Emerald green cory catfish are a type of freshwater fish that are native to South America. They are a popular choice for aquariums because of their unique coloration and friendly personality. Green cory catfish are relatively easy to care for, but there are a few things you should know before adding them to your tank.
Emerald Green Cats live in slow-moving streams with a lot of vegetation. They enjoy a neutral to slightly acidic pH and should be maintained in groups of at least 6. They have a bright green body with a pinkish belly. Emerald green Cory fish are a popular and effective scavenger that can be used to add interest and an aesthetic presence to any quiet aquarium.
The Emerald Green Cat should be kept in a 30-gallon tank with a sand substrate, densely planted and aquascaped with driftwood, roots, rocks, and other objects for them to hide in. They require soft to moderately hard water (to 30 dGH), a pH of 6.8-7.2, temperature of 71-82° F, and excellent filtration to thrive.
The Emerald Green "Cory" Cat will consume any food that settles to the bottom of the aquarium, however their diets should include a good flake food, bloodworms, tubifex, shrimp pellets, or sinking carnivore pellets to be properly balanced. In their natural environment, they eat worms, maggot larvae, and small crustaceans. Microworms or live tubifex will get them into breeding condition.
Quick Facts About Emerald Green Cory Catfish
Common Name: Emerald Green Corydoras Catfish
Scientific Name: Brochis Splendens
Place of Origin: South America.
Average Adult Fish Size: 5 cm (2 inches)
Typical Tank Setup: These bottom dwellers will appreciate bogwood, peat, and rocks, as well as a lot of vegetation and planted aquariums.
Recommended Minimum Aquarium Capacity: 30 gallon (120 litre)
Compatibility: They are compatible with other community fish such as tetras. It's a very docile fish that shouldn't be mixed with aggressive species; however, it will generally keep to itself and scavenge the bottom of the aquarium.
Temperature: 72 – 79 Deg F (22 – 26 Deg C)
Ideal pH: 5.8-7.0
Hardness: Soft to Moderately Hard
Green Cory Catfish Origin
The Emerald Green "Cory" Cat (Brochis splendens) is also known as the Emerald Brochis, Emerald Catfish, Green Cory, or Emerald Cory in tropical fishkeeping circles. They comes from the upper reaches of the Amazon, Rio Tocantins, Rio Ambiyacu, Rio Ucayali, within the countries of Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Ecuador. They have also been found in the Rio Negro basin.
Corydoras splendens is a freshwater fish that prefers still or slow-moving water with a sandy substrate and plenty of hiding places such as rocks, roots, and driftwood. In the wild, they are found in dense vegetation where they feed on small crustaceans, worms, and larvae.
Green Cory Catfish Appearance
The fish's body reflects a metallic green, blue-green, or even bluish tint depending on the angle of lighting. The yellowish ventral area is bordered by the pectoral, ventral, and anal fins that are yellowish, with the dorsal, caudal, and adipose fins being translucent brownish.
The females are considerably larger and more robust than the males, with a more pinkish belly instead of the males', which is more yellow. The blue-black corydoras catfish (Hypostomus macrodon) is easily identified by its larger size, stouter body, and more pointed snout.
Color
These fish have a lovely appearance and lots of intricate features that appeal to aqua fans. The beauty has an emerald green body that glimmers, and the lower portion of its body has pink highlights to set it off.
Green Cory Catfish Size
Green Cory Catfish is a relatively small fish, only growing to about 2 inches (5 cm) in the aquarium. Though they are small fish, they look good even in a larger aquarium because of their color and active personality.
Green Cory Catfish Behavior & Temperament
Catfishes typically dwell in schools of tens or hundreds of the same species. They become highly active during the day until nightfall. Emerald catfish is a favorite corydoras, along with albino cory, bronze cory, pygmy cory, and panda cory.
While they're generally active during the day, you could see them sit still in the same location for a while as they relax. When they are placed in an aquarium, this behaviour persists. You may watch their activity throughout the day and their mild activities at night.
