Corydoras Care Guide: The Cutest Bottom-Dwellers in Your Aquarium

Corydoras catfish are one of the most popular and beloved fish in the freshwater aquarium hobby — and for good reason. These small, armored catfish are peaceful, social, and endlessly entertaining as they busily forage along the substrate with their sensitive barbels. With over 160 known species, there's a corydoras for every aquarium. Here's your complete guide!

🏠 Tank Setup

• Tank size: Minimum 20 gallons for a school of 6
• Substrate: Fine sand — this is critical! Gravel and sharp substrates damage their delicate barbels, leading to infections
• School size: Keep in groups of 6+ — corydoras are highly social and stressed when kept alone
• Temperature: 72–79°F for most species; some species prefer cooler temps (65–72°F)
• pH: 6.0–7.5 — slightly acidic to neutral
• Filtration: Gentle sponge filter or baffled hang-on-back — corydoras prefer low to moderate flow
• Decor: Smooth driftwood, caves, and broad-leaved plants for hiding spots
• Lighting: Subdued — corydoras are more active in lower light

🍽️ Feeding

Corydoras are omnivorous bottom-feeders:

• Staple: Sinking wafers, bottom-feeder tablets, and sinking pellets
• Frozen/live foods: Bloodworms, daphnia, tubifex worms, and baby brine shrimp
• Vegetables: Blanched zucchini and cucumber slices
• Feed at night or lights-out — corydoras are most active in the evening
• Ensure food reaches the bottom before other fish eat it all

🐠 Popular Species

• Corydoras paleatus (Peppered Cory): Hardy, great beginner species
• Corydoras panda (Panda Cory): Black and white markings, very popular
• Corydoras sterbai (Sterbai Cory): Spotted pattern, tolerates warmer temps — great with discus
• Corydoras aeneus (Bronze Cory): Most common, extremely hardy
• Corydoras pygmaeus (Pygmy Cory): Tiny (1"), mid-water schooling behavior

🐟 Tankmates

Corydoras are peaceful and compatible with almost any non-aggressive fish. Excellent tankmates include tetras, rasboras, livebearers, gouramis, and small cichlids. Avoid large, aggressive fish that may bully or eat them.

💧 Water Quality

• Perform 25–30% water changes weekly
• Corydoras are sensitive to ammonia and nitrite — maintain a fully cycled tank
• Keep nitrates below 20 ppm
• Always dechlorinate tap water before adding to tank

💊 Health & Common Issues

The most common corydoras health issue is barbel erosion — caused by sharp substrate or poor water quality. Always use fine sand and maintain excellent water quality. Other issues include ich, red blotch disease, and bacterial infections. Corydoras can also absorb oxygen through their intestines — they will occasionally dart to the surface for air, which is completely normal.

Explore our Corydoras Collection for all the premium supplies your adorable bottom-dwellers need to thrive! 🐟