Quick Stats
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons (38 Litres)
Care Level: Easy
Water Conditions: 6.0-8.0 pH Soft to Moderately Hard
Temperature: 64-73 °F (18-23 °C)
Maximum Size: 2.3 inches (5.9 cm)
The pepper catfish (Corydoras paleatus), also known as the peppered cory, or the blue leopard corydoras, is a peaceful catfish, that is one of the most popular corydoras to keep. It is native to Uruguay and Brazil, though there have been reports of populations in several other South American countries. At this time, its exact range remains uncertain.
They are primarily found in rivers, though it can also be found in streams, ponds and lakes. It is highly adaptable to water conditions, and is able to ingest oxygen from the surface, which allows them to live in low oxygen environments. Even in near perfect conditions, they will often dart to the surface for air, so don’t be alarmed if you spot them gulping air at the surface.
Peppered corys remain relatively small in the home aquarium, and they will grow to a maximum of 2.3 inches (5.9 cm). The males are smaller than the females, and will usually only grow to about 2 inches (5 cm) in length. On average, peppered corys will live for about ten years, though well cared for individuals have been known to live as long as fifteen years.
Housing
Peppered corys can be kept in a tank as small as 10 gallons (38 litres), but to provide them with the best possible environment, it’s recommended to provide them with at least a 20 gallon (70 litre), long tank. As they spend much of their time on the bottom of the tank, the dimensions of the bottom are more important than its height.
They are a very peaceful fish, and even during mating they rarely show aggression to each other. Because of this, they can easily be kept with any other peaceful community fish, and they are perfect for most tetras, danios and even some small cichlids.
Peppered corys are a schooling fish, and should be kept in groups of at least five or more at all time. To truly experience their natural behavior, many aquarists recommend keeping them in groups of ten or more, which will both reduce their stress levels, and provide you with impressive displays of schooling.
Because they constantly root for food in the substrate with their sensitive barbels, gravel or other sharp substrates should be avoided. In fact, anything sharp in the aquarium can damage their barbels, so choose decorations with care, and a small grain sand is usually the best choice for the substrate.
In addition to a soft substrate, their tank should also include numerous aquatic plants, with plenty of driftwood or decorations that they can hide in. They prefer a dimly lit aquarium, or barring that – one that is heavily shaded from thick plant growth.
Filter
While they are known as hardy fish, they should still be provided with an excellent filter. One of the best filters to choose for a peppered corydoras tank is a hang on back filter. These filters are known for their durability, and provide pristine water conditions if they well maintained.
If you decide to use to a hang on back filter, I would strongly recommend that you use an AquaClear Power Filter
Feeding
Peppered corys are omnivores, and feed on crustaceans, plant matter, worms and insects in the wild. This diet should be reproduced as closely as possible in the home aquarium, and this can be accomplished through feeding them a high quality sinking pellet, along with regular feedings of live or frozen food. Hikari Sinking Wafers
Their favorite live foods tend to be ones that sink, and they will greedily accept blackworms and brine shrimp. And mid or top dwelling food like mosquito larvae or dapnia tend to be ignored by them.
Peppered corys will accept a much wider range of frozen food, and they enjoy bloodworms, blackworms, daphnia, brine shrimp and anything else that will sink to the bottom.
Breeding
Peppered corys breed in the same manner as other corydoras catfish, and will usually breed on their own if kept in large enough groups. While they can be breed in their main tank, for better success rates they should be placed in a breeding tank, with a ratio of two males for every female.
After being placed in the breeding tank, the fish should be conditioned for at least a week on a diet of high quality live, or frozen food. The females will plump up visibly during this time, and when they appear to be swollen with eggs, perform a large water change. The water used should be cooler than the tank water, and this may have to be repeated several times before it triggers spawning.
The fish will become very active during spawning, and the males will mate with the females in the classic T-shaped spawning position. While they are held together in the T position, the female will release her eggs and hold them between her fins as they are fertilized. The eggs will then be deposited on a flat surface in the aquarium, which may include plants, glass or even the heater.
Spawning can occur several times between several different pairings of the fish, and after it appears that activity has died down in the tank, the adults should be removed. Adult peppered corys will eat both eggs and fry, though generally the eggs tend to be safe for a short while after spawning.
The eggs will begin to hatch in around 3-5 days, and the newly hatched fry can be fed baby brine shrimp or microworms. They can also be fed infusoria, and the inclusion of Java moss will help to provide some infusoria naturally.
You said corys eat crustaceans? Does that mean they will eat my ghost shrimp?
