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Encyclopedia / Catfish & Plecos / Salt-and-pepper cory
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Salt-and-pepper cory

Hoplisoma habrosum · Corydoras habrosus, Habrosus, Salt and pepper cory, Dwarf cory

Peaceful and sociable; keep in a group of 8 or more.

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3.5 cmBody length, without tail ✓
20–26 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
54 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Salt-and-pepper cory only grows to 3.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Salt-and-pepper cory only grows to 3.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Angelfish eats animals up to about 4 cm. Salt-and-pepper cory only grows to 3.5 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

358 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 ✓2–10 dGH
Group size ✓8 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 1.5–2.5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful and sociable; keep in a group of 8 or more. Hides in plants when kept alone.

  • 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: 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.

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

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.

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 – Orinoco basin in Venezuela & Colombia
Rivers and lakesOrinoco tributaries of the Venezuelan and Colombian llanos
HabitatShallow, slow streams and pools with sandy bottoms
Native rangeAbout 500 km across
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The story of the salt-and-pepper cory

A tiny cory (about 3.5 cm) from the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia, with a salt-and-pepper pattern and 2-3 dark blotches along the side. Despite its size Seriously Fish says it needs at least a 60 cm tank and is unsuitable for nano aquaria.

Stanley Weitzman, a specialist in small South American fishes, described this cory in 1960 from Venezuela. It is one of the dwarf cories, reaching only about 3.5 cm. Its fine salt-and-pepper speckling gave it its common name, and it has become a favourite for small planted tanks.

First described by Stanley H. Weitzman in 1960.

  • It is one of the smallest Corydoras, at about 3.5 cm.
  • Unlike some dwarf cories, it stays mostly on the bottom.
  • It is best kept in a group, as it is a sociable shoaling fish.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources