Tank mates for pygmy corydoras

We checked pygmy corydoras against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for pygmy corydoras include cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami, neon tetra and panda corydoras. Avoid angelfish, common goldfish and fancy goldfish: angelfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Pygmy corydoras: 22–26°C (72–79°F), pH 6.4–7.4, adult size 2.5 cm (1 in), minimum tank 10 gallons (38 L). Full pygmy corydoras care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (87)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (26)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Betta fish · 5+ gal
    • Betta fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Tiger barb · 29+ gal
    • Tiger barb nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like pygmy corydoras.
    • Tiger barb is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Boesemani rainbowfish · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–26°C).
  • Clown loach · 180+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Clown loach grows much larger than pygmy corydoras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Dojo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Dojo loach grows much larger than pygmy corydoras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kribensis · 29+ gal
    • Kribensis is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Molly · 29+ gal
    • Their preferred pH ranges don't quite overlap (6.4–7.4 vs 7.5–8.5).
    • One prefers soft water and the other hard water (GH 2–10 vs 15–30 dGH).
  • Rainbow shark · 75+ gal
    • Rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
    • Rainbow shark grows much larger than pygmy corydoras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Red-tail shark · 75+ gal
    • Red-tail shark is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Siamese algae eater · 55+ gal
    • Siamese algae eater grows much larger than pygmy corydoras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Three spot gourami · 29+ gal
    • Three spot gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • White cloud mountain minnow · 15+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Agassiz's dwarf cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Buenos Aires tetra · 29+ gal
    • Buenos Aires tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like pygmy corydoras.
    • Buenos Aires tetra is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Cockatoo cichlid · 20+ gal
    • Cockatoo cichlid is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Gardneri killifish · 10+ gal
    • Gardneri killifish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Kissing gourami · 75+ gal
    • Kissing gourami is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.
    • Kissing gourami grows much larger than pygmy corydoras and may swallow them as it grows.
  • Rabbit snail · 29+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 25–26°C).
    • Their preferred pH ranges don't quite overlap (6.4–7.4 vs 7.5–8.5).
  • Scissortail rasbora · 55+ gal
    • Scissortail rasbora may eat pygmy corydoras, especially young or small ones.
  • Serpae tetra · 20+ gal
    • Serpae tetra nips fins and can stress slow, peaceful fish like pygmy corydoras.
  • Zebra pleco · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 26–26°C).
  • Keyhole cichlid · 29+ gal
    • Keyhole cichlid may eat pygmy corydoras, especially young or small ones.

Avoid Bad tank mates (36)

  • Angelfish: Angelfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Common goldfish: Common goldfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Fancy goldfish: Fancy goldfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Oscar: Oscar can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bala shark: Bala shark can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Blood parrot cichlid: Blood parrot cichlid can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pygmy corydoras.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pygmy corydoras.
  • Discus: They need different temperatures: Pygmy corydoras 22–26°C (72–79°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
  • Electric blue acara: Electric blue acara can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pygmy corydoras don't belong in that setup.
  • Firemouth cichlid: Firemouth cichlid can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • German blue ram: They need different temperatures: Pygmy corydoras 22–26°C (72–79°F), german blue ram 27–30°C (81–86°F).
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pygmy corydoras.
  • Pea puffer: Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pygmy corydoras. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pygmy corydoras don't belong in that setup.
  • Pictus catfish: Pictus catfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pygmy corydoras. Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pygmy corydoras don't belong in that setup.
  • Senegal bichir: Senegal bichir can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Silver dollar: Silver dollar can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • African butterfly fish: African butterfly fish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black ghost knifefish: Black ghost knifefish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bumblebee catfish: Bumblebee catfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pygmy corydoras. Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pygmy corydoras don't belong in that setup.
  • Frontosa: They need very different water: pH 6.4–7.4 vs 8–9. Frontosa can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pygmy corydoras don't belong in that setup.
  • Giant danio: Giant danio can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Golden wonder killifish: Golden wonder killifish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Green terror: Green terror can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pygmy corydoras.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful pygmy corydoras.
  • Paradise fish: Paradise fish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Ropefish: Ropefish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Severum: Severum can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Pygmy corydoras don't belong in that setup.
  • Tinfoil barb: Tinfoil barb can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Upside-down catfish: Upside-down catfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Moonlight gourami: Moonlight gourami can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with pygmy corydoras?

Good tank mates for pygmy corydoras include cherry shrimp, nerite snail, guppy, dwarf gourami, neon tetra and panda corydoras. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat pygmy corydoras.

Can pygmy corydoras live with angelfish?

No. Angelfish can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.

Can pygmy corydoras live with bettas?

Sometimes, with care. Betta fish is semi-aggressive and may bully much smaller pygmy corydoras.

Can pygmy corydoras live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can pygmy corydoras live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.