
Avoid (66)
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 Loreto Cory need?
- A Loreto Cory needs an aquarium of at least 60 litres (15.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Loreto Cory need?
- Loreto Cory does best at 22–26 °C (71.6–78.8 °F), pH 6–7.5 and a general hardness of 2–12 °dGH.
- What group size does a Loreto Cory need?
- Loreto Cory is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Loreto Cory suitable for beginners?
- Loreto Cory sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.