Spilurus Cory

Corydoras spilurus is a small to medium-sized cory from Guyana with a clean, understated appearance: a tan to buff body with fine scattered spotting and a very prominent round black spot at the base of the caudal fin — the feature that gives it the common name 'spot-tail'. This caudal spot is distinctly circular and contrasts sharply against the pale body, making it the key identification feature.

Like most Guyanese cories, it originates from the Guiana Shield lowlands where soft, slightly acidic to neutral water flows over sandy substrates through forested terrain. It is a modest, undemanding species that does not require extreme water conditions and adapts well to standard tropical aquarium parameters.

C. spilurus is infrequently exported but a welcome find for cory collectors looking to build geographic diversity in a collection. It is peaceful, social, and straightforward to keep. Standard cory husbandry — fine sand, group of six, varied sinking diet, regular water changes — will produce healthy, long-lived fish.

Water: Soft to moderately hard, pH 6.0–7.5, temperature 22–26°C; typical Guiana Shield soft water preferred. Tank: 60 L with fine sand, leaf litter or driftwood, and moderate plant cover. Feeding: Sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, Daphnia, and Tubifex worms. Breeding: Not well documented; typical cory cool water change trigger likely effective. Compatibility: Peaceful with all standard community fish; ideal in Guiana Shield biotope setups.