Pygmy Corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus): The Tiny Schooling Catfish for Nano Tanks

Highlighting one of the best tiny fish species for nano tanks, the Pygmy Corydoras, this guide includes special care practices for their optimal living, feeding, and health in a community aquarium.

An adorable adult Pygmy Corydoras

Introduction

Nano aquarium catfish species like Pygmy Corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus) are the best for beginners or experienced hobbyists looking to build personalized tanks.

This tiny yet active bottom-dweller has a social nature and unique midwater swimming patterns that will keep you entertained while you live peacefully with other water dwellers.

Pygmy Corydoras care is easy for aquarists of all levels due to their hardy nature. You’ll learn helpful maintenance tips on maximizing their lifespan by keeping them healthy and much more. Keep reading to learn more about why this species is the best small schooling fish.

Author’s Note: Check out our article on the 14 Types of Corydoras Catfish: A Guide to Hardy and Playful Freshwater Fish for even more types of Corydoras.

Identifying the Pygmy Corydoras

A Pygmy Corydoras with its prominent Black stripe

We’ll start by highlighting this species’ distinct appearance since it shares features with other dwarf Corydoras, such as Corydoras hastatus and Corydoras habrosus.

Color Pattern

Corydoras pygmaeus have silver or gray bodies with a single black horizontal stripe stretching from its snout to the eye, side, and tail. However, its fins remain translucent with tints, while the underbelly is whitish.

Unique Traits

Unlike other dwarf Corydoras, the Pygmy species has an elongated body with slender fins and enjoys midwater swimming instead of lounging at the bottom, just like the habrosus. Besides these differences, Pygmy Corydoras are like the other species in this family.

They’re social pets who love group swimming, nocturnal activities, cool water environments, and planted tanks.

Setting Up the Perfect Tank for Pygmy Corydoras

We’re about to design the best aquarium setup for small fish, specifically for the Pygmy Corydoras. I’ll recommend the ideal tank size and environment, including water conditions and tank mates, for optimal living.

Tank Size & Grouping

You’ll need a minimum tank size of 10 gallons to contain a school of eight Pygmy Corydoras comfortably.

For larger schools with other species or more than 8 Pygmy Corys, you should increase the tank size by 10 gallons. Keep reading for details on grouping and its effect on this species. But first, let’s finish our Pygmy Corydoras tank setup.

Substrate & Decor

Corydoras Pygmaeus swimming through vegetation

When choosing substrate and decor, consider security, comfort, and aesthetics. Fine sand or smooth gravel is a gentle alternative for the tank’s floor. It’s also gentle on your pet’s barbels while they graze for food or lounge by the substrate.

Next, decor should mimic their natural habitat. Live plants like Amazon swords and Java Moss are suitable for the surroundings, and floating frogbits are ideal for the surface.

Add driftwood and leaf litter for tannins to soften the water, and use caves or smooth rocks to make hiding spots for breeding and resting.

Water Parameters

You should use soft to moderately hard water that is gentle on their bodies while maintaining a normal pH that is slightly alkaline/acidic.

Temperature	72 – 79℉
pH Level	6.5 – 7.5
Oxygenation	Well Aerated
Hardness	1 – 12 dGH

Without maintaining proper water parameters, the tank’s water quality can degrade, which can cause a wide range of issues from cloudy aquarium water to illness and mass die off.

Filtration & Flow

Other nano tank conditions for catfish include adding proper filtration and flow. Ensure the flow is moderate, like a river, and a sponge filter will keep the water clean without stressing your Pygmy Corydoras.

Pygmy Corydoras Behavior: A Unique Bottom-Dweller That Loves to Explore

Soft sand is the best substrate for a school of Pygmy Corydoras

If you love active, social, and interactive fish, you’d adore the Pygmy Corydoras. Let’s discuss their unique traits, starting with the famous Pygmy Corydoras schooling behavior.

Schooling Instincts

Pygmy Corys thrive in large groups of eight or more because they’re small and feel the most safe in the company of other similar fish. They swim together and often explore the center of the tank instead of staying by the substrate like other bottom-dwellers.

Activity Levels

This active bottom-feeder fish is engaging for hobbyists who love watching their pets. They’re constantly exploring their environment, so they prefer planted tanks with safe decor and substrates.

Pygmy Corys will play with the leaves and their other tank mates while swimming to the surface periodically to gulp air.

Interaction with Tank Mates

As a peaceful community catfish, Pygmy Corys co-exist with other small fish and invertebrates unless they’re incompatible. They love species that can explore their surroundings together and give them space when necessary.

Best Tank Mates for Pygmy Corydoras

Here’s a list of compatible species for Pygmy Corydoras in a nano tank, including invertebrates:

Ideal Tank Mates

I recommend small, peaceful species like Ember tetras, Neon tetras, Chili Rasboras, Celestial pearl danios, and Dwarf rasboras. They’re small and won’t outcompete for resources.

Species to Avoid

To maintain a community of peaceful freshwater schooling fish, it’s best to avoid larger, fin-nipping, and aggressive species.

Cichlids, except Apistogramma and some Bettas, are aggressive. Oscars, Arowanas, and Angelfish are predators of Pygmy Corys, while Tiger Barbs will nip their fins and stress them with hyperactivity.

Invertebrate Compatibility

A blue dream Cherry Shrimp

Now that you know the best fish for nano tanks, let’s discuss other species, like shrimp, kuhli loaches, and snails, which can peacefully co-exist with your pets in a planted tank. They’ll clean the tank’s algae without disturbing your Pygmy Corys.

