# Bronze Corydoras (*Osteogaster aeneus*) Bronze Corydoras have a shiny bronze color and are very playful! They enjoy swimming around and are great companions in an aquarium. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Also known as:** Corydoras aeneus ![Bronze Corydoras](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425811/objects/4758.jpg) ## Appearance The Bronze Corydoras has a shimmering, metallic bronze body that can sometimes appear greenish, with a pale belly. Its distinctive shape features a high, triangular dorsal fin and a pair of sensitive barbels around its mouth, resembling tiny whiskers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopteri - **Order:** Siluriformes - **Family:** Callichthyidae - **Genus:** Osteogaster ## Interesting facts - Bronze Corydoras love to swim in big groups called schools for safety and fun! - Their eggs are super sticky and often glued onto plants, rocks, or even aquarium glass! - These fish often 'wink' by quickly moving their eyes, which looks super funny! - They can even 'play dead' for a moment to escape if a big fish tries to eat them! ## Special abilities - **Armored Bodyguard:** Bronze Corydoras has tough bony plates under its skin that help protect them from predators, acting like a tiny suit of armor. - **Underwater Sniffer:** Bronze Corydoras can use its sensitive barbels (whiskers) to sniff out tiny worms and food hidden deep in the mud. - **Quick Air Breather:** Bronze Corydoras can gulp air from the surface using a special gut, which helps them breathe when water oxygen is low. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 5-8 cm - **Weight:** 0.003-0.01 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Swim Speed:** 5 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 5 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding They are omnivores, munching on tiny bugs, worms, algae, and plant bits found in the mud. - **Primary Foods:** insect larvae, small crustaceans, worms, algae, plant detritus - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Midge Larvae (*Chironomus plumosus*) — A key food source hidden in the substrate. - **Eaten by:** Peacock Bass (*Cichla ocellaris*) — Larger predatory fish that hunt small bottom-dwellers. - **Eaten by:** Wolffish (*Hoplias malabaricus*) — An ambush predator in their native South American waters. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bronze Corydoras? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Bronze Corydoras? 5-8 cm ### How much does Bronze Corydoras weigh? 0.003-0.01 kg ### How long does Bronze Corydoras live? 5-10 years ### What does Bronze Corydoras eat? They are omnivores, munching on tiny bugs, worms, algae, and plant bits found in the mud. ### How fast can Bronze Corydoras swim? 5 km/h ### How does Bronze Corydoras hunt? Foraging ### How deep can Bronze Corydoras go? 5 m ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Bronze Corydoras: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bronze-corydoras)