Quick answer: The panda cory (Corydoras panda) is one of the most popular and adorable bottom-dwelling catfish, named for the black, panda-like patches over its eyes, on its dorsal fin, and at the base of its tail. It is small, peaceful, and social, and easy to keep in a group. Two things catch people out, though. Pandas like cooler water than most tropical fish, around the low 70s F, and they need fine sand rather than sharp gravel, which damages the barbels they feed with. They are also a little more delicate than the hardiest cories, so clean, stable water matters. Keep a group of at least six, feed a proper meaty diet, and give them cool, clean water.
Panda cory at a glance
| Detail | Panda cory |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Corydoras panda |
| Adult size | About 2 inches (5 cm) |
| Lifespan | Commonly 5 to 10 years |
| Temperature | 68 to 77 F, prefers the low 70s |
| pH | 6.0 to 7.5, soft to neutral |
| Minimum tank | 10 gallons, 20 better for a group |
| Group size | 6 or more |
| Temperament | Peaceful, active, shoaling |
| Diet | Omnivore scavenger, not an algae eater |
| Care level | Easy, but a little sensitive to water quality |
I keep and film cory catfish on my channel, and the video below covers general corydoras care that applies to panda cories too, with the panda-specific details in the sections that follow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORtD74jhO2Y
What panda cories look like
Panda cories get their name from their markings. They have an off-white to pale-pink body carrying three bold black patches: one over the eyes like a panda’s mask, one on the dorsal fin, and one at the base of the tail. That contrast, on a chunky little armored catfish under two inches long, is what makes them so popular. Like all cories they wear bony armor plates instead of scales and have little barbel “whiskers” around the mouth for finding food.
They come from cool, clear and blackwater streams in Peru and Ecuador, fed by the Andes, which is the key to one of their main care needs.
Setting up the tank
Panda cories are easy to please if you get a few things right.
- Fine sand, not sharp gravel. This is the most important setup choice. Panda cories forage by sifting the substrate with their barbels, and sharp gravel wears those barbels down. Damaged barbels mean a fish that cannot find food, so use soft sand or very fine, smooth gravel.
- A clean, cycled, stable tank. Pandas are a bit more sensitive to poor water than the toughest cories, so cycle fully before adding them, keep up with water changes, and do not add them to a brand new, unstable tank.
- Plants, cover, and hides. Driftwood, caves, and broad-leaved plants let them dart to safety, and a cory that feels safe spends more time out in the open. Our low light aquarium plants and java moss guides suit them well, and the fish tank decorations guide covers safe hardscape.
- Good filtration and clean water. In the wild a steady current keeps their water clean, so give them decent filtration and keep nitrate low.
- Tank size. A group is fine in a 10 gallon, but a 20 gallon fish tank is better and gives a proper shoal room to zoom around.
Water parameters
Here is the care point most people miss: panda cories like it cooler than most tropical fish. Aim for 68 to 77 F, and honestly the low 70s is the sweet spot. They come from cool, Andes-fed streams, so a hot tropical tank stresses them and shortens their lives. Pair that with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5 and soft to moderately soft water. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero and nitrate low, because pandas feel poor water faster than hardier fish do. If you want them in a community, choose tankmates that are happy in that cooler range too.
Diet and feeding
A common myth is that cories, pandas included, are algae eaters and cleanup crew that live on leftovers. They are not. Panda cories are omnivorous scavengers that eat leftover food and detritus, but they need to be fed properly, not left to scrape by, and they will not clear your algae.
Feed a sinking catfish or shrimp pellet as a staple, and supplement with small frozen or live foods like bloodworms, baby brine shrimp, and daphnia, plus finely crushed flake. Because they feed on the bottom, make sure enough food actually sinks past faster mid-water fish to reach them. In a busy community tank, feeding after lights-out helps.
Group size and temperament
Panda cories are shoaling fish and need company to feel secure. Keep a minimum of six, and more is better. In a proper group they are confident and wonderfully active, tearing around the tank together, often in little trios, and they are especially lively at dusk and after dark.
They are completely peaceful and never bother tankmates. You will also see them dash to the surface now and then to gulp a mouthful of air, which is normal for cories. It only becomes a warning sign if they are constantly racing up to gasp, which points to low oxygen or poor water quality.
Sexing them is easy once they mature.
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Smaller, slimmer | Larger and noticeably rounder |
| Body | Streamlined | Fuller, especially the belly when carrying eggs |
| From above | Narrow | Broader and plumper |
Tank mates
Panda cories are model community fish, as long as their companions are peaceful and comfortable in cooler water.
Good tank mates include small peaceful fish like tetras, rasboras, and pencilfish, other corydoras and small catfish, and calm nano fish. Our galaxy rasbora and pygmy corydoras both pair nicely, and snails and shrimp coexist with them without trouble. For more options, see our best aquarium fish for beginners guide.
Avoid large, aggressive, or fin-nipping fish, and skip anything that needs warm, high-80s water, since that clashes with the cooler tank pandas prefer.
Breeding panda cories
Panda cories are a rewarding species to breed, and the trigger is a neat trick that mimics their wild home.
They spawn in groups, and a cool water change is the classic trigger. Feed the group well to condition them, then do a larger water change with slightly cooler water, imitating the snowmelt that fills their streams in the wild. When ready, the female cups eggs between her pelvic fins in the classic cory “T-position” with a male, then sticks the sticky eggs onto glass, plants, or decor. The adults will eat the eggs, so move the parents out, or the eggs, once spawning is done. The fry are tiny and need very small first foods like infusoria before they can take baby brine shrimp.
I walk through the whole cory breeding process step by step in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENBalRYHzpw
Common panda cory problems
- Kept too warm. The most common mistake. A hot tank stresses them, so keep them in the cooler range they prefer.
- Worn or missing barbels. Almost always from sharp substrate. Switch to sand, and mild damage can partly recover.
- Illness and losses. Pandas are a little delicate, so most health problems trace back to poor or unstable water, or to already-stressed shop fish. Buy healthy stock and keep the water clean.
- Constant gasping at the surface. Occasional air-gulping is normal, but nonstop trips up mean the oxygen or water quality needs attention.
- Skinny fish. Usually out-competed for food. Make sure enough sinking food reaches the bottom.
FAQ
How many panda cories should I keep together?
At least six, and more if you have the room. They are shoaling fish that are only confident and active in a group, and they get stressed and hide when kept in ones or twos.
What size tank do panda cories need?
Ten gallons is the minimum for a small group, but a 20 gallon is better and lets you keep a larger, more active shoal.
What temperature do panda cories like?
Cooler than most tropical fish. Aim for 68 to 77 F, with the low 70s being ideal. They come from cool mountain-fed streams, so avoid a hot tank.
Do panda cories eat algae?
No, not really. They are scavengers that eat leftover food and detritus, but they will not clear algae and should not be kept just as a cleanup crew. Feed them a proper diet.
Do panda cories need sand?
Fine sand is strongly recommended. Sharp gravel wears down and damages the barbels they need to find food, so smooth sand keeps them healthy.
Are panda cories hard to keep?
No, they are easy overall, but they are a little more delicate than the hardiest cories. Give them cool, clean, stable water and a proper group, and buy healthy fish, and they do very well.
