Albino Cory Catfish

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 2"
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons   • Water Conditions: 72-79° F, pH 5.8-7.0, KH 2-12
• Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Amazon, South America   • Family: Callichthyidae
• Species: Cory Catfish   • Aquarium Type: Community

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Albino Cory Cats are found throughout the tributaries and flood plains around the Amazon river and nearby areas of South America. They are normally found moving along the bottom of the river among the roots and plants savaging for a variety of foods. In the aquarium environment Albino Cory Cats will readily accept a variety of meaty and vegetable matter foodstuffs including: flake, freeze-dried, frozen, live foods and pellets.

This species is an excellent scavenger that will work to keep the aquarium substrate clean of excess foodstuffs and some decaying plant matter. Albino Cory Cats are also a very peaceful species that can be kept with any variety of other peaceful freshwater community fish.

As is the case with all species in the genus, Cory Cats will regularly swim quickly to the surface for a gulp of air. The fish swallows the air, which blood vessels in the hind gut extract oxygen from; it is then expelled through the vent the next time the fish breaks the surface for another gulp of air. This adaptation is believed to have evolved so that the fish can survive in poorly-oxygenated water such as stagnant pools during the dry season. It is however essential to the fish's well-being that it regularly swallows air.

It is recommended that ample vegetation, driftwood or root structures be present in the aquarium so that the Albino Cory Cat can retreat from the bright aquarium lights when it feels the need. The Albino Cory Cat will search the aquarium substrate for most of its food, but may require supplemental feeding via sinking wafers or pellets if not enough excess food is present in the aquarium substrate.

Albino Cory Cata live in large social groups in the wild and prefer to live in groups within the aquarium environment as well. It is recommended to keep at least a small group of 4 or more cory cats in the aquarium to satisfy their social requirements. Overall a very peaceful species that will be right at home in a peaceful community aquarium with other smaller peaceful fish species.

Albino Cory Cats native habitat contains lots of tree root, a sandy substrate with a cover of fallen leaves. The jungle canopy that presides over their natural habitat creates many areas of diffused lighting and cooler mid 70s water temperatures. It is important to provide plenty areas within the aquarium that are shaded from the bright aquarium lights.

They will absolutely appreciate the presence of driftwood, rocky caves and some vegetation, which will provide them a tank that resembles their native habitat. Some important aquarium design elements when keeping Albino Corys is a sand or fine grain gravel substrate, plenty of internal water flow, areas of plants and wood root along with open swimming areas and locations in the aquarium where the fish can escape the bright aquarium lights.

Like all cory cat species, Albino Cory will do much better when kept in social groups of at least 4 individuals of their own species or mixed with other cory cat species. While the Albino Cory Cat will gladly scavenge the aquarium substrate for leftover foodstuffs and decaying plant material, they should also be provided sinking foods designed for bottom dwelling fish species. While conditions that closely resemble their native habitat is also desirable, Albino Cory Cats are tolerant of a fairly wide range of aquarium conditions.

Albino Cory Cats feed by scavenging the aquarium substrate for both meaty and vegetable based foods. They will receive a portion of their diet scavenging foods fed to other fish in the aquarium, but that end up on the bottom of the aquarium. However, in most aquariums scavenging should not make up 100% of their diet. They should be fed sinking pellet foods designed for omnivores.

Hobbyists can also feed Cory Cats flake and freeze-dried foods as long as they make it to the aquarium substrate. Albino Corys will also enjoy live or frozen blood worms, brine shrimp or other similar food items as either a treat or supplement to their diet. In larger aquariums that are heavily fed for a large fish populations, Cory Cats can be target fed just once a day as they will make up the remainder of their diet via scavenging.

In smaller aquariums with lighter fish loads and feedings, it is best to feed sinking foods twice per day. Monitor the overall girth and health of all bottom feeders and adjust feedings accordingly.