The Leopard Cory can also be known as the Julii Cory comes from South America within the Lower Amazon River and the coastal rivers in northeastern Brazil. They are found in Peru in the Rio Ampiyacu, Rio Ucayali and the Yarina Cocha.
In their natural habitat schools of Leopard Cories live in flooded forest regions as well as smaller-sized streams and small tributaries. Breeding takes place in swamps, ponds, or streams. They are demersal and feed on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter.
The Leopard Cory is a smaller member of the Corydoras family, only growing to about 5.2cm in length. They are a beautiful fish with an interestingly patterned body. The body is a cream white or gray color with small, black spots all over and a stripe running horizontally from the back of their gills to the base of the tail. There is a black blotch at the top of its dorsal fin and six spotted bands on the tail. They have a lifespan of 5 or more years.
This fish belongs to the catfish family Callichthyidae, and like all catfish they are scaleless. Corydoras are known as armored catfish because they have two rows of bony plates, called scutes, along the length of the body. Like all catfish, they also have pairs of barbels around the mouth and strong, rigid spines on their dorsal and pectoral fins. Cories have also been known to produce sounds of warning when distressed and when courting. They make sounds by rubbing the spines of their pectoral fins into the grooves of their shoulder plates.
Leopard Cory are omnivores that feed on worms, crustaceans, insects, and plant matter in the wild. In the aquarium they are easy to feed. They will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality sinking pellet or flake food everyday. Also offer occasional algae wafers. Feed frozen and live food, such as brine shrimp and blood worms as a treat.
Species – Corydoras julii
Common Name – Leopard Cory
Origin – South America
Diet – omnivore
PH Range – 6 – 7.8
Temperature – Tropical 23°c – 26°c
Breed Type – Egg Layer
Max Size – approximately 5.2cm