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Encyclopedia / Catfish & Plecos / Bandit cory
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Bandit cory

Hoplisoma metae · Corydoras metae, Metae, Bandit corydoras, Masked cory

Peaceful and active; good for community tanks with small peaceful fish.

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5 cmBody length, without tail ✓
20–26 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
72 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Bandit cory only grows to 5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Bandit cory only grows to 5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Oscar eats animals up to about 12 cm. Bandit cory only grows to 5 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.5.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 26 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

382 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓5–12 dGH
Group size ✓6 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2–3.5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful and active; good for community tanks with small peaceful fish.

  • sand

Food

Sinking micro-pellets, wafers, frozen bloodworms and daphnia, fed after lights-out.

Tap a food to see what it is.

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.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-scatterer (sticky eggs) · Moderate

Can be bred like most corys: about two males per female and a large cooler water change once females are full of eggs. Eggs go mainly on the glass; fry need excellent water quality.

Pairing

Keep a group with more males than females; condition with live and frozen foods. Males chase females in a 'T-position' before spawning.

Setup

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.

What starts it

A large cool (3-5 C) water change, lower barometric pressure feel, and heavy feeding of live foods.

Eggs

Up to about 100 sticky eggs, laid 2-4 at a time and stuck to glass or plants; they hatch in 3-4 days and breeders add methylene blue or alder cones to stop fungus.

Raising the fry

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.

Common mistakes
  • Dirty sand that causes barbel erosion
  • Not removing eggs from hungry adults
  • Skipping the cool water change trigger
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouth America – Colombia
Rivers and lakesRío Meta and other Orinoco tributaries in Colombia
HabitatClear, slow streams with sandy bottoms
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the bandit cory

The bandit or masked cory is endemic to the upper Río Meta in eastern Colombia and named after that river. It has a black mask through the eyes and an oblique black bar along the back that ends at the tail base.

Carl Eigenmann described the bandit cory in 1914, naming it after Colombia's Río Meta. Its black 'mask' across the eyes and dark back stripe give it its common name. It is a classic and peaceful community catfish.

First described by Carl H. Eigenmann in 1914. Named for Named after the Río Meta in Colombia.

  • The black band across its eyes looks like a bandit's mask.
  • It is named after the Río Meta, an Orinoco tributary in Colombia.
  • Like other cories, it has sharp locking fin spines for defence.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources