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Contents
Overview
The panda cory is one of the best-loved bottom dwellers in the hobby. It grows to about 1.8 inches (4.5 cm) and has a pinkish-white body with a black mask over the eyes, a dark patch on the dorsal fin and another at the base of the tail, a pattern that recalls a giant panda.
It comes from clear, fairly cool streams in Peru, in the upper Amazon basin. Peaceful, active by day and very social, a group rooting through the sand with their barbels is a joy to watch. It is ideal for calm community tanks, though it is a little more delicate than the bronze cory and appreciates clean, moderately warm water.
Care and tank setup
A group of at least six needs around a 15-gallon (60-litre) tank with a good footprint; longer is better than taller. Substrate matters most: use fine sand or very smooth, rounded gravel, because sharp gravel wears down their barbels. A cycled tank, filter and heater are a must, but pandas prefer slightly cooler water than many tropical fish.
- Aquascape: open sandy areas for foraging, driftwood, leaf litter and plants that cast some shade.
- Water: clean and low in nitrate; change 25% weekly and gently vacuum the sand.
- Tankmates: tetras, rasboras, guppies, peaceful dwarf cichlids and shrimp.
Common mistakes include keeping just one or two, which stresses them; keeping them permanently above 79 °F (26 °C) or with discus; and dosing copper or salt without adjusting for these sensitive catfish.
Feeding
Panda corys are omnivores that forage on the bottom. Feed sinking wafers or pellets made for corydoras, plus frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia. Do not treat them as cleanup crew that lives on leftovers: they need their own food, ideally dropped in at lights-out if they share the tank with greedy midwater fish.
Breeding
They breed readily in well-kept tanks. A water change with slightly cooler water often triggers spawning: the female holds eggs between her pelvic fins and sticks them one by one to the glass or plant leaves. There is no parental care, so move the eggs to a separate container. The fry take fine powdered food and baby brine shrimp.
Compatible tank mates
Species from our database that share water parameters, size and temperament with the Panda cory. Calculated from the data in each profile.
Cherry barb Puntius titteya 16 gal (60 L) · 73–81 °F (23–27 °C) 
Tiger barb Puntigrus tetrazona 26 gal (100 L) · 72–79 °F (22–26 °C) 
Zebra danio Danio rerio 16 gal (60 L) · 64–77 °F (18–25 °C) 
Guppy Poecilia reticulata 14 gal (54 L) · 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) 
Platy Xiphophorus maculatus 16 gal (60 L) · 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) 
Harlequin rasbora Trigonostigma heteromorpha 16 gal (60 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Ember tetra Hyphessobrycon amandae 11 gal (40 L) · 73–82 °F (23–28 °C) 
Neon tetra Paracheirodon innesi 16 gal (60 L) · 68–79 °F (20–26 °C) 
Swordtail Xiphophorus hellerii 32 gal (120 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Bristlenose pleco Ancistrus sp. 26 gal (100 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Nerite snail Neritina natalensis 5 gal (20 L) · 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) 
Horned nerite snail Clithon corona 5 gal (20 L) · 72–82 °F (22–28 °C) Check the compatibility of your whole tank →
What not to keep it with
Popular species you shouldn’t house with the Panda cory, and why.
- Common goldfish: one may eat the other due to size
- Discus: incompatible temperatures
- Angelfish: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size
- Clown loach: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size
- Oranda goldfish: one may eat the other due to size
- Oscar: one may eat the other due to size, incompatible temperaments
- Ram cichlid: incompatible temperatures
Recommended equipment
What you need to keep the Panda cory healthy, checked against Amazon stock.
Frequently asked questions
How many liters does a Panda cory need?
At least about 60 liters for a group of at least 6 fish. More space always helps keep the water stable.
What water temperature does the Panda cory need?
Between 20 and 25 °C, with a pH of 6 to 7.5.
What fish can live with the Panda cory?
Based on water, size and temperament, it fits with species such as Cherry barb, Tiger barb, Zebra danio, Guppy and Platy. Use our compatibility calculator to check your whole tank.
Can the Panda cory be kept with shrimp?
Yes: it usually won’t eat adult shrimp, though some shrimplets may get picked off. A tank with plenty of moss gives the babies cover.
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