Panda Cory - Complete Care Guide

Panda Cory (Corydoras panda) breaks from most of its own genus on one key point: temperature. Where typical Corydoras tolerate standard tropical community temperatures, Panda Cory does best at a cooler 68-77°F and struggles once water climbs past 77°F - a real planning consideration if it's going into a tank stocked with fish that prefer warmer water. At 2 inches, it's otherwise a classic small, social, bottom-dwelling catfish, best known for the dark eye and dorsal-fin patches that give it its name.

Photo: Calilasseia - Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain

Parameter	Value
Adult size	~2 in
Temperature	68-77°F
Minimum group	6 (8-10 ideal)
Tank size	15-20 gallons for a full group
Substrate	Sand or fine rounded gravel only

The Cooler-Water Exception Among Corydoras

Most Corydoras species handle standard tropical tank temperatures without issue, but Panda Cory is a documented exception - it's not adapted to temperatures over 77°F the way its relatives are. This matters most when Panda Cory shares a tank with fish that need warmer water; the tank's actual temperature has to satisfy both, and 68-77°F is the range that keeps Panda Cory specifically comfortable.

A Genuinely Social Fish

A group of 6 is the floor for Panda Cory, and 8-10 in a 15-20 gallon planted tank is closer to the behavior keepers actually want to see - a fuller group forages and moves together more naturally than a small handful ever will. Groups below 6 tend to look skittish and spend more time hiding than exploring.

More Sensitive to Water Quality Than Most Cories

Panda Cory tolerates elevated nitrates poorly compared to hardier Corydoras species, which means it does better in an established, mature tank than a newly cycled one. Consistent maintenance matters more here than with tougher bottom-dwellers.

Barbels Need Soft Substrate

Panda Cory forages along the substrate using sensitive barbels around its mouth, and sharp gravel abrades them, opening the door to infection. Sand or smooth, rounded fine gravel protects the barbels and lets the fish forage the way it would in the wild.

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