Salt and pepper cory
Corydoras habrosus
A dwarf cory of about 1.5 inches that stays on the bottom and needs a wide stretch of fine sand rather than a tiny nano tank.
Key facts
- Body length
- 1.4 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 17 gallons
- Group
- 6+
- Temperament
- Peaceful, shy
- Care level
- 1 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Micro pellets, sinking tablets, frozen daphnia and brine shrimp
- Origin
- Upper Orinoco tributaries, Colombia and Venezuela
- Hardier than67%
- Bigger than12%
- Calmer than68%
Water: their range vs yours
Salt and pepper cory tank mates
- Neon tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Harlequin rasboraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Fancy guppyGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Panda corydorasGets along in shared water.Good mates
- OtocinclusGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Cherry shrimpGets along in shared water.Good mates
- BettaGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Tiger barbGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Amano shrimpGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black neon tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black widow tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Blood parrot cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Chinese algae eaterChinese algae eater attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Salt and pepper cory.Risky
- Clown loachClown loach attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Salt and pepper cory.Risky
- DemasoniDemasoni attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Salt and pepper cory.Risky
- Golden mbunaGolden mbuna attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Salt and pepper cory.Risky
- Peacock cichlidMalawi butterfly peacock attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Salt and pepper cory.Risky
- Rainbow sharkRainbow shark attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Salt and pepper cory.Risky
- AngelfishAngelfish can eat Salt and pepper cory: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 2.3 cm.Avoid
- Blue dolphin cichlidBlue dolphin cichlid can eat Salt and pepper cory: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 6.3 cm.Avoid
- Convict cichlidConvict cichlid can eat Salt and pepper cory: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
- Firemouth cichlidFiremouth cichlid can eat Salt and pepper cory: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 3.0 cm.Avoid
- GoldfishGoldfish can eat Salt and pepper cory: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 3.0 cm.Avoid
- Iridescent sharkIridescent shark can eat Salt and pepper cory: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 32.5 cm.Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for salt and pepper corys: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 3.5 cm (SL)
- Adult mass
- 0.64 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 0.88 BU
- Min. water
- 54 L net
- Min. footprint
- 60 × 30 cm per group
- Group
- 6+ (best 10)
- Swims in
- bottom
- Flow
- low
- Body / fins
- fusiform, normal fins
- Diet type
- omnivore
- Fin nipper
- none
- Sensitive to
- copper
Sources: Seriously Fish: Corydoras habrosus
Care notes
Salt and pepper corys come from tributaries of the upper Orinoco in Colombia and Venezuela. They are one of the three dwarf corys and, unlike the pygmy cory, keep to the substrate.
They are shy, so keep six or more, ideally ten, and avoid large or boisterous tank mates. Plan on at least a 24 by 12 inch footprint (about 15 gallons) of fine sand: floor space matters more than water volume.
Questions
What size tank does a salt and pepper cory need?
At least 17 gallons (54 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 1.4 inches without fins.
How many salt and pepper corys should be kept together?
Keep at least 6, ideally 10 or more: fewer feel exposed and hide or turn nippy.
What water do salt and pepper corys need?
68–79 °F, pH 5.5–7.5 and 2–10 dGH. Salt and pepper corys come from Upper Orinoco tributaries, Colombia and Venezuela.
How long do salt and pepper corys live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with salt and pepper corys?
Good tank mates include Neon tetra, Harlequin rasbora, Fancy guppy, Panda corydoras and Otocinclus. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.