Emerald Cory

About

Found across the Amazon River basin, the common brochis (Corydoras splendens, still widely sold under its old name Brochis splendens) lives in slow, heavily vegetated shallows where the water is often murky and low in oxygen. That last detail explains one of its most charming quirks: like other members of the armored catfish family Callichthyidae, it has a specially adapted intestine that can pull oxygen directly from the air, which is why you'll occasionally see it dart to the surface for a quick gulp. In the wild it forages along the bottom for insect larvae, worms, and small crustaceans, and it behaves exactly the same way in the aquarium. This is a peaceful, gregarious fish that genuinely needs company. A group of at least six to eight is recommended, and a larger school is always better. Juveniles are sometimes sold as 'hi-fin cory' because of their noticeably tall dorsal fin and a mottled color pattern that fades as they mature. Adults develop a deep, rounded body with an attractive iridescent sheen and more dorsal-fin rays than most Corydoras, which is useful for telling them apart from close relatives. Beginners will find this species very forgiving, and with proper care it can live well over a decade.