Panda corydoras (Corydoras panda) care guide

Group
Freshwater fish
Other names
Panda corydoras, Panda catfish
Family
Callichthyidae (armoured catfishes)
Origin
Upper Amazon basin in Peru (Ucayali system, Huánuco region, e.g. Río Aquas and tributaries of the Río Pachitea); Wikipedia also mentions Ecuador.
Water
freshwater
Maximum size
3.8 cm
Temperature
22–25°C
pH
6–7.4
Hardness
Soft to medium, 2–12 dGH
Minimum tank
41 litres
Care level
beginner
Temperament
peaceful

Care

Pandas are small, very sociable corys and should always be kept in a group: at least 6, and ideally 8 or more of the one species, as single fish or pairs tend to hide. Since the 2024 revision of the armoured catfishes the species is called Hoplisoma panda (FishBase and Wikipedia), and PlanetCatfish now lists it as Hoplisoma panda too, but it is still universally sold as "Corydoras panda", the name Seriously Fish uses. A tank with a base of 45 × 30 cm (around 41 litres) is enough for a small group. Give them soft sand, or at least smooth fine gravel, so they can sift without damaging their barbels, and keep the substrate clean. PlanetCatfish suggests a sandy floor with open swimming space edged with bogwood and plants they can retreat into. PlanetCatfish gives a maximum of 3.8 cm standard length (Seriously Fish says about 5 cm); we use the PlanetCatfish figure. In the wild pandas live in clear and blackwater streams with sandy beds where the water can drop to around 19 °C, so they prefer the cooler end of tropical: roughly 22–25 °C, pH 6–7.4 and soft to medium water (PlanetCatfish: 2–12 dGH). They do not like being kept hot. Keep the water clean with regular partial changes, as they are sensitive to rising nitrate and poor conditions; avoid salt and use medications (especially copper) with great care. Females are more rounded when seen from the side, males more streamlined. The name comes from the bold mix of dark patches on a pale body, which recalls a giant panda. When first imported in the late 1970s pandas were very expensive, but now virtually all the fish in the trade are farmed, mostly in Eastern Europe and the Far East, and they are inexpensive and hardy. Well-kept fish can live more than 10 years. FishBase lists the species as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List (2014 assessment), while PlanetCatfish shows it as not evaluated; either way, captive-bred stock is the better choice. Sources: PlanetCatfish (planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?speciesid=267); FishBase (fishbase.se/summary/Corydoras-panda.html); Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-panda/); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoplisomapanda). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Omnivorous. Use a good sinking pellet, wafer or flake as the staple and add small live and frozen foods such as Daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworm, grindal worm and Tubifex. Being small, pandas can be out-competed at feeding time, so make sure food gets down to them, for example by feeding just after lights-out.

Breeding

PlanetCatfish rates it not difficult to breed given a good diet, the right water and a slight drop in temperature. A small tank (around 45 × 30 × 30 cm) with sand or a bare bottom, Java moss, Java fern and a sponge filter works well,. Use about two males to each female; females are slightly bigger and rounder, which is easiest to see from above. Around 24 °C and a pH of about 6.5 work well, and a water change with slightly cooler water plus extra aeration often triggers spawning. Pairs take up the usual "T-position" and the female places the eggs on glass, plants or décor; spawnings are fairly small, often only up to about 25 eggs. Remove the eggs or the adults afterwards. The eggs hatch in about 3–5 days; start the fry on microworm and newly hatched brine shrimp. The fry are delicate and dislike warm water and sudden changes in water chemistry, so keep them cool and clean. They gain adult colouring at around 10–12 weeks.

Compatibility and tank mates

Very peaceful and a good choice for small community tanks with cooler tropical water. Suitable companions include small tetras and other small characins, rasboras and other small cyprinids, small anabantoids, dwarf cichlids and other peaceful catfish. Avoid large or boisterous fish that could bully or eat them, and avoid very warm set-ups.

Last updated 5 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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