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Contents
Overview
The pygmy cory is one of the smallest corydoras, barely reaching 1 inch (2.5 cm). It has a silvery body with a black horizontal stripe running from snout to tail and a thinner line below it.
It comes from the Rio Madeira basin in Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, and its behavior surprises most people: rather than staying glued to the bottom like its relatives, it swims in small schools in midwater, perches on plant leaves and drops down to the sand to forage. It is ideal for small planted tanks without big fish and pairs beautifully with dwarf shrimp and tiny tetras.
Care and tank setup
A school of eight to ten does well in a heavily planted 10-gallon (40-litre) tank; in 15 gallons (60 litres) or more you can keep a bigger group and see more natural schooling. The larger the group, the bolder they become.
- Substrate: clean, fine sand so they can sift without damaging their barbels.
- Plants: plenty of them, with broad leaves to rest on (anubias, cryptocorynes, small sword plants) and floaters to diffuse the light.
- Water: mature and stable, with small, frequent changes. Do not add them to a newly set-up tank.
- Filter: gentle, with a sponge over the intake, since fish this small can get pulled in.
Good tankmates include small tetras, rasboras, boraras, otocinclus and shrimp. Avoid angelfish, large gouramis or anything big enough to swallow them.
Feeding
Pygmy corys have tiny mouths. Offer micro pellets, crushed flakes and broken-up sinking wafers, plus baby brine shrimp, daphnia or frozen cyclops. Several small feedings a day work better than one large meal. Watch that the food actually reaches them instead of being snapped up by faster tankmates.
Breeding
They often spawn in mature, well-planted tanks without the owner noticing. Females lay a small number of eggs one at a time on the glass or leaves and provide no care. To raise some fry, move the eggs to a container with tank water and feed infusoria, then baby brine shrimp.
Compatible tank mates
Species from our database that share water parameters, size and temperament with the Pygmy cory. Calculated from the data in each profile.
Bristlenose pleco Ancistrus sp. 26 gal (100 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Betta fish Betta splendens 7 gal (25 L) · 75–82 °F (24–28 °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) 
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) 
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) 
Bronze cory Corydoras aeneus 21 gal (80 L) · 72–81 °F (22–27 °C) 
Amano shrimp Caridina multidentata 11 gal (40 L) · 64–82 °F (18–28 °C) 
Cherry shrimp Neocaridina davidi 5 gal (20 L) · 64–81 °F (18–27 °C) 
Dwarf gourami Trichogaster lalius 16 gal (60 L) · 75–82 °F (24–28 °C) Check the compatibility of your whole tank →
What not to keep it with
Popular species you shouldn’t house with the Pygmy cory, and why.
- Common goldfish: one may eat the other due to size
- Discus: incompatible temperatures, one may eat the other due to size
- Angelfish: one may eat the other due to size
- Yellow lab cichlid: incompatible pH, 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
- Swordtail: one may eat the other due to size
Recommended equipment
What you need to keep the Pygmy cory healthy, checked against Amazon stock.
Frequently asked questions
How many liters does a Pygmy cory need?
At least about 40 liters for a group of at least 8 fish. More space always helps keep the water stable.
What water temperature does the Pygmy cory need?
Between 22 and 26 °C, with a pH of 6 to 7.5.
What fish can live with the Pygmy cory?
Based on water, size and temperament, it fits with species such as Bristlenose pleco, Betta fish, Zebra danio, Guppy and Cherry barb. Use our compatibility calculator to check your whole tank.
Can the Pygmy 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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