Slate Corydoras (Corydoras concolor)
A subtly handsome, uniformly slate-grey cory from the Venezuelan Orinoco — peaceful, shoaling, and an excellent substrate cleaner for a soft-water community tank.
Will it live with a Slate Corydoras?
We compare each fish against your slate corydoras on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Agassiz's Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Agassiz's Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Skirt Tetra✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Skirt Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blackline Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Blackline Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blood Red Tiger Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Butterfly Hillstream Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Desert Goby✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Diamond Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Diamond Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Eastern Betta✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Elegant Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Elegant Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- False Julii Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep False Julii Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- German Blue Ram✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 27–30 °C (81–86 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 27–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Glass Bloodfin Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Glass Bloodfin Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- GloFish Tetra✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep GloFish Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Guppy✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Hillstream Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 20–24 °C (68–75 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Odessa Barb✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Odessa Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Panda Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 18–23 °C (64–73 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–23 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peaceful Betta✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Pearl Danio✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–25 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Pearl Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Platy✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Samurai Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Smaragd Betta✅ CompatibleAggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Three-striped Dwarf Cichlid✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Medium care · 23–29 °C (73–84 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- African Butterfly Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Amano Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Adult Amano Shrimp might survive with Slate Corydoras, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Amazon Puffer⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Amazon Puffer in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Ash Lipped Apisto⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Ruby Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~100 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Ruby Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bleeding Heart Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bleeding Heart Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bright Diamond Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bright Diamond Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Buenos Aires Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Buenos Aires Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Colombian Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~114 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Colombian Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Congo Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Congo Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Chain Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Humpbacked Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 5 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Humpbacked Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Melon Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Melon Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Morse Code Corydoras⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Morse Code Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rounded Filament Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Rounded Filament Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Tiger Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~95 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Tiger Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Goldfish⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 30 cm · Medium care · 18–22 °C (64–72 °F)
- Temperature needs don't overlap (Slate Corydoras 23–28 °C vs Goldfish 18–22 °C).
- Goldfish may bully the smaller Slate Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Imperial Flower Loach⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 50 cm · Hard care · 15–22 °C (59–72 °F)
- Temperature needs don't overlap (Slate Corydoras 23–28 °C vs Imperial Flower Loach 15–22 °C).
- Imperial Flower Loach may bully the smaller Slate Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Slate Corydoras care specs
- Care level
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Max size
- 6 cm (2.4 in)
- Min tank size
- 75 L (19.8 gal)
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5–8 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Group size
- 6+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Callichthyidae
- Origin
- Venezuela — Orinoco River basin, Meta and Apure river drainages
What is a Slate Corydoras?
The Slate Corydoras (Corydoras concolor) is an armoured catfish from the Orinoco basin in Venezuela and one of the more understated members of a genus known for bold patterns. At up to 6 cm (2.4 in) it sits in the mid-range of the Corydoras genus. Its most distinctive feature is what it lacks: the striking spots or saddle markings of relatives like the Peppered or Panda Cory. Instead, the entire body is a smooth, uniform slate-grey with a faint bluish iridescence that comes alive under quality lighting. The scientific name concolor — Latin for “one colour” — captures this immediately.
In the hobby it is considered a moderately specialist fish, requiring soft water and a properly sized group to thrive. Like all corydoras it is a shoaling, bottom-dwelling scavenger that uses sensitive barbels to sift substrate, and it is fully peaceful — an ideal lower-zone inhabitant in a soft-water South American community.
Where does the Slate Corydoras come from?
Wild Corydoras concolor are native to Venezuela, specifically the Meta and Apure river drainages of the Orinoco River basin. These are lowland tropical rivers with warm, soft, slightly acidic water, sandy or silty substrates, and abundant leaf litter and driftwood. The fish forage in loose groups along the riverbed, picking up organic matter and small invertebrates. Seasonal water-level fluctuations occur, and the cooler, drier-season drop may act as a spawning trigger — a detail relevant to breeders.
This origin drives most practical care decisions: soft water, fine substrate, dim conditions with cover, and a group-based social structure are not optional extras but the baseline this fish evolved for.
What size tank does the Slate Corydoras need, and how should it be set up?
The minimum for a group of six Slate Corydoras is 75 litres (20 gallons). Tank shape matters: these are active lateral foragers that pace the entire substrate throughout the day, so a long, wide footprint is far preferable to a tall, narrow tank of equivalent volume. A 90 × 40 cm (36 × 16 in) footprint or larger is a sound target.
Use fine sand or smooth rounded gravel — coarse substrate causes barbel erosion over weeks, leading to bacterial infection and impaired feeding. This is the single most preventable problem in corydoras keeping.
Furnish the tank with driftwood, smooth stones, low-growing plants (Java fern, Anubias, mosses) and scattered dried leaves to provide cover and shade. A reliable, cycled filter is essential — these fish are sensitive to ammonia and nitrite — but keep flow moderate rather than turbulent. Weekly partial water changes of 25–30 % are non-negotiable.
What water parameters does the Slate Corydoras need?
- Temperature: 23–28 °C (73–82 °F). Mid-range at roughly 25 °C (77 °F) is ideal for general maintenance.
- pH: 6.0–7.5. Soft, mildly acidic conditions are preferred; neutral is tolerated.
