Description

🐼 Panda Corydoras — The Playful, Peace-Loving Bottom Dweller

The Panda Corydoras (Corydoras panda) is one of the most charming and beloved freshwater community fish in the aquarium hobby. Named for its adorable black eye patches and tail markings that resemble a panda bear, this small catfish is full of personality and movement. Originating from the soft, cool waters of Peru’s upper Amazon tributaries, Panda Corys are known for their peaceful nature, endearing social behaviour, and constant substrate-sifting antics.

Perfect for community aquariums, these cheerful little scavengers bring both function and character to the lower levels of your tank — gently cleaning up leftover food while entertaining with their group “wiggle” dances and synchronized foraging.

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💚 Why You’ll Love It

• 🐾 Adorable appearance — Distinctive black-and-white “panda” markings make this species instantly recognizable.

• 🤝 Exceptionally peaceful — Ideal for community aquariums with other gentle species.

• 🌿 Natural cleaner — Constantly forages through the substrate, keeping it aerated and free of debris.

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Highly social — Thrives in groups; watch them interact and rest side-by-side.

• 🧊 Easy to care for — Hardy and adaptable, perfect for beginners or seasoned aquarists alike.

• 🎥 Full of personality — Playful, curious, and always on the move, adding life to any aquarium bottom.

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🏡 Care & Tank Setup

To bring out the best in your Panda Corydoras, provide them with a soft, sandy substrate that’s gentle on their delicate barbels. Avoid rough gravel that can cause injury. Include driftwood, smooth stones, and leafy plants like Java fern, Anubias, or Cryptocoryne to mimic their natural habitat and create shaded resting spots.

💧 Water Parameters:

• Temperature: 22–26 °C

• pH: 6.0–7.5

• Hardness: Soft to moderately hard (2–12 dGH)

• Minimum Tank Size: 60 L (for a group of 6+)

Feed a balanced diet of sinking pellets or wafers, supplemented with frozen or live foods such as bloodworms, daphnia, or brine shrimp. Panda Corys are schooling fish, so always keep them in groups of at least six or more to encourage natural behaviour and reduce stress.

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🤝 Tank Mates

Panda Corydoras are extremely peaceful and get along wonderfully with a wide range of community fish. Ideal companions include:

• Small, calm schooling fish such as neon tetras, ember tetras, rasboras, harlequins, or guppies

• Gentle bottom dwellers like Kuhli loaches or otocinclus catfish

• Peaceful dwarf cichlids (Apistogramma, Bolivian Ram)

• Invertebrates such as Amano shrimp or mystery snails

•  Avoid Large Aggressive Fish

Avoid pairing them with large, aggressive, or fin-nipping species that could disturb their calm nature.

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🐠🐠 Corydoras Mixing Compatibility Guide

Corydoras are naturally social and display fascinating behaviour when kept in groups — even across species! Panda Corys mix well with other small, peaceful Corydoras varieties like C. trilineatus (Julii), C. sterbai, or C. habrosus. In larger aquariums, mixed groups often forage side by side and occasionally join in each other’s shoals.

However, the most natural and visually pleasing results come from keeping a single species in a group of 6–10. This encourages coordinated movement, stronger colouration, and happier fish overall.

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📋 Quick Facts

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✨ Add a group of Panda Corydoras to your aquarium and enjoy their gentle energy, playful teamwork, and irresistibly cute panda markings — a true favourite for aquarists of all levels! 🌿🐼

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