They are generally bottom feeders. To consume scattered foods, they would spend the majority of their time scavenging the tank's bottom section. Do not make the mistake of thinking that these are sluggish in any way. They can, in fact, be quite active, especially during the day. The Emerald cory catfish, despite its beautiful appearance, is a shy fish when compared to other comparable catfish.
Green Cory Catfish Lifespan
Emeralds can live up to five years in a well-maintained aquarium with ideal water conditions. However, after tank introduction, aquarists are plagued with a high incidence of immediate death. The main cause of the fish dying in this situation is due to a significant gap in water conditions between the store's display tank and your home aquarium.
That's why you must carefully maintain the tank's water conditions. If you've decided to keep them, now is the time to prepare the species or community tank. To avoid your Emerald catfish from dying immediately after being transported to your aquarium, do some research on the subject.
Green Cory Catfish Care
The Emerald green cory catfish is a peaceful, non-aggressive fish that does well in a community setting with other peaceful fish. It's a good idea to keep them in schools of six or more for the best results.
They are an easy fish to care for, but there are some things you need to know before adding them to your tank.
How Can You Maintain Emerald Green Cory Catfish in Your Home Aquarium?
Emerald Green Cory Cats should be kept in aquariums with lots of vegetation, driftwood or root structures, so that they may retreat from the intense aquarium lighting when they need to.
The Emerald Green Cory Cat will generally forage for food among the aquarium's gravel, but if there isn't adequate excess food on the aquarium floor, it will probably require supplementary feeding via sinking wafers or pellets.
This species can be kept alone or in groups of any size, and it is not unusual for individuals to pair off and even mate within a suitable aquarium if they are maintained in big enough numbers. While they may be kept alone, they are a social species that dwells in groups in the wild and will benefit from being kept in a small group within the aquarium in the long run.
Green Cory Catfish Tank Setup
Corydoras catfish are peaceful bottom-dwellers that thrive in groups. In the wild, these fish inhabit slow-moving rivers and streams with soft sandy substrates, plenty of hiding places, and plenty of plant matter.
In the home aquarium, you can recreate this type of environment by using a fine gravel or sand substrate, along with some driftwood, rocks, and plants. Corys are sensitive to poor water quality, so be sure to perform regular water changes and filter the aquarium properly. Here are few things to consider while setting up an aquarium for Green Cory Catfish:
Tank Size
Emerald fish is a tiny fish that may survive in a 10-gallon tank. Of course, larger tanks allow them to swim and give you more options when it comes to adding tankmates and decorations.
At this point, you may consider the tank's bio-load capacity and the number of creatures you want to put in it. If you want to keep multiple fish in a single tank, Then you should choose a bigger tank.
Bio-load
Don't overstock the tank, and think about the right treatment for the tank size. They would shoot up to the tank surface for air or food and back to the bottom at the speed of sound. That is why you must completely cover your tank.
Emerald cory catfish should be maintained in schools, so a 20-gallon aquarium is preferable to taking chances with a 10-gallon tank. The most common species tank is composed of six green corydoras, which is the optimum number for the species tank.
These bottom-dwelling fish are generally friendly with other community fish that do not attack or prey on them. It is also critical to choose tankmates carefully to maintain the well-being of the fish in the community tank. You may always begin with a specific tank if you're not sure about a community aquarium.
When the community tank comes to mind, you should take full advantage of it. Because these are the bottom dwellers who reside in the aquarium's lower half, you may pick species that live in the center and upper sections of the community tank.
Substrate
Emerald cory catfish, like other bottom-dwelling creatures, require fine sand or gravel to feed more readily. The foods you've put won't be trapped, and they'll be able to grab them easily.
A bottom setup is required for the bottom-dwelling fish. So the bottom of the aquarium may be filled with 2 inches of gravel or substrate.
