Bronze cory

Identity and search names

Single-species profile for Osteogaster aenea. Orange Venezuelan cory is not retained as an alias because it represents a different identity and must not be merged into bronze cory. Permanent AquaNexus ID 128, slug bronze-cory and public route /species/bronze-cory/ are preserved.

Search names: Corydoras aeneus, Bronze corydoras, Albino bronze cory

Environment and housing

Smooth sand or fine rounded substrate, oxygenated water and shaded resting areas.

Water stability: Maintain 22–27 °C; pH 6.0–7.6; minerals: Soft to moderately hard; salinity: Freshwater. Stability, oxygen and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact reading.

Feeding and nutrition

Feeding ecology: Omnivore; must receive sinking food

Feeding routine: Feed measured sinking foods after upper-water fish are occupied. Rotate quality omnivore tablets, small frozen invertebrates and suitable soft foods; confirm rounded bellies without obesity.

Social structure and compatibility

6+ of the same or closely compatible species

Good with peaceful community fish that do not monopolise the substrate. Retain a cycled separation option for aggression, feeding exclusion, predation or disease.

Adult load and life support

Projected adult load: Moderate for a group. Bottom feeding concentrates solids on the substrate, so direct waste removal is part of the biological-load plan.

Filtration: Use mature filtration with protected intakes and gentle bottom circulation. Pair it with sand cleaning; filters cannot remove all trapped substrate waste.

Aeration: Maintain good gas exchange and unobstructed surface access because corydoradines periodically gulp air. Repeated frantic surfacing still requires investigation.

Maintenance: Siphon waste from the sand surface, clean prefilters and inspect barbels, bellies and respiration. Never deep-clean all biological media at once.

Breeding and reproduction

Adhesive egg layer Do not compromise adult welfare, genetic integrity, quarantine capacity or lawful rehoming to attempt breeding.

Quarantine, welfare and risk

Quarantine: Quarantine new fish in a separate fully cycled system for at least 30 days at the intended temperature and mineral chemistry. Use dedicated equipment; observe appetite, respiration, faeces, skin, fins, gills and behaviour; never add transport water to the display.

Welfare checks: Use the adult housing and social plan in this profile, monitor body condition and behaviour, and correct measured water or compatibility problems early. They are not cleaners that live on scraps. Feed them directly and keep the substrate free of sharp waste traps. Track individual body condition, feeding access, respiration, injury, abnormal hiding or aggression and use of the intended swimming zone.

Main risk: Incorrect taxonomy, sharp substrate, starvation on scraps and loss of barbels or body condition.

Australian biosecurity and release

Never release fish, aquarium water, sediment, plants, live food or wet equipment into drains, dams or natural waterways. Australian import eligibility is species-specific: check the current Live Import List, permitted ornamental-fish list and BICON conditions by accepted scientific name. Import requires a permit, an approved source country and approved-arrangement isolation. Check current South Australian noxious-fish and movement rules before purchase, sale, transport or disposal.

Current check: Current lawful import or possession must be checked by accepted scientific name. Absence from one state list is not import approval.

System demands

Filtration: Use mature biological filtration sized for the adult stock and feeding load, with guarded intakes and a flow pattern the species can use without continual effort.

Aeration: Maintain strong gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen, especially overnight, during warm weather, medication, crowding or any interruption to filtration.

Maintenance: Test ammonia and nitrite after changes or abnormal behaviour; remove waste from the occupied zone and perform regular water changes matched to temperature and mineral chemistry.

Detailed husbandry

Identity Scope

Single-species profile for Osteogaster aenea. Orange Venezuelan cory is not retained as an alias because it represents a different identity and must not be merged into bronze cory. Permanent AquaNexus ID 128, slug bronze-cory and public route /species/bronze-cory/ are preserved.

Adult Size And Space

Expected adult size: 5–7 cm. Minimum permanent housing: 75 L+. Adult dimensions, group size, swimming footprint, oxygen demand and waste production matter more than juvenile sale size.

