Common Name

Horseman’s Cory, Orange Stripe Cory
Scientific name, Osteogaster eques   |   Synonym, Corydoras eques
Locality type, Anori, Amazonas State, Brazil

Origin and Habitat

Collected specifically from Anori in the central Amazon. This is warm, tea tinted water with very low hardness and gentle current along shaded banks. The fish work pale sand and fine leaf litter under overhanging roots and branches where micro foods settle. Water is clear to amber through the season, and oxygen is high where shore vegetation and subtle flow meet.

Temperature and Water Conditions

Preferred range is 74 to 80 F, which is 23 to 27 C. In the wild the water is very soft and mildly acidic, often about pH 5.5 to 6.8. For home aquaria we do not recommend chasing exact numbers. Stable, clean, well oxygenated water is far more important for long term success. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero and nitrate very low with regular water changes and gentle flow.

Appearance and Size

A sleek, refined Cory with a luminous orange stripe that runs from the snout line across the dorsal region toward the tail. The body shows metallic olive to green over a creamy belly, with a neatly rounded head profile and expressive eyes. Adults reach about 5 to 6 cm total length, roughly 2 to 2.4 inches. Females grow deeper and rounder when in condition, males stay a bit slimmer and may hold a slightly taller dorsal.

Diet in the Wild

Micro predator and detritus sifter. It takes small insect larvae, micro crustaceans, worms, and edible biofilm that accumulates in leaf pockets and between sand grains along quiet margins.

Feeding in Captivity

Match the small mouth with fine foods. Offer high quality sinking micro pellets, crushed wafers, and fine granules. Add baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, and finely chopped bloodworm for conditioning. Scatter food across soft sand so the whole school can graze together. A fine sand bed protects barbels and encourages natural sifting behavior.

Behavior and Tank Setup

Peaceful and highly social, this species really switches on when kept in a proper school. Keep at least eight, a larger group shows synchronized foraging and calm confidence. Use a long footprint tank with soft sand, leaf litter pockets, and tangled roots or branches for shade. Provide gentle to moderate flow and subdued lighting. Ideal companions include small calm characins and other peaceful fish that enjoy clean, warm, slightly acidic water.

Breeding

Classic T position courtship with adhesive eggs. Success usually follows two to three weeks of rich feeding on quality live and frozen foods, then a series of larger cool water changes that mimic the onset of rains. Offer fine leaved plants, spawning mops, and smooth glass or tiles for egg placement. Adults will eat eggs, so remove the parents after a spawn or move eggs to a small hatching container with gentle aeration. Eggs typically hatch in three to five days depending on temperature. Start fry on paramecium or a suitable liquid fry food for the first days, then transition to microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp. Keep water very clean and shallow at first, with sponge filtration and frequent small changes. As fry begin to school, expand space and feeding frequency while maintaining pristine conditions.

Quick Facts

• Scientific name, Osteogaster eques, synonym Corydoras eques

• Collection, Anori, Amazonas, Brazil

• Adult size, about 5 to 6 cm, roughly 2 to 2.4 inches

• Temperature, 74 to 80 F, 23 to 27 C

• Wild pH, commonly 5.5 to 6.8, very soft water

• Temperament, peaceful schooling catfish, keep in groups

• Diet, micro predator and substrate sifter, accepts fine prepared and frozen foods

• Breeding, adhesive egg layer, T position spawner, responds to cool water changes and heavy conditioning

Tropical Fish Co. Notes

Eques Corys are the real show in a subtle way. That orange racing stripe glows under soft light and a big school moves like a living marquee along pale sand. We love this locality type because it ties a beautiful look to a real place and helps dedicated keepers maintain consistent traits over time. Keep the water steady and clean, give them shade and soft sand, and they repay you with constant, coordinated motion and gentle personality.