Smudge Spot Cory – Hoplisoma simile

Smudge Spot Cory (Hoplisoma simile)

The Smudge Spot Cory, Hoplisoma simile, is a peaceful South American cory-type catfish with a pale silvery body, fine spotting and a distinctive dark smudge-like patch near the tail. Also known as the Violet Cory or Similis Cory, this attractive bottom-dweller is best suited to mature community aquariums with soft sand, clean water and calm tank mates. It is a sociable species that should be kept in a group, where its natural foraging behaviour and gentle shoaling activity can be properly seen.

Common Name:
Smudge Spot Cory, Smudge-spot Cory, Violet Cory, Similis Cory, Corydoras similis.

Scientific Name (Latin):
Hoplisoma simile
Still widely traded as Corydoras similis.

Maximum Size:
Usually around 4–5 cm, with FishBase listing 3.8 cm standard length.

Water Type:
Freshwater

Origin / Natural Habitat:
Native to South America, especially the Madeira River basin. It is a demersal cory-type catfish that lives close to the substrate, foraging in quieter tributaries, creeks, pools and flooded forest areas where fine sediment, leaf litter, roots and shaded cover are available.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–26°C
pH Range: 6.0–8.0
Hardness or Salinity: Soft to hard freshwater; adaptable within reason, but best in clean, stable, well-oxygenated water.

Temperament:
Peaceful and sociable. Smudge Spot Corys are excellent community fish and should not be kept alone. They do best with calm tank mates and may become stressed by large, aggressive or very boisterous fish.

Diet:
Omnivorous bottom-feeder. Offer sinking catfish pellets, fine granules, small wafers, frozen bloodworm, daphnia, cyclops, brineshrimp and other small meaty foods. They will search the substrate for food, but should not be expected to survive only on leftovers from fish feeding above them.

Minimum Tank Size:
A minimum of 75 litres is recommended for a small group, with larger aquariums preferred for community setups. A longer aquarium footprint is more useful than extra height, as this species spends most of its time on or near the bottom.

Behaviour & Activity:
An active but gentle bottom-level shoaler that spends much of the day sifting sand, resting together and exploring shaded areas. Keep at least 6 individuals, with 8 or more preferred for confidence and natural behaviour. Like other cory-type catfish, it may occasionally dart to the surface to gulp air, so always leave clear access to the water surface.

Aquarium Category:
Community Fish
Suitable with peaceful tetras, rasboras, pencilfish, small barbs, peaceful livebearers, dwarf cichlids with care, gouramis, rainbowfish and other non-aggressive community fish. Avoid large predatory fish, aggressive cichlids, fin-nippers, rough bottom-dwellers and any fish large enough to swallow them.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Soft sand is strongly recommended to protect the barbels and underside while foraging. Provide plants, driftwood, leaf litter, caves, shaded areas and open sand patches. Keep the substrate clean with regular maintenance, as cory-type catfish are sensitive to poor bottom hygiene and unstable water quality. This species is sometimes confused with similar tail-smudge Corydoradinae species, so pattern and naming can vary between suppliers.

Suitable for:
Beginner to intermediate fishkeepers

Availability:
Occasional in trade / Specialist import or captive-bred where relevant

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.