Add more live aquarium plants to provide hiding places for your fish and help them feel less stressed. For bottom-dwelling exploration, add caves, rocks, or other underwater fixtures to your decorations.
Water Parameters
Emerald cory catfish can live in a wide range of water temperatures, but the ideal ones will make them happier and enhance their lives. The ideal water conditions are maintained at a temperature of 72 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit while keeping the pH level around 7.0 -7.8 to ensure optimum water quality. You can also use aquarium lights to illuminate the tank.
The water conditions might be influenced by the biodiversity in the community tank, but you must maintain stability to make sure that your cory catfish are healthy.
To minimize Nitrate accumulation and ensure the Nitrite and Ammonia levels remain at zero ppm, perform regular partial water changes. Avoid any potentially hazardous changes in the water conditions.
They can be harmed by frontal water changes and poor water quality. These might make them vulnerable to illnesses and even death. The high nitrates content in the aquarium can stress out the catfish.
The gravel and bottom substrates, on the other hand, may accumulate decaying organic matter from the uneaten food waste. At this stage, you must not disturb the bottom substrate, which may contain dangerous pollutants that can cause deadly bacterial diseases. Without treatment, the diseased ones may cease feeding and perish.
Green Cory Catfish Tank Mates
Emerald cory catfish are similar to other catfish that enjoy socializing. They may also be observed living alone in an aquarium. However, you may maintain a group of individuals and they will be happier and live longer.
They are schooling bottom-dwelling fish, despite the fact that they are less active than middle dwellers. They'll be found in groups or adjacent to one another in the tank. They can even get along well with other catfish species.
When you have a bigger tank, you'll notice a cluster of six or eight of these schooling in the area. It's fascinating and eye-catching to watch how these bottom-dwellers school in groups.
The fundamental aim of community tanks for Emerald cory catfish is to offer peaceful, non-aggressive species. Other corydoras species, swordtails, and tetras are among the fish you might want to consider for your community tank. Freshwater shrimps and snails may make excellent tankmates, adding a touch of color to an aquarium.
Green Cory Catfish Food & Diet
Emerald catfish are omnivores that don't care what they eat so long as it is small enough to fit in their jaws. Frozen bloodworm, live blackworms, gel diets, sinking species/community foods, Vibra bites, and other foods can all be offered to them. A varied diet is optimal for them.
Another precaution you should take is not to overfeed your fish. There would be uneatened foods in the ground if there were too many; no matter how active the bottom-dwellers are when looking for their food underground. The trapped leftovers would decay and pollute the water, reducing its quality.
It's incredible to watch how Emerald cory catfish, despite their shy demeanor, can eat food near their tankmates without any trouble. They can eat food pellets without issue. Regardless of how enthralled you are, you must pick the finest tank buddies possible.
Green Cory Catfish Breeding
Emerald cory catfish can be raised in captivity with no problems using a breeding tank and fry tank. You may breed the species in a bare tank with little or no substrate. To prevent parents from eating the eggs, remove the adults and let the fry grow in the breeding tank.
Another option is to move the fertilized eggs to a separate tank and raise the fry there. It's a more practical technique, even though it reduces the number of fry that hatch from them. Whatever technique you choose, you must perform it thoroughly in order to begin a new generation of your Emerald green Corydoras.
Green Cory Catfish Fry
As with other cory catfish, the fry of Emerald green corys are small and require tiny foods. You should purchase special fry food, or you may grind flakes into a powder for them. Be careful not to overfeed the fry; uneaten foods can quickly dirty their tank and lead to health problems.
As they develop, you can feed them larger foods. Once they're big enough, you can move them to a community tank. However, be sure to introduce new fish slowly so that the fry have time to adjust to their new surroundings and get enough food.
Caring for your Emerald green cory catfish is not difficult, but it does require some knowledge and effort. By following the steps above, you can provide your fish with a long, healthy life.