Social Structure

6+ of the same or closely compatible species

Swimming Zone

Primary zone: Bottom. Keep that zone open enough for normal movement, feeding, refuge and escape.

Feeding Ecology

Omnivore; must receive sinking food

Feeding Plan

Feed measured sinking foods after upper-water fish are occupied. Rotate quality omnivore tablets, small frozen invertebrates and suitable soft foods; confirm rounded bellies without obesity.

Water Stability

Maintain 22–27 °C; pH 6.0–7.6; minerals: Soft to moderately hard; salinity: Freshwater. Stability, oxygen and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact reading.

Adult Projected Load

Moderate for a group. Bottom feeding concentrates solids on the substrate, so direct waste removal is part of the biological-load plan.

Filtration

Use mature filtration with protected intakes and gentle bottom circulation. Pair it with sand cleaning; filters cannot remove all trapped substrate waste.

Aeration

Maintain good gas exchange and unobstructed surface access because corydoradines periodically gulp air. Repeated frantic surfacing still requires investigation.

Maintenance

Siphon waste from the sand surface, clean prefilters and inspect barbels, bellies and respiration. Never deep-clean all biological media at once.

Habitat Structure

Smooth sand or fine rounded substrate, oxygenated water and shaded resting areas.

Compatibility Plan

Good with peaceful community fish that do not monopolise the substrate. Retain a cycled separation option for aggression, feeding exclusion, predation or disease.

Breeding Plan

Adhesive egg layer Do not compromise adult welfare, genetic integrity, quarantine capacity or lawful rehoming to attempt breeding.

Quarantine

Quarantine new fish in a separate fully cycled system for at least 30 days at the intended temperature and mineral chemistry. Use dedicated equipment; observe appetite, respiration, faeces, skin, fins, gills and behaviour; never add transport water to the display.

Welfare Checks

Use the adult housing and social plan in this profile, monitor body condition and behaviour, and correct measured water or compatibility problems early. They are not cleaners that live on scraps. Feed them directly and keep the substrate free of sharp waste traps. Track individual body condition, feeding access, respiration, injury, abnormal hiding or aggression and use of the intended swimming zone.

Biosecurity And Release

Never release fish, aquarium water, sediment, plants, live food or wet equipment into drains, dams or natural waterways. Australian import eligibility is species-specific: check the current Live Import List, permitted ornamental-fish list and BICON conditions by accepted scientific name. Import requires a permit, an approved source country and approved-arrangement isolation. Check current South Australian noxious-fish and movement rules before purchase, sale, transport or disposal.

Main Risk

Incorrect taxonomy, sharp substrate, starvation on scraps and loss of barbels or body condition.

Overridable Warnings

They are not cleaners that live on scraps. Feed them directly and keep the substrate free of sharp waste traps.

Adult projected load

Moderate for a group. Bottom feeding concentrates solids on the substrate, so direct waste removal is part of the biological-load plan.

Overridable warnings

They are not cleaners that live on scraps. Feed them directly and keep the substrate free of sharp waste traps.

Social structure

6+ of the same or closely compatible species

Swimming zone

Primary zone: Bottom. Keep that zone open enough for normal movement, feeding, refuge and escape.

Sources

• Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes — Osteogaster aenea — Accepted-name, synonym and fish-classification cross-check
• Dias et al. — revised Corydoradinae classification — Primary phylogenomic and morphological basis for the resurrected Corydoradinae genera
• PIRSA — South Australian noxious fish list — Current South Australian possession, trade and disposal restrictions
• DAFF — importing live ornamental fish to Australia — Australian live-fish import pathway and permitted-species warning
• DAFF — Permitted live freshwater and marine ornamental fish — Permitted-species pathway; exact eligibility must be checked by accepted scientific name
• PIRSA — Moving aquatic animals — South Australian movement, pest, disease and no-release context