Top 12 Corydoras Catfish Species to Enhance Your Aquarium

Explore Popular Corydoras Varieties for a Lively and Clean Tank

By
Shirlie Sharpe
Shirlie Sharpe
Shirlie Sharpe is an aquatic expert and writer with over three decades of experience keeping and raising ornamental fish. She has consulted with The Minnesota Zoo and the National Aquarium. Shirlie has also authored a book on setting up aquariums.
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Updated on 05/30/25
Cory catfish swimming in aquarium tank with white pebbles
Credit:

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Key Takeaways

  • Corydoras catfish are peaceful, bottom-dwelling scavengers that thrive in small schools.
  • They are easy to care for and aid in keeping the tank clean but should not be kept with large aggressive fish.
  • Popular species include Bandit Cory, Bronze Cory, Julii Cory, Panda Cory, and several others, each with unique characteristics.

Corydoras catfish, commonly known as cory catfish, are loved by aquarists for their peaceful nature. They are hardy, attractive, and lively fish that can help keep your tank clean. [Insert paragraph break here] Corys thrive in groups, and a lone cory can become lonely. They should be housed with small to medium-sized peaceful fish.

What Is a Cory?

A cory is a catfish. They are small, peaceful, bottom-dwelling scavengers. There are 161 cory species. Generally, these schooling fish require at least a 10-gallon tank with a tropical temperature. They are easy to care for in a tank on their own or with other species.

Corys, like all catfish, are bottom feeders and scavengers, though they also enjoy brine shrimp. They help keep your tank clean by eating leftover food and debris, but they can also stir up the substrate, spreading algae and muck. [Insert paragraph break here] While corys are useful as part of a tank's "clean-up crew," they need assistance from snails, shrimp, and other scavengers.

Here are 12 popular cory catfish species that you can add to your tank.

Illustration showing the different cory catfish species for your aquarium
Credit:

The Spruce / Catherine Song
  • 01 of 12

    Bandit Cory

    Corydoras metae
    Credit: Acuario

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras metae

    Adult size: 2 inches (5 cm)

    Lifespan: 5 years

    Minimum tank size: 10 gallon

    pH: 6.5–7.0

    Hardness: 5–10 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 72–79 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful schooling species

    Bandit corys have been in the aquarium trade for a long time and are one of the more popular members of this family. They are easily identifiable by the black mask over the eyes. Bandits are more sensitive to variations in water temperature than some other species.

  • 02 of 12

    Bronze Cory

    Corydoras aeneus
    Credit: Hung-Jou Chen

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras aeneus

    Also known as: Green Corydoras

    Adult size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)

    Lifespan: 5 years​

    Minimum tank size: 10 gallon

    pH: 5.8–7.0

    Hardness: 2–30 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 72–79 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful schooling fish

    Like pepper corys, bronze corys are very popular and readily available everywhere. These two species of corys are hands down the most commonly kept members of this family. Bronze corys are available in several color morphs, including green, bronze, albino, and black. They do well in a range of conditions but should be kept in schools.

  • 03 of 12

    Julii Cory

    Corydoras julii
    Credit: h080

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras julii

    Adult size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)

    Lifespan: 5+ years

    Minimum tank size: 10 gallon

    pH: 6.5–7.8

    Hardness: to 20 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 73–79 degrees F (23–26 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful bottom-dwelling schooling fish

    Although this species may be seen for sale in pet shops, it rarely is the real McCoy. Instead, what is labeled as a julii is its kissing cousin the three stripe cory. True julis have spots that are generally not connected into long chains, as they are in the three stripe cory.

  • 04 of 12

    Panda Cory

    Panda Corys up-close
    Credit: Haplochromis

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras panda

    Also known as: Panda Catfish, Panda Corydoras

    Adult size: 2 inches (5 cm)

    Lifespan: 10+ years

    Minimum tank size: 10 gallon

    pH: 6.0–7.0

    Hardness: 2–12 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 68–77 degrees F (20–25 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, compatible with all species, keep in schools

    Panda corys are highly social and should always be kept in schools of their own kind. They get along with virtually all other peaceful species and have been known to school along with other bottom-dwelling species. Pandas prefer cooler temps and are suitable for unheated aquariums. You can also look for the longfin panda cory to add variety to your tank.

    Continue to 5 of 12 below
  • 05 of 12

    Pepper Cory

    A pepper cory
    Credit: Hiyotada

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras paleatus

    Also known as: Blue Leopard Corydoras, Peppered Catfish, Peppered Cory

    Adult size: Males–2.5 inches (6.5 cm), Females–3 inches (7.5 cm)

    Lifespan: 5 years

    Minimum tank size: 15 gallon

    pH: 6.0–7.0

    Hardness: to 12 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 72–78 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, best kept in schools with other smaller fish

    Pepper corys are perhaps the most commonly kept member of this family and are widely available at pet shops everywhere. They are peaceful and get along with virtually all fish, but should not be kept with large aggressive species.

  • 06 of 12

    Skunk Cory

    A skunk cory
    Credit:

    The Spruce / Shirlie L Sharpe

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras arcuatus

    Adult size: 2 inches (5 cm)

    Lifespan: 5 years

    Minimum tank size: 10 gallon

    pH: 6.8–7.5

    Hardness: 2–25 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, enjoys a large school

    Skunk corys are more sensitive to elevated ammonia and nitrates than other species. For this reason, they are not recommended for a brand new aquarium. Instead, wait until the tank is matured before adding this species.

