What tank size does a Salt and Pepper Cory need?

A Salt and Pepper Cory needs an aquarium of at least 40 litres (10.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 45 cm (17.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.

What water parameters does a Salt and Pepper Cory need?

Salt and Pepper Cory does best at 20–26 °C (68–78.8 °F), pH 5.5–7.8 and a general hardness of 2–12 °dGH.

What group size does a Salt and Pepper Cory need?

Salt and Pepper Cory is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Salt and Pepper Cory suitable for beginners?

Yes — Salt and Pepper 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

Salt and Pepper Cory

Corydoras habrosus

Callichthyidae

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

📷 D.W. · CC0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

Salt and Pepper Cory — Corydoras habrosus — 📷 D.W. · CC0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The salt and pepper cory is a true dwarf catfish from the upper Orinoco basin of Venezuela and eastern Colombia, reaching barely 3.5 cm. Peppered with dark blotches over a pale body, it is more active and mobile than larger cories, darting between the substrate and the lower plant thickets in a tight, sociable shoal. Peaceful and secure only in numbers, it is an ideal bottom dweller for calm, well-planted nano aquariums.

Care

Keep in a shoal of 8 or more over soft, smooth sand in a planted nano tank with gentle flow. Pair only with tiny, peaceful tankmates and keep the barbels safe on fine substrate.

Diet

Omnivorous forager that sifts sand for small invertebrates and organic matter; feed sinking micro-foods plus frozen or live daphnia, cyclops and baby brine shrimp.

Tankmate compatibility

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

Nano fish Fish for a 54 litre tank Shrimp-safe fish Fish for a first aquarium

Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Salt and Pepper Cory need?: A Salt and Pepper Cory needs an aquarium of at least 40 litres (10.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 45 cm (17.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
What water parameters does a Salt and Pepper Cory need?: Salt and Pepper Cory does best at 20–26 °C (68–78.8 °F), pH 5.5–7.8 and a general hardness of 2–12 °dGH.
What group size does a Salt and Pepper Cory need?: Salt and Pepper Cory is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the Salt and Pepper Cory suitable for beginners?: Yes — Salt and Pepper 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

Temperature20–26°C

Optimal temp.22–25°C

pH5.5–7.8

Hardness (GH)2–12°d

Carbonate (KH)0–8°d

Adult size3.5 cm

Min. volume≥ 40 L

Min. tank length≥ 45 cm

Group size≥ 8

Swimming zoneBottom

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowLow

Lifespan~4 yrs

Try in the calculator