Panda Corydoras
Corydoras panda
Min Tank Size
60L
Adult Size
4.5 cm
Lifespan
10 years
School Size
6+
About
Hailing from the Ucayali River system in Peru, Corydoras panda is one of the more charming members of a very charming genus. Their black-and-white patterning, with a dark eye patch, a black dorsal spot, and a black band at the base of the tail, gives them an undeniable resemblance to their giant, bamboo-eating namesake. They max out around 4.5 cm, making them one of the smaller corydoras species, and that compact size is part of why planted tanks and smaller community setups love them so much.
Water parameters matter more with pandas than with, say, bronze or sterbai corydoras. They prefer cooler, softer, slightly acidic water, somewhere in the 22 to 26 Celsius range, with soft to moderately hard water and a pH sitting between 6.0 and 7.4. Pushing the temperature above 26 consistently tends to stress them and shorten their lives. They're not brutal to keep, but they're not as bulletproof as some of their relatives.
Substrate choice is non-negotiable. Fine sand or very smooth, rounded gravel is essential because pandas spend their lives sifting and rooting around the bottom. Sharp substrate will shred their barbels, and once those are gone, feeding becomes difficult and infections follow. Diet-wise, they'll take sinking wafers, frozen bloodworms, daphnia, and high-quality micro-pellets eagerly. Variety matters.
They're completely peaceful, totally harmless to plants and invertebrates, and genuinely social within their own group. A school of six or more kept in a well-maintained tank is one of the most entertaining bottom-dweller setups you can build. Browse community tank builds featuring pandas and you'll quickly see why so many aquarists call them a staple.
Water Parameters
Temperature
°CpH
GH
dGHKH
dKHSwimming Level
Flow Preference
Keeping multiple Panda Corydoras together
Panda Corydoras are shoaling fish and need company of their own kind. Keep a group of at least 6. Smaller groups leave them stressed, washed-out in color, and prone to hiding.
Compatibility
Pandas pair beautifully with small, peaceful community fish. Tetras like rummy noses, embers, and lambchops are excellent matches, as are small rasboras, celestial pearl danios, and dwarf cichlids like apistogrammas if the tank is large enough. They coexist without issue alongside nerite snails and dwarf shrimp such as neocaridinas and caridinas. Avoid pairing them with fin nippers like tiger barbs or large cichlids that might view them as a snack or stress them. Goldfish tanks are a poor fit since goldfish prefer warmer or cooler temps than pandas need and produce far too much waste. Sterbai corydoras make fine companions if temperatures can be reconciled.
Commonly kept with
Species this one is most often paired withCommonly tried but avoid
Often paired, but shouldn't beCare Notes
The biggest mistake beginners make with pandas is treating them like bronze corydoras, which are significantly hardier. Pandas are more sensitive to nitrate buildup, temperature swings, and water that's too warm. Weekly water changes and stable parameters aren't optional here. Sharp substrate is another common failure point since destroyed barbels are an early death sentence. Many people also undergroup them, keeping three or four and wondering why they hide all day. Six is the minimum, and eight makes a visible difference in activity and confidence. Avoid any medication containing salt unless absolutely necessary.
Behavior & Aggression
Panda corydoras show essentially no aggression toward other fish or invertebrates. Any chasing you see within the group is almost always spawning behavior rather than aggression, typically a male pursuing a female in the classic corydoras T-position. They don't establish territories, don't compete over food in a harmful way, and don't bother tankmates of any size. The only stress-related behavioral issue is hiding constantly when kept in groups smaller than six, which isn't aggression but is worth noting as a sign the group needs to be larger.
Things to Know
- Sensitive to salt, medications with salt bases, and poor water quality.
- Requires soft, fine substrate to protect barbels. Avoid sharp gravel.
- Slightly more delicate than other Corydoras species, needs stable parameters.
- Keep in groups of 6+, smaller groups cause stress and hiding behavior.
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