Green Cory Catfish Diseases
Emerald catfish are extremely hardy and disease is not usually an issue in a well-maintained tank. There's no assurance you won't have to deal with illness or disease, but cory catfish are quite resilient.
High nitrate levels might result in infected barbels, making it impossible for them to swim and eat properly. You need to maintain nitrate levels at or below 20 ppm with regular water changes to prevent this from happening. Because catfish have no scales, they can be treated with pimafix or melafix, but not potassium permanganate or copper-based medicines. At the recommended dosages, malachite green or formalin are safe to use. All medicines should be used with caution.
The greatest approach to prevent illness is to provide your fish with the optimum conditions and a properly balanced diet. The less stress the fish have in their natural environment, the healthier and happier they will be. A stressed fish is more likely to get ill. Anything you put in your tank might spread disease. Bacteria can be found in not just other fish, but also in plants, gravel, and ornaments. Take great caution, and ensure everything you add to an established tank is cleaned or quarantined properly so as not to introduce new illnesses into the tank.
FAQ:
Are Green Corys The Same As Emerald Green Corys?
Yes, they are the same fish. Corydoras splendens is the scientific name for both the Emerald green cory and the Green cory. They have green coloration with black markings and are a peaceful species of catfish that does well in community tanks.
Do Emerald Cory Cats School With Any Other Kind Of Cory's Or Just Emerald?
Emerald corys are a schooling fish, so they prefer to be in groups of at least six of their own kind. They can also school with other Corydoras catfish species. They are peaceful fish that do well in community tanks.
How Big Does a Emerald Green Cory Catfish Get?
Emerald cory cats grow to be about 2 inches (5 cm) long. They are a peaceful species of catfish that does well in community tanks.
How Do Green Cory Catfish Fertilize Their Eggs?
Emerald Green Corys may be bred in a pair or group. Males chase pregnant females, and the pair eventually lays flat and perpendicular to one another (this is known as the 'T-Position'). Then, incredibly, the male reverses his position and allows the female to remove sperm from his vent with her mouth.
How to distinguish between Green Cory Catfish Male or Female?
Male Green Cory Catfish have a more jagged appearance, while female Green Cory Catfish are more rounded in the belly and larger overall. The distinction is more apparent when viewed from above, as the female is considerably wider than the male. The male's larger dorsal fin, as well as its sharper anal fin, distinguish them from the female.
Do Green Cory Catfish Eat Algae?
This fish species does not eat algae. Because they occasionally nibble at algal growths, corydoras catfish are frequently confused with algae feeders. They rarely consume this sort of algae growth, however, and are actually more likely to graze on other food sources in the aquarium.
How Many Emerald Cory Catfish Should Be Kept Together?
Ideally, you should keep a group of five or more corydoras catfish together. This will allow them to socialize and form a hierarchy. It will also help reduce their stress levels. Even though they can live alone, they will be much happier in a group.
How Do You Take Care of Emerald Green Cory Catfish?
The best way to take care of Emerald Green Cory Catfish is to provide them with the optimum conditions and a properly balanced diet. The fewer stressors the fish are exposed to in their natural setting, the better they will be.
A stressed fish is more likely to become sick. Anything you put in your tank might spread disease. Bacteria may be found in many other fish as well as plants, gravel, and ornaments. Take extreme caution, and make sure everything you put into an established tank is properly cleaned or quarantined to avoid introducing new diseases.
Final Thoughts
Green cory catfish are an excellent addition to any community tank. They're peaceful, hardy, and easy to care for. They provide endless hours of enjoyment as they scour the bottom of the tank for food. Their shy but curious nature makes them a delight to watch.
To take care of your Emerald green cory catfish properly, be sure to provide them with a well-maintained tank, a nutritious diet, and tank mates that won't bully or eat them. If you're looking for a new fish to add to your aquarium, consider the Emerald green cory catfish.
You won't be disappointed. They can live upto 5 years with proper care. So, take good care of your cory catfish and enjoy their company for years to come. Thanks for reading!
