Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Salt and Pepper Corydoras
Hoplisoma habrosum (Weitzman, 1960); long known as Corydoras habrosus
Also called Salt and pepper catfish, Dainty cory, Checker cory, Rio Salinas cory, Venezuelan pygmy cory
From Upper Orinoco basin in western Venezuela and eastern Colombia, mainly the Rio Apure watershed and the Arauca and Casanare rivers, in seasonal wetlands and floodplains rich in leaf litter.123
A friendly guide, not veterinary advice. For anything about your pet's health, ask your vet.
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Armoured catfish (bony plates, no scales)
A tiny, true bottom-dwelling cory. The light body is speckled and blotched with dark markings, usually two or three larger patches along each side, giving the salt-and-pepper look. Females grow a little bigger and deeper-bodied than males.12
Personality what they are like
Peaceful and gregarious. It stays on or near the bottom like larger corys, sifting the substrate in a busy little group, and occasionally darts up for air.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Constantly foraging over the floor; plenty of open sand lets it behave naturally.12
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Keep fine sand, good water quality and regular partial water changes. Handle gently, as the pectoral spines are stiff.1
Home where they are happiest
Minimum footprint of about 60 x 30 cm (around 54 litres) for a shoal. Water 20 to 26 C (around 25 C is typical), pH 5.5 to 8.0 across sources, hardness about 2 to 10 dGH. Soft sand and leaf litter echo its wild habitat.123
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Foraging omnivore. Sinking dried foods plus small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, with variety rather than relying on leftovers.1
Company who they like around
The story where it all began
Stanley Weitzman described this species in 1960 from the Orinoco region of Venezuela. It is one of the smallest corys kept in aquaria. In 2025 it was moved into the genus Hoplisoma.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Unlike its fellow mini corys, the pygmy and dwarf corydoras, this species stays on the bottom rather than swimming in midwater.2
- 2
It breathes air with its gut, taking quick gulps at the surface.2
- 3
During courtship several males may circle a female, swimming quickly from side to side around her.2
- 4
It is told apart from the similar Corydoras cochui by having two or three dark side markings rather than four or five.1
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Near Threatened (assessed 2 October 2020)3
- Taxonomy
- Moved to the genus Hoplisoma in the 2025 phylogenomic revision2
- Family
- Callichthyidae (armoured catfishes), subfamily Corydoradinae1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Salt and Pepper Corydoras. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Seriously Fish: Corydoras habrosus seriouslyfish.comused for care, size, distribution, colour, behaviour
- Wikipedia: Salt and pepper catfish en.wikipedia.orgused for taxonomy, behaviour, habitat, tank size
- FishBase: Hoplisoma habrosum fishbase.seused for valid name, length, water parameters, IUCN status
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.