Horseman Corydoras Care Guide
Corydoras eques is a colourful cory from the Amazon basin in Brazil, kept in peaceful schooling groups.
Overview
Corydoras eques, the horseman's cory, is an armoured catfish of the family Callichthyidae described by Franz Steindachner in 1876. Its scientific name derives from the Latin for knight or horseman. It is a peaceful, schooling bottom-dweller and a facultative air-breather.
Taxonomy
- Family: Callichthyidae
- Genus: Corydoras
- Scientific name: Corydoras eques
Habitat
The species is native to the Amazon River basin in Brazil, in freshwater, demersal tropical habitats.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (FishBase reports a 24-26 °C range)
- pH: 6.0-7.0
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- School size: 6 or more individuals
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
- Substrate: soft sand
Diet
Corydoras eques is an omnivore that forages along the substrate. In aquaria it accepts sinking dried foods supplemented with small live and frozen items.
Compatibility
A peaceful bottom-dwelling species best kept in groups of six or more. It suits community aquaria with tetras, rasboras and otocinclus and should not be combined with aggressive cichlids.
Breeding
Spawning follows the typical corydoras pattern: the female holds 2-4 eggs between her pelvic fins while the male fertilises them for about 30 seconds, then attaches the adhesive eggs to a suitable location. The process repeats until roughly 100 eggs are deposited.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2020).