Gold Laser Corydoras CW010

The Gold Laser Corydoras has a dark olive to charcoal body crossed by a brilliant metallic gold or orange stripe from the head along the upper flank. Warm colour may also appear on the face and fins, especially in mature, well-conditioned fish.

Identify this profile by the combination of a bright gold to orange longitudinal laser stripe above a dark green-bronze lateral band. Older sources commonly list this fish as Corydoras sp. CW010; the current profile follows the accepted or revised placement Osteogaster sp. CW010. The code CW010 should remain attached to the name until the population is formally described and unambiguously assigned. 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.

Soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic to neutral water is suitable. Provide good oxygenation and keep ammonia and nitrite at zero.

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.

Captive spawning is reported less often than for common corys. A well-conditioned group, excellent water quality and seasonal-style changes may help, but egg production and fry survival can be inconsistent; the adults do not provide parental care.