Kingdom Animalia Subfamily Corydoradinae Scientific name Corydoras melanotaenia Higher classification Cory catfish Order Catfish | Family Callichthyidae Genus Corydoras Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
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Similar Cory catfish, Catfish, Corydoras loxozonus, Corydoras melini, Masked corydoras | ||
The green gold catfish (Corydoras melanotaenia) is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Corydoradinae subfamily of the Callichthyidae family. It originates in inland waters in South America, and is found in the Meta River basin in Colombia.
The fish grows up to 2.3 in (5.8 cm) long. It lives in a tropical climate in water with a 6.0–8.0 pH, a water hardness of 2–25 dGH, and a temperature range of 73–77 °F (23–25 °C). It feeds on worms, benthic crustaceans, insects, and plant matter. It lays eggs in dense vegetation and adults do not guard the eggs. In captivity, the eggs are attached to the broad leaves of plants; the eggs hatch after five days. Usually, one spawning session produces about 150–180 eggs.
The green gold catfish is of commercial importance in the aquarium trade industry.