Description
Albino Corydoras (Corydoras aeneus)
Overview
Albino Corydoras aeneus, commonly known as the Albino Bronze Cory or Albino Cory, is a selectively bred variant of the Bronze Cory (Corydoras aeneus), a small, peaceful freshwater catfish from the Callichthyidae family. Native to South America (Venezuela, Trinidad, Argentina), this tank-bred strain is characterized by its pale pinkish-white body and red eyes due to a lack of pigmentation. Growing to 5–7 cm, Albino Cories are hardy, bottom-dwelling scavengers, ideal for community aquariums and suitable for beginners and experienced aquarists. Their playful, schooling behaviour mirrors their wild-type counterparts, but their albinism requires slight care adjustments.
Care Requirements
Tank Size
- Minimum: 40 liters for a small group of 6–8 fish; 80–120 liters preferred for larger schools (10–15) to support active foraging and social Behaviour.
- Longer tanks provide more floor space for bottom-dwelling activities.
Water Parameters
- Temperature: 21°C–26°C, ideally 22°C–25°C.
- pH: 6.0–7.5, slightly acidic to neutral preferred.
- Hardness: Soft to moderately hard (2–15 dH).
- Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm;
- Nitrate: Keep below 40 mg/L.
- Use a water conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramine.
Tank Setup
- Substrate: Smooth, fine sand or rounded gravel to protect their delicate barbels; avoid sharp or coarse substrates that can cause injury.
- Plants: Live plants like Java fern, Anubias, or Cryptocoryne for cover and resting spots. Floating plants reduce stress.
- Decor: Driftwood, rocks, or caves provide hiding spots and mimic their natural habitat of leaf-littered riverbeds.
- Filtration: Gentle to moderate flow filter (e.g., sponge or hang-on-back) to maintain clean, oxygenated water. Bronze Cories occasionally gulp air from the surface, so ensure access.
- Lighting: Low to moderate lighting to emulate shaded river environments; provide a 10–12 hour day/night cycle.
Maintenance
- Water Changes: 20%–30% weekly for 40 -80 litre tanks; 25%–40% biweekly for larger tanks to maintain water quality.
- Testing: Monitor ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, and temperature weekly with a test kit.
- Cleaning: Vacuum substrate gently during water changes to remove debris without disturbing beneficial bacteria. Clean filter media in tank water monthly.
- Feeding Control: Remove uneaten food within 5 minutes to prevent fouling, as Cories scavenge but cannot clean all waste.
- Plant/Decor Care: Trim plants and clean decor in tank water to remove algae and maintain aesthetics.
Diet
Natural Diet: Omnivorous, scavenging small invertebrates, insect larvae, plant matter, and detritus in the wild.
Aquarium Diet:
- Staple Foods: Sinking pellets or wafers formulated for bottom-dwellers (e.g., shrimp pellets, algae wafers).
- Live/Frozen Foods: Bloodworms, brine shrimp, Daphnia, or Tubifex as treats (1–2 times weekly) to enhance health and activity.
- Vegetable Matter: Blanched zucchini, cucumber, or spirulina-based foods for balance.
- Feeding Frequency: Small portions 1–2 times daily, preferably at dusk or dawn when Cories are most active. Ensure food reaches the substrate.
- Variety: Rotate foods to prevent nutritional deficiencies and encourage foraging Behaviour.
Behaviour and Compatibility
Behaviour
- Schooling: Highly social, requiring groups of 6–10+ to thrive. Smaller groups lead to stress, shyness, or reduced activity. Large schools enhance their playful “dancing” Behaviour.
- Activity: Bottom-dwellers that sift through substrate for food, often darting to the surface for air. Active at dusk and dawn, resting during the day.
- Temperament: Extremely peaceful, making them ideal for community tanks. They rarely show aggression, even during feeding.
Compatibility
- Ideal Tankmates: Small, peaceful fish like tetras (e.g., Neon Tetra), rasboras, guppies, small barbs, or other Corydoras species.
- Avoid: Aggressive or large fish (e.g., cichlids, large barbs) that may intimidate or prey on them. Avoid fin-nippers that target their slow movements.
- Mixing Cory Species: Can be housed with other Corydoras species (e.g., C. paleatus, C. sterbai) as they school together, but ensure similar size and water requirements.
- Sexual Dimorphism: Females are larger, rounder, and wider when viewed from above; males are smaller, slimmer, with more pointed dorsal and pectoral fins.
Breeding Behaviour
Breeding Behaviour: Egg-layers that deposit adhesive eggs on tank surfaces (glass, plants, decor). Males court females with a “T-position” mating Behaviour.
