🐠Corydoras: gear and buying guides

The corydoras is a small, peaceful, gregarious bottom-dwelling catfish, to be kept in groups of at least 6 of the same species. It constantly sifts the substrate with its barbels, which requires fine, non-abrasive sand, in a tank of around 100 L between 22 and 26 °C. It gets along with almost everything, as long as it receives its own food at the bottom.

Profile : 4 to 7 cm as an adult depending on the species, around 100 L for a group of 6, water between 22 and 26 °C.

Species profile

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Adult size

6 cm

Minimum tank

100 L

Water temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Temperament

A peaceful, gregarious bottom fish, it sifts the sand in a group and gets stressed with fewer than six companions.

Health watch

barbel erosion on unsuitable substrate · white spot disease in stressed fish

🩺 The health watchpoints on this page are for information only: only a veterinarian can examine your animal and make a diagnosis.

Corydoras gear, family by family

• 🍖 Food

  It is not a waste eater: give it dedicated sinking wafers and frozen bloodworms. Feed after dimming the lights so other fish do not steal everything.

• 🧴 Care & grooming

  Its barbels get damaged on sharp or dirty substrate: fine sand and regular vacuuming are essential. Beware of salt or copper treatments, which it tolerates poorly.

• 🎾 Toys & enrichment

  Driftwood, low plants and shaded areas where the group rests together. An open stretch of sand lets it sift, its most characteristic behavior.

• 🏠 Bedding & habitat

  A tank of around 100 L with a large footprint rather than height, with fine river-type sand. It occasionally darts up to gulp air, so keep clear access to the surface.

• 🧳 Travel & safety

  Its fin spines can pierce bags: use a double bag or a rigid container. Stressed corydoras can release toxins, so transport them in a generous volume of water.

• 🧰 Accessories

  Fine sand, sinking wafers, gentle filtration and a soft net that will not snag its spines. Expect 100 to 180 euros of equipment for a 100 L tank.

Guides to read

• Community aquarium or species-only tank: which is right for a first setup?Bedding & habitat

  Community aquarium or species-only tank: pros, cohabitation risks and advice for choosing how to set up your first aquarium.

• Best easy aquarium plants without CO2 for beginnersToys & enrichment

  Which aquarium plants can you choose without CO2 injection? A selection of hardy, easy plants for a beginner's planted tank.

• Budget for a first brackish water aquarium: the real cost to get startedBedding & habitat

  How much does a first brackish water aquarium cost? Tank, filtration, salt and salinity monitoring, budgeted item by item.

• Changing filter media too often: the mistake that wrecks your aquarium's cycleCare & grooming

  Why you should never replace all your filter media at once: nitrifying bacteria, replacement frequency and the right habits.

• Restarting a neglected aquarium: a step-by-step guideCare & grooming

  How do you restart an aquarium that's been left neglected without endangering the fish? Steps, water changes and mistakes to avoid.

• GH, KH and pH: understanding and adjusting aquarium water hardnessCare & grooming

  GH, KH, pH: what do these three readings actually measure, and how do you adjust aquarium water hardness without stressing the fish?

• Upgrading to a bigger aquarium: moving your fish without the stressBedding & habitat

  How do you upgrade to a bigger aquarium without breaking the biological cycle or stressing your fish? Steps and mistakes to avoid.

• Aquarium electrical safety: GFCI protection and good habitsTravel & safety

  Heater, filter, lighting near the water: what electrical precautions keep an aquarium safe for fish and people?