- Hardness: 2–12 dGH. Soft water is the target; this species does not do well in hard or alkaline water long-term.
Stability matters as much as the target values. Sudden swings in temperature or chemistry stress corydoras quickly and suppress immunity. If your tap water is hard or alkaline, reverse osmosis blended with dechlorinated tap water is the standard route to achieving suitably soft, slightly acidic conditions.
What does the Slate Corydoras eat?
The Slate Corydoras is an omnivore and opportunistic bottom forager. A practical feeding regime combines:
- Sinking catfish pellets or wafers as the staple, ensuring food reaches the substrate before mid-water species intercept it.
- Frozen or live foods — bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp — several times per week to support condition and colour.
- Tablet foods and sinking flake as occasional supplements.
Feed once or twice daily in amounts the fish finish within a few minutes. Leftover food decays quickly on the substrate and degrades water quality. In community tanks, confirm the cories are competing successfully rather than being outpaced by faster species.
Are Slate Corydoras peaceful, and what fish can live with them?
Slate Corydoras are fully peaceful and safe in virtually any community without fin-nipping or aggressive species. They mind their own business on the substrate; the only tension is competition for bottom-feeding space with other substrate dwellers.
Good companions are soft-water South American species that occupy mid or upper zones: small tetras (rummy-nose, cardinal, ember), pencilfish and Apistogramma dwarf cichlids. Avoid larger cichlids that may harass or eat them, and avoid species requiring hard, alkaline water — the chemistry compromise suits neither animal.
Keep a minimum of six, ideally eight or more. Groups smaller than six show chronic stress: hiding, reduced activity and shortened lifespan. A proper shoal forages visibly and confidently across the full tank floor.
For a filterable list of tested pairings, see Slate Corydoras tank mates.
How do you tell male from female Slate Corydoras?
Adult sexing is reliable when viewed from above. Females are noticeably broader and deeper-bodied, especially when gravid; males are slimmer and slightly shorter-bodied. The side-on view is far less useful — the top-down angle is the diagnostic standard.
There are no differences in colour, fin shape or fin length between the sexes. A group of six naturally includes both; if purchasing with breeding in mind, select the broadest-bodied individuals as females and aim for a roughly 2:1 female-to-male ratio.
How do Slate Corydoras breed?
Breeding Corydoras concolor is rated hard and is a project for experienced cory keepers. The most reliable trigger is a temperature drop of 3–5 °C via a large, cool water change — mimicking the dry-season drop in their native Orinoco drainage. Cooling to around 23 °C (73 °F) after a period at warmer values is the standard conditioning step.
Spawning follows typical corydoras “T-position” behaviour: the male fertilises eggs held between the female’s ventral fins, which she presses onto a cleaned glass, leaf or smooth rock surface. Move eggs promptly to a separate hatching container with gentle aeration and matched soft, slightly acidic water to protect them from adults and fungal contamination. Eggs hatch in roughly 3–5 days at 25 °C (77 °F). Raise fry on microworms, baby brine shrimp nauplii and finely powdered fry food with frequent small water changes. Growth is slower than easier corydoras species.
What diseases affect Slate Corydoras, and how are they prevented?
Slate Corydoras share the typical corydoras vulnerability profile:
- Barbel erosion and bacterial infection: Almost always caused by coarse substrate or poor water quality. Fine sand and clean water are the complete prevention.
- Red blotch disease: Haemorrhagic bacterial lesions triggered by ammonia spikes or handling injury. Maintain the nitrogen cycle and minimise stress.
- Ich (white spot): Raised white specks — a stress-related parasite. Catch it early; these fish are somewhat sensitive to the elevated temperatures sometimes used in treatment.
- Fungal infections: Usually secondary to injury or water quality lapses; prevented by the same general measures above.
The great majority of disease events trace back to the same preventable root causes: coarse substrate, poor water quality, wrong chemistry, or an undersized group.
Health note: disease diagnosis and medication dosing are beyond the scope of a care profile. For a sick fish, confirm symptoms against a reputable veterinary or specialist fish-health source before reaching for treatment. Water-quality correction should always be the first step.
How long do Slate Corydoras live?
A well-kept Slate Corydoras lives 5–8 years — respectable for a fish of this size. Reaching the upper end of that range requires consistent attention to the basics: fine substrate, soft water, a cycled tank, a proper shoal of six or more, and a varied diet. Fish sold in stores are often juvenile or sub-adult, so there is a reasonable expectation of the full lifespan ahead at purchase. The species rewards attentive keeping — slow to breed, slow to age, and quietly engaging throughout.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Corydoras concolor called the Slate Corydoras?
The name refers to its unusually plain, uniform colouration — a smooth slate or bluish-grey over the entire body with no bold spots or stripes, which is rare in a genus famous for bold patterns. The scientific epithet 'concolor' means 'one colour' and describes exactly this trait.
How many Slate Corydoras should I keep together?
Keep a minimum of six, ideally eight or more. Like all corydoras they are strongly shoaling fish and show natural foraging and social behaviour only in a proper group. Fewer than six leads to stress, hiding and shortened lifespan.
What you need to keep a slate corydoras
The baseline is a heated, filtered 75 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 23–28 °C (73–82 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a slate corydoras in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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