I’ve kept bronze corys with ghost shrimp before without issue. They generally ignore larger crustaceans, though they will feed on the shrimp hatchlings. So it will affect the long term population of ghost shrimp in the aquarium. I had an enormous mop of Java moss in my ghost shrimp tank, and that seemed to provide them with enough food and hiding places to ensure I always had a steady population of shrimp.
so they will eat there own fry, but will they eat guppy or molly fry
In my experience, they’re not really big on eating livebearer fry. They mostly stay near the bottom, and don’t often encounter the fry. But with that being said, fry are never safe around any adult fish and they may still eat some.
my peppered cory doesent move much at the evening, should i be worried?
Is the fish all alone? Does it move around normally during the day? Does it appear ill at all?
Paradoxical to say that you will see more of your fishes if you give them plenty of hidey holes, but you will; they are more confident if they know they have somewhere close at hand to retreat to, and happier to ‘come out and play’. They appreciate shade and privacy in well lit tanks anyway. Peppered Corys are sociable little things, and like company of their own sort, so if you are keeping one singly buy some friends for him; he’ll cheer up straight away! They are quite intelligent, and get bored if there’s no one to socialise with, as I do myself so I’ve every sympathy with them…
Mine are more active at night, and tend to hide up in the day to rest, but when they come out they get straight to work rooting for food in substrate, which should not contain anything sharp that might hurt their barbels. They are constantly busy and constantly active, curious to be involved in whatever you are doing, and are in general lovely little characters; my girlfriend calls them the cleaning service.
They’ve just bred for the first time (I’ve had them about 6 years), and I am doubtful that any of the fry will survive as I’ve only the one small communtiy tank, but there’s plenty of cover and one or two might get lucky. I think I accidentally triggered the breeding with a water change; fresh water at a cooler temperature means the snows are melting on the Andes and a time of plenty is approaching, good time to breed if you’re a South American fish.
I’ve had my Peppered Cory’s for almost 2 years now and I absolutely love them! The always come to the glass when I sit down to feed them or just watch and talk to them. (yes, I talk to my fish. Every day. A lot of times a the day. 🤭)
Another reason I love them is because I also had two Juuli Cory Catfish but one of them died in my quarantine tank almost immediately after I brought them home. Thankfully though, my two lovely Peppered Cory’s have adopted the Juuli and treat him like one of them. It’s been a little more than a year and I love watching the 3 of them schooling, eating and resting together. They are easily my favorites of all my fish!
I really do love corydoras as well and it’s very calming to watch a tank with a school of these little catfish. And there’s nothing wrong with talking to your fish. It only becomes a problem if they start talking back. lol
My obsessive compulsive spelling edit:
Julii Cory Catfish.
(I can’t help myself. 😅🤣😅)
We have just got some pepper Cory we’ve got 4 altogether, do you recommend we get more?
As long as there is room in the aquarium, I would try to get a minimum of six corydoras catfish. These catfish really shine in groups of six or larger and you’ll also notice much more impressive schooling behavior.
How long does it take for the pepper catfish to get from hatching stage to fry? And can they be left in a tank with guppies and another type of fish (orange with long black tail) can’t think of their name. We’ve got them in our tank and have been for a couple months then the catfish decided to lay eggs tonight. We’ve got one Male and one female, we didn’t know they were different genders till now 🤣
It takes about 3-5 days for the eggs to hatch, and then another 24-48 hours before the fry usually becomes free swimming. And hopefully your eggs hatch. 🙂
I just bought some to go in my daughters dwarf frog tank. The frogs are fed 3 times a week and consists of frog and tadpole micro pellets and tubifex worms. Should I get Repashy Soilent Green for the Cory?
To be honest, I’ve never heard of this food before, and when I looked it up, I couldn’t find a list of the ingredients. So, I can’t say whether it would be good for the fish. If you know of a place I can find a list of the ingredients, I’d be happy to look at it for you.
I started feeding mine soilent green about a week ago and they go nuts for it, it’s a very good food!
I find it really varies from person to person, though.
I got my first pair of Peppered Corys in 2004. They had babies immediately, and I still have 2 of them. They’re still going strong, very active and have the usual Cory personalitys. Hope they stick around for a long time. Awesome fish.
Peppered corys are such underrated fish. I had a school of them for many years, and they were always my favorie. More people need to try keeping them.
I agree. There are no downsides to keeping Corys. Completely sweet, wonderfully busy little guys. I have kept fish for 50 years and can’t imagine not having them around.
I just got 4 Peppered Corys, and honestly, Im loving them! getting them sand, and a bigger tank in a month or two, as I stupidly went into this blind, but now on the right track, and going to lavish these guys! I love their antics, and they were the serotonin boost I needed! I hope me and these guys will be long time friends.
Peppers corys are some of my favorite fish to keep. I hope you’re right and they become long-term friends.
Will Julii and pepper Corydora breed with each other? I have them in the same tank, they all get along very well and swim with each other.