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Species profile

Green Laser Corydoras CW009

Osteogaster sp. CW009

Common names: Green Laser Corydoras CW009, Green Laser Cory, Green Stripe Cory, CW009

Undescribed speciesCorydoras
Green Laser Corydoras CW009 (Osteogaster sp. CW009)

Adult size

Up to 6 cm

Typical adult length 4.5–6 cm.

Up to 6 cm

Countries of origin

  • See all stock from Peru

Good fit for your tank?

Good fit for

  • A mature peaceful aquarium with subdued lighting
  • A keeper maintaining a verified Green Laser group
  • A carefully conditioned breeding project

Think carefully if

  • The supplier may confuse CW009 with other laser corys
  • The fish would be kept singly or over rough gravel
  • Fast bottom feeders may prevent proper conditioning

Green Laser Corydoras CW009 is a peaceful South American callichthyid catfish recognised by a vivid emerald-green longitudinal laser stripe over a bronze to dark olive body. It should be kept in a same-species group over fine sand in clean, oxygen-rich freshwater.

Appearance and Identification

The Green Laser Corydoras has a deep olive to dark body with a bright green-gold metallic stripe running from the head along the upper flank. The sheen changes with lighting and angle, while the underside remains lighter.

Identify this profile by the combination of a vivid emerald-green longitudinal laser stripe over a bronze to dark olive body. Older sources commonly list this fish as Corydoras sp. CW009; the current profile follows the accepted or revised placement Osteogaster sp. CW009. The code CW009 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.

Tank Requirements

Suggested filter
About 300–380 litres an hour
Suggested heater
About 75–125 W for this tank
Minimum tank volume
75 litres
Minimum tank length
75 cm
Minimum group size
6
Recommended group size
8
Activity level
Moderate
Flow preference
Moderate
Planting preference
Moderately planted
Hiding places
Yes
Lid recommended
Yes
Jumping risk
Low

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.

Behaviour and Tankmates

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.

Check tankmates for this species

Water Parameters

Temperature
22–27 °C
pH
5.5–7.5
GH
1–12
KH
0–6
TDS
30–220
Stability importance
Important

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

Parameter caveat
Acclimate slowly to changes in temperature, pH, and conductivity. Corydoradine catfish periodically gulp atmospheric air, so the water surface must remain accessible. Warm water holds less oxygen and requires stronger aeration.

Feeding

Diet types
Insectivore, Omnivore, Scavenger
Feeding frequency
Daily
Preferred foods
  • Quality sinking catfish pelletUse a small sinking pellet or wafer as a staple. Feed enough for every fish to reach food after faster midwater fish have eaten.
  • Frozen or live daphnia and cyclopsSmall crustacean prey supports natural foraging and is useful for conditioning breeding groups.
  • Frozen bloodworm, black mosquito larvae, or tubifexOffer clean, appropriately sized portions in rotation rather than as the only food.
  • Soft vegetable-based waferProvides dietary variety, although these catfish are not algae-eating cleanup animals and still require protein-rich food.

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.

Breeding

Breeding type
Egg Layer
Breeding difficulty
Moderate
Breeding temperature
24 °C
Breeding pH
6.5
Brood or egg count
Usually several dozen adhesive eggs; exact fecundity is not formally documented for this coded population.
Incubation
4 days
Parental care
None
Baby foods
  • Newly hatched brine shrimpA primary growth food after fry have absorbed the yolk sac; feed small rinsed portions several times daily.
  • MicrowormsUseful for newly feeding fry that remain close to the substrate.
  • Vinegar eels or cultured infusoriaHelpful for the smallest species and uneven broods during the first feeding stage.
  • Fine powdered fry foodUse sparingly as a supplement and siphon uneaten material to protect water quality.

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.

Habitat and Origin

Geographic origin
Amazon Basin, Peru, South America
Natural habitat
Freshwater River, Freshwater Stream, Sand/Mud Substrate
Aquarium contexts
Breeding Aquarium, Freshwater Aquarium, Freshwater Community, Planted Aquarium
Audience level
Intermediate

Classification

Profile type
Undescribed species
Genus
Osteogaster
Family
Callichthyidae
Species group
Corydoras, Fish
Previous scientific names
Corydoras sp. CW009, Name supplied in older aquarium literature or trade usage. The current profile uses Osteogaster sp. CW009 under the revised Corydoradinae classification.

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