Breeding the salt-and-pepper cory
Can be bred like most corys: two or more males per female and a large soft, cool water change. Eggs go on glass, fine plants (often the underside of leaves near the bottom) or spawning mops. Fry are not the easiest to raise.
Step by step
Keep a group with more males than females; condition with live and frozen foods. Males chase females in a 'T-position' before spawning.
40 L tank with a sponge filter, fine sand and java moss or spawning mops; a cool water change is often what sets them off.
A large cool (3-5 C) water change, lower barometric pressure feel, and heavy feeding of live foods.
Sticky eggs placed on glass, fine plants or mops; they hatch in 3-4 days and breeders add methylene blue or alder cones to stop fungus.
Move eggs to a hatching tub with an air stone and a pinch of methylene blue or alder cone. Feed microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp; keep water spotless.
- Dirty sand that causes barbel erosion
- Not removing eggs from hungry adults
- Skipping the cool water change trigger
Male or female
Females grow larger and, when mature, are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, especially when full of eggs; easiest to see from above.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Use a separate small tank with a sponge filter and spawning mops, so the eggs aren't eaten.
- Good for a first breeding project.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for egg scatterers
- 14 days beforeCondition the parents
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
- Day 0Spawning
Eggs are scattered over mops or fine plants, often at first light. Remove the parents straight after.
- Day 1Eggs hatch
Most eggs hatch in 1–2 days. Keep the tank dim and remove white (fungused) eggs.
- Day 4Free swimming, first food
Fry use up the yolk and start swimming. Feed infusoria or liquid fry food several times a day.
- Day 8Baby brine shrimp
Switch to newly hatched brine shrimp or microworms. Start small, daily water changes.
- Day 21Crushed flake
Add finely crushed flake. Sort fry by size so the big ones don't eat the small ones.
- Day 60Ready to move
Most small fish reach about 2 cm in 2–3 months and can join the main tank.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Simulator: guided
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
Simulator: try it yourself
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
- Corydoras usually need a big, cooler water change (like rain) to start spawning.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.