Shrimps	Snails
Blue Dream	Nerite
Crystal	Mystery
Ghost	Ramshorn
Amano	Bladder

Feeding Pygmy Corydoras: A Nutrient-Rich Diet for Tiny Fish

Dietary plans help strengthen your pet’s immunity, promote healthy growth, and improve activity, which is why you can’t treat it carelessly. Luckily, Pygmy Corydoras is a scavenging species with an omnivorous diet, so they’re not picky eaters, but they do have preferences.

Dietary Preferences

Pygmy Corydoras are omnivorous, which means they can eat plant-based or animal-based foods.

However, they need nutrient-rich foods for healthy development, which you can provide with a small fish diet plan containing a perfect blend of staples, supplements, and treats.

For more on feeding your aquatic pets check out The Ultimate Guide to Fish Food: Pros and Cons & Best Choices!

Recommended Foods

Sinking micro pellets and high-quality flakes are the best food for Pygmy Corydoras because they contain all the nutrients needed for a healthy life.

You may supplement it with live foods like baby brine shrimp and daphnia, while blanched veggies make healthy treats.

Feeding Schedule

Feeding nano bottom-feeders on a schedule with varied nutrients is the best practice.

Follow their natural nocturnal habit by feeding them staples at dusk or dawn once to twice daily. Supplement with live foods twice weekly and treats once in two weeks for optimal health.

Ensure you serve portions they can consume in two minutes to prevent waste and overfeeding.

Breeding Pygmy Corydoras: How to Encourage Spawning Success

Porydoras Eggs Attached to Aquarium’s glass

If you like this species and want more in your tank, you reproduce it with controlled methods. Successfully breeding Pygmy Corydoras begins with understanding their breeding behaviors, necessary conditions, and fry care tips.

Spawning Conditions

Once you choose your breeding pair, you must trigger spawning conditions for them to reproduce. Adjust the set parameters recommended earlier in this guide to ensure you have the best tank setup for Corydoras breeding.

Drop the temperature by 2 – 3℉ while making a significant water change to simulate the rainy season. Increase oxygen for softer, cleaner water and feed them protein-rich diets to prepare their bodies for spawning.

It’s best to have a separate breeding tank to prevent harming other tank mates while triggering spawning conditions.

Egg Laying & Protection

The female Pygmy Cory holds her 10 – 30 eggs while the male fertilizes them before she lays them on a smooth plant, ceramic, or glass surface.

After laying, separate the adults from the eggs to prevent them from eating their young. Then, wait 3 – 5 days for the eggs to hatch. You can increase the temperature back to 72 – 79℉ for quicker hatching.

Fry Care & Development

Raising tiny freshwater fish fry differs from raising regular-sized species because of their unique features. They survive on infusoria for the first 2 – 3 days and then move to finely crushed baby brine shrimp for muscle development.

Consistently change their tank water and separate larger Pygmy Corydoras fry from the slowly developing ones to prevent bullying.

Health Concerns & Preventative Care for Pygmy Corydoras

Pygmy Corydoras resting on a plant in its nano aquarium

Following the instructions in this guide reduces the risk of common diseases in your Pygmy Corydoras because they’re the best practices for nano fish maintenance.

However, you still need to recognize the symptoms of common diseases to treat them properly and ensure long-term health for your pets.

Common Illnesses

Common illnesses and their causes include Barbel erosion from digging for food in the substrate, Fin rot from poor water quality or untreated infections, and stress-related conditions like lethargy, shyness, and poor swimming from incompatible tank mates or infections.

Preventative Measures

Providing clean water, a varied diet, and stable conditions are key to Pygmy Corydoras disease prevention since most illnesses have environmental and dietary triggers.

Scroll up for details on this.

Safe Treatment Options

Avoiding health issues in small catfish is possible, but if they still get sick, you must immediately quarantine the affected fish. This will reduce the risk of spreading the disease to others and allow you to give the best possible treatment without harming the tank mates.

If the illness requires medicine, use gentle medications for these small, sensitive fish, but natural remedies are the best solution. Immediately change the tank water to ensure cleanliness, remove troublesome tank mates, and improve their diet.

Lifespan & Long-Term Care: Keeping Pygmy Corydoras Thriving

Happy and healthy Pygmy Corydoras

By creating a stable tank environment, you can maximize your Pygmy Corydoras’ lifespan and ensure continued health. You can also provide long-term care for small aquarium fish by watching their environment and feeding habits.

Expected Lifespan

With proper care and attention, their average lifespan is 3 – 5 years, as shown by the tips in this freshwater nano tank maintenance guide.

Water Stability & Maintenance

Stabilizing tank conditions reduces stress and keeps your pets happy, encouraging their natural schooling habits.

Daily checks of the water parameters and your pets’ behaviors help you flag abnormalities before they become problematic.

Diet & Nutrition

A well-balanced and varied diet strengthens your Pygmy Corydoras’ immune system and reduces the risk of getting sick from infection.

Conclusion

We’ve reached the end of the journey to discovering the Pygmy Corydoras. Now, you know why they’re beginner-friendly bottom-dwellers. Let’s review the notes in this guide to see if you have the skills to keep this species.

Pygmy Corydoras is one of the best schooling fish for small aquariums because they’re tiny at < 2 inches, social, omnivorous, and easy to satisfy. They’ll thrive once you feed them a nutrient-rich diet, put them in a group of 8+ with compatible species, and provide stable water conditions.

We’d like to hear about your experience keeping Pygmy Corydoras in nano tanks using this guide. Your stories can help other enthusiasts in the community, so please use the comment box below.