# Corydoras Catfish (*Corydoras condiscipulus*) Corydoras Catfish are small and have a cute, whiskered face! They like to scurry around the bottom of the tank looking for food. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Also known as:** Cory Catfish, Corydoras ![Corydoras Catfish](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426068/objects/4756.jpg) ## Appearance The Corydoras Catfish is a small, stout fish with a distinctive armored body covered in overlapping bony plates. It often has mottled brown, grey, or greenish patterns, sometimes with metallic spots or stripes. Its small downward-pointing mouth is surrounded by sensitive barbels, making it visually distinct from most other small freshwater fish. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Siluriformes - **Family:** Callichthyidae - **Genus:** Corydoras ## Interesting facts - Corydoras are super social, always happier when swimming in big groups of their friends! - If caught by a predator, Corydoras can lock their fins stiff to escape! - Some species can quickly change their skin color to blend in with their surroundings! - Their scientific name means 'helmeted dorado,' like a tiny armored golden fish! ## Special abilities - **Armored Body Suit:** Corydoras Catfish has strong bony plates that cover its body, helping them stay safe from predators in the river. - **Super Sniffer Barbels:** Corydoras Catfish can use its whisker-like barbels to sniff out tiny food hidden deep in the mud and sand. - **Breathe Like a Diver:** Corydoras Catfish can gulp air from the water's surface using its intestines, helping them breathe when water oxygen is low. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 2-8 cm - **Weight:** 0.001-0.015 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-8 years - **Swim Speed:** 5 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 5 m - **Water Type:** Freshwater ## Diet & Feeding These tiny fish are bottom-dwelling omnivores, eating all sorts of small foods found on the riverbed. - **Primary Foods:** small worms, insect larvae, small crustaceans, algae, plant detritus - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Peacock Bass (*Cichla ocellaris*) — Larger predatory fish, like bass, hunt small Corydoras. - **Eaten by:** [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) — Wading birds often feast on small fish from shallow waters. - **Eats:** Sludge worm (*Tubifex tubifex*) — Corydoras love to forage for tiny worms in the riverbed. - **Eats:** Water flea (*Daphnia pulex*) — Tiny crustaceans like water fleas are a snack for these catfish. ## Traits - [Whiskered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/whiskered): Possessing prominent sensory hairs or vibrissae, often around the snout. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [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. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [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 Corydoras Catfish? 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 Corydoras Catfish? 2-8 cm ### How much does Corydoras Catfish weigh? 0.001-0.015 kg ### How long does Corydoras Catfish live? 3-8 years ### What does Corydoras Catfish eat? These tiny fish are bottom-dwelling omnivores, eating all sorts of small foods found on the riverbed. ### How fast can Corydoras Catfish swim? 5 km/h ### How does Corydoras Catfish hunt? Foraging ### How deep can Corydoras Catfish 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: [Corydoras Catfish: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/corydoras-catfish)