Corydoras and Bottom Dwellers

Why Corydoras Are Perfect

Small, peaceful, endlessly entertaining, and great at cleaning up leftover food. They come in dozens of species and are hardy enough for beginners.

Popular Species

Species	Size	Min Group	Temp
Bronze cory	6-7 cm	6	22-28°C
Panda cory	4-5 cm	6	18-24°C
Sterbai cory	6-7 cm	6	24-30°C
Albino cory	5-6 cm	6	22-28°C
Pygmy cory	2-3 cm	10+	22-26°C

Requirements

• Group: Minimum 6, 10+ ideal. They're shoaling fish!
• Tank: 30L for pygmies, 60L for standard. Longer > taller.
• Substrate: Sand is essential! Gravel wears down their delicate barbels.
• Hiding spots: Driftwood, caves, plants. But leave open floor space.

Feeding

• Sinking pellets/wafers (Hikari, API)
• Frozen bloodworms 2-3x/week
• Blanched zucchini, cucumber
• Feed evening after lights dim

Breeding

Trigger with a large water change using cooler water. Females lay eggs on glass/decorations. Remove adults to prevent egg-eating. Fry hatch in 3-5 days.

Pro Tip: Mix different cory species for a fascinating bottom layer — bronze, pandas, and pygmies each occupy different microhabitats.