The Orange Venezuela Corydora is a beautifully colored variant of the popular Corydoras catfish, prized for its vibrant orange and bronze hues that contrast with subtle metallic tones along its body. Formerly placed in the Corydoras genus, it is often listed scientifically as Osteogaster venezuelanus in the hobby. These bottom-dwelling catfish add activity and charm to the lower levels of planted aquariums while helping clean up leftover food.
This species is easy to keep and beginner‑friendly, making it suitable for peaceful community setups. They are social fish that thrive in groups and are happiest when given a soft substrate to forage through, plants, and plenty of hiding spots.
Care Requirements:
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Tank Size: Minimum ~20 gallons for a small group (larger is better for bigger schools)
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Group Size: 6+ (a proper school encourages natural behavior)
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Temperature: ~22–28 °C
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pH: ~6.0–7.5 (slightly acidic to near neutral)
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Water Hardness: Soft to moderately hard
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Temperament: Peaceful
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Diet: Omnivore — high‑quality sinking pellets/wafers, frozen foods (like bloodworms, brine shrimp), and occasional live foods
Behavior & Compatibility:
Orange Venezuela Corydoras are active, friendly bottom dwellers that school closely together and enjoy exploring the substrate. They are excellent in peaceful community aquariums with similarly gentle fish like tetras, rasboras, guppies, and dwarf gouramis. Because they spend most of their time at the bottom, they pair well with mid‑ and top‑dwelling community species.
For best health:
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Provide soft sand or very smooth gravel to protect their delicate barbels from damage.
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Keep water clean with regular maintenance and moderate flow.
A peaceful, eye‑catching schooling catfish that adds color and bottom‑level activity to planted community aquariums.