  • 07 of 12

    Three Stripe Cory

    Corydoras trilineatus
    Credit: Gerald Schneider

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras trilineatus

    Adult size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)

    Lifespan: 10 years

    Minimum tank size: 10 gallon

    pH: 5.8–7.2

    Hardness: to 18 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 72–78 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, keep in small schools

    The three stripe cory is readily available in most pet shops, but may be a julii Cory. Three stripe corys can be distinguished by the spots on the head that are connected in a long string, giving them a maze-like appearance.

  • 08 of 12

    Sterbai Cory

    sterbas corydoras fish
    Credit:

    vojce / Getty Images

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras sterbai  

    Also known as: Sterba’s Cory

    Adult size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)

    Lifespan: 15-20 years

    Minimum tank size: 10 gallon

    pH: 6.0-7.6

    Hardness: to 15 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 73–82 degrees F (23–28 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, keep in small schools and with fish that are similar in size

    Sterbai cory are easy to care for like other corys, and can get along well with a variety of other fish species. Their color ranges from dark brown to black but they have white dots all over their body and fins so they’re sure to grab your attention as they swim along the bottom of your tank.

    Continue to 9 of 12 below
  • 09 of 12

    Pygmy Corydoras

    pygmy cory
    Credit:

    nektofadeev@gmail.com / Getty Images

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras pygmaeus

    Also known as: Pygmy Catfish

    Adult size: 1 inch (2.54 cm)

    Lifespan: 3 years

    Minimum tank size: 8 gallon

    pH: 6.4-7.5

    Hardness: 6-10 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 72–79 degrees F (22–26 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, keep in schools and without large fish that would view them as prey

    Pygmy corys are smaller than other species, growing only to about 1 inch in length, so they can be a good choice if you have a smaller aquarium. They’re also different from other corys in that they will swim in the middle of the tank, not just on the bottom. They do best in schools of six or more fish.  

  • 10 of 12

    Albino Corydoras

    albino corydoras
    Credit:

    Wirestock / Getty Images

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras aeneus

    Also known as: Albino Cory Catfish

    Adult size: 2.5 inches (6.5 cm)

    Lifespan: 5 years

    Minimum tank size: 20 gallon

    pH: 5.5-7.5

    Hardness: to 15 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 70–81 degrees F (21–27 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, keep in schools

    Unlike other corys that have striking colors and patterns, the albino cory is pale, ranging from pink to white. They’re easy to care for and hardy, so they’re good for beginners, and these small fish are peaceful so they can live in a tank with various other fish species.

  • 11 of 12

    Barbatus Cory

    Banded corydoras fish
    Credit:

    Mirko_Rosenau / Getty Images

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Scleromystax barbatus

    Also known as: Bearded Cory, Banded Cory

    Adult size: 4 inches (10 cm)

    Lifespan: 5 years

    Minimum tank size: 30 gallon

    pH: 6.0-8.0

    Hardness: 2-25 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 68–82 degrees F (20–28 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, keep in schools

    The barbatus cory is one of the larger cory species, so they require a bigger tank. Also, like other corys, they are peaceful and do best in schools. Keep them with larger shrimp, as they might eat small ones. Males have more distinct markings and longer pectoral fins than females.

  • 12 of 12

    Orange Laser Cory

    orange cory catfish
    Credit:

    Mirko_Rosenau / Getty Images

    Species Overview

    Scientific name: Corydoras sp. “orange laser”

    Also known as: Orange Stripe Cory

    Adult size: 2.5 inches (6.35 cm)

    Lifespan: 4 years

    Minimum tank size: 30 gallon

    pH: 6.0-7.5

    Hardness: 2-12 degrees dGH

    Temperature: 76–80 degrees F (24–27 degrees C)

    Tankmates: Peaceful, keep in schools

    The orange laser cory is brightly colored, featuring an orange stripe that makes them stand out against other fish in your tank. This is also one of the easiest fish to care for because they don’t have complicated requirements. And, like other corys, they’re an excellent choice for a community tank. 

FAQ
  • What do cory catfish eat?

    Corys love to eat brine shrimp, algae wafers, fish pellets, algae pellets, freshwater plants, and vegetables.

  • How big do cory catfish get?

    Cory catfish grow to be about 1 inch to 2.5 inches long.

  • How long do cory catfish live?

    Corys have a lifespan from five to 10 years.

  • How many cory catfish can you put in a 10-gallon tank?

    Between two and four. Each cory requires about one gallon of water, which is a formula you can keep in mind as you add fish to your tank.

  • How many cory catfish should be kept together?

    Corys are fish that prefer living in groups. As a general rule, keep at least six corys in your tank.

  • Do cory catfish keep the tank clean?

    Yes, corys can help keep your tank clean because they’re scavengers that look for food at the bottom of the tank. However, you still need to feed them and regularly clean your tank.

  • What are cory catfish good for?

    Corys are a great choice for fish owners of all experience levels. They help keep your tank clean, they’re peaceful, and they are fun to watch.

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