Black Venezuela Corydoras

A dark domestic form associated with the Bronze Corydoras complex, with a charcoal to near-black body and warm orange or brown tones on the face, belly and fins. Colour depth improves with good condition and a darker, secure environment.

Identify this profile by the combination of a deep charcoal to nearly black body with warm brown or reddish fin tones. Older sources commonly list this fish as Corydoras schultzei "Black Venezuela"; the current profile follows the accepted or revised placement Osteogaster aenea var. "Black Venezuela". Colour alone can be unreliable in stressed, juvenile, or poorly conditioned fish, so body shape, snout length, fin pattern, and provenance should also be checked.

Females are normally larger and noticeably broader through the abdomen, while males stay slimmer and often have a more pointed dorsal fin. Albino, black or long-fin colour and fin traits do not by themselves confirm sex.

Keep a social group over smooth sand with open feeding space, plants or wood for shelter, reliable filtration and access to the surface. Domestic strains are adaptable, but they still need clean substrate and direct feeding rather than relying on leftovers.

A peaceful, social bottom forager that is usually confident in a proper group. It spends much of the day searching for food and resting with companions, but it does not live on waste or clean the aquarium.

Keep at least 6 of the same species or coded population, with 8 or more preferred where space permits. A mixed collection of single corys does not fully replace a proper same-species group.

It is not territorial. Males may briefly chase one another or follow females during courtship, but sustained aggression is unusual when the group has adequate floor space.

Suitable for a peaceful community with tank mates that allow sinking food to reach the bottom. Avoid aggressive cichlids, large predators and severe food competition; eggs, fry and very small shrimp are not guaranteed safe.

Captive populations are adaptable from soft acidic water to moderately hard neutral or mildly alkaline water. Avoid sudden changes despite the broad nominal range.

Use quality sinking pellets or tablets as the staple, with varied frozen or live invertebrate foods and some plant-based ingredients. Target-feed the group and remove excess food rather than treating the fish as scavengers.

Feed after faster surface and midwater fish have taken their share, and confirm that every individual reaches food. Use small portions once or twice daily, remove persistent leftovers, and vary prepared and frozen or live foods.

Bronze Corydoras and their domestic forms are commonly bred. Condition a mixed group, then use a substantial clean water change to encourage the T-position spawning sequence; protect the adhesive eggs from adults and provide fine first foods for fry.