Photo: Soltpret (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Spotted Corydoras (Brochis ambiacus)
A peaceful, spotted armoured catfish from Peruvian headwaters that thrives in groups and keeps the bottom spotless.
Will it live with a Spotted Corydoras?
We compare each fish against your spotted corydoras on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Badis✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bamboo Shrimp✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Banded Dwarf Cichlid✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Betta✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Kuhli Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bolivian Ram✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Celebes Rainbowfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Celebes Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Corydoras Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Corydoras Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Costa's Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Costa's Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Croaking Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Gourami✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Gold Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7.5 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Gold Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Hongsloi Dwarf Cichlid✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Mahachai Betta✅ CompatibleAggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Peaceful + Aggressive, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peacock Gudgeon✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 22–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peppered Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rio Negro Checkerboard Cichlid✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Roundtail Paradise Fish✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 10–26 °C (50–79 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotfin Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Sterbai Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Sterbai Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Sumo Loach✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Peaceful + Semi-aggressive, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid✅ CompatibleSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- African Butterfly Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Amazon Puffer⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Amazon Puffer in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Ash Lipped Apisto⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Black Ruby Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~100 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Black Ruby Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bleeding Heart Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bleeding Heart Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bright Diamond Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bright Diamond Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Buenos Aires Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Buenos Aires Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Colombian Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~114 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Colombian Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Congo Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Congo Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Chain Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Glass Catfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Glass Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Melon Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Melon Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Pantanal Corydoras⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~110 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Pantanal Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rounded Filament Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~80 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Rounded Filament Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Scissortail Rasbora⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~90 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Scissortail Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Tiger Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~95 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Tiger Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Discus⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 20 cm · Hard care · 28–31 °C (82–88 °F)
- Temperature needs don't overlap (Spotted Corydoras 22–27 °C vs Discus 28–31 °C).
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Discus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Spotted Corydoras care specs
- Care level
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Max size
- 7 cm (2.8 in)
- Min tank size
- 60 L (15.9 gal)
- Temperature
- 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Hardness
- 2–15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5–8 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Group size
- 6+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Callichthyidae
- Origin
- South America — Rio Ambyiacu and surrounding Peruvian Amazon tributaries
What is a Spotted Corydoras?
The spotted corydoras (Brochis ambiacus) is a small, armoured bottom-dwelling catfish native to the Peruvian Amazon. Growing to around 7 cm (2.75 in), it sits at the slightly larger end of the cory spectrum. Its most striking feature is the bold pattern of dark brown to black spots and blotches scattered across a pale tan to beige body, which sets it apart from the plainer, olive-toned corys most beginners encounter first.
Like every member of the Callichthyidae family it wears two rows of overlapping bony scutes instead of ordinary scales, is completely peaceful, and spends its days rooting through the substrate with its shoalmates. Described from Rio Ambyiacu specimens in 1870, the species spent most of the 20th century catalogued as Corydoras ambiacus; a 2024 phylogenomic review formally revalidated the genus Brochis. In practice nothing about how you keep it has changed — it is every inch a cory cat.
Where do Spotted Corydoras come from?
The spotted corydoras is native to the Rio Ambyiacu and surrounding Peruvian Amazon tributaries in north-eastern Peru. These are warm, slow-moving blackwater and clearwater streams: soft, slightly acidic water filtered through leaf litter over sandy, silty substrates with minimal current. Marginal vegetation and submerged roots provide shade and cover for foraging groups.
Understanding this origin shapes care decisions directly. The fish expects a sandy bottom, subdued light, gentle flow, and the soft-to-moderately-hard, near-neutral chemistry of Amazonian headwaters.
What tank size and setup does a Spotted Corydoras need?
A group of six spotted corydoras can be housed in a 60-litre (16 US gal) aquarium, but a wider footprint is more important than raw volume — corys are horizontal foragers and use floor space, not height. A tank 60 cm (24 in) or more along its base gives the group room to move naturally.
The single most important hardware decision is substrate. Spotted corydoras use sensitive barbels to sift through the bottom for food; coarse gravel or sharp-edged substrate abrades those barbels over weeks, leading to shortened or infected barbels that impair feeding. Use fine sand or well-rounded fine gravel throughout the tank.
Furnish the tank with driftwood, smooth river stones, and broad-leafed plants such as Anubias or Echinodorus to create shaded resting spots. Dim lighting or a floating-plant canopy encourages bolder daytime activity. A sponge filter or a power filter with a spray bar keeps water clear and oxygenated while keeping current at the substrate gentle.
What water parameters does a Spotted Corydoras need?
- Temperature: 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- pH: 6.0–7.5
- Hardness: 2–15 dGH
The spotted corydoras tolerates a wider range than many Amazonian species, which is part of what earns it an “easy” care rating. That said, soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic to neutral water — reflecting their Peruvian river origins — keeps them at their most comfortable and colour-saturated.
Stability matters as much as the numbers themselves. Cycle the tank fully before adding fish, perform weekly partial water changes of around 25%, and avoid sudden temperature swings. Most disease outbreaks in corys trace back to deteriorating water quality rather than any single parameter being slightly out of range.
What do Spotted Corydoras eat?
Spotted corydoras are omnivores and enthusiastic, methodical foragers. In the wild they sift the substrate for invertebrates, organic detritus, plant matter and small worms. In captivity a varied diet is simple to provide:
- Sinking staples: high-quality sinking pellets or wafers formulated for bottom-feeders are the dietary backbone. Ensure food reaches the substrate before other fish intercept it.
- Frozen foods: bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp are eagerly taken and visibly improve colour and conditioning.
- Occasional greens: blanched courgette or spinach is accepted and adds nutritional variety.
Feed once or twice daily, offering only what the group can consume in a few minutes. Uneaten food decomposing on the bottom degrades water quality quickly.
Are Spotted Corydoras peaceful — and what fish can live with them?
Spotted corydoras are thoroughly peaceful at every level of interaction — with their own species, with other fish, and even with invertebrates. They are one of the safest, most broadly compatible community fish available.
Within their own species they are strongly shoaling: a lone cory is a stressed cory. Keep a minimum of six — aim for eight or more if space allows — and the group will become visibly more active and more confident.
As tank-mates, choose peaceful mid- and upper-level fish that share similar water parameters. Small tetras, rasboras, hatchetfish, dwarf gouramis, Apistogramma, rams, and livebearers all cohabit well. Avoid large predatory cichlids or any fish big enough to swallow a 7 cm catfish. Shrimp colonies generally coexist peacefully, though very small shrimp fry may be at some risk during active foraging.
For a full, filterable rundown of compatible and incompatible species, see Spotted Corydoras tank mates.
How do you tell male from female Spotted Corydoras?
Sexing spotted corydoras is straightforward once the fish approach adult size. The clearest method is viewing them from above: females are noticeably broader and deeper-bodied, with a wider midsection that becomes more pronounced when carrying eggs. Males are slimmer and more torpedo-shaped. From the side a gravid female shows a visibly distended belly; in non-breeding condition the difference is subtler. Both sexes reach around 7 cm (2.75 in).
How do Spotted Corydoras breed?
Breeding spotted corydoras in a home aquarium is rated medium difficulty — triggering spawning and raising fry takes deliberate preparation, but the behaviour itself is straightforward to observe.
Condition the group on varied live and frozen foods for several weeks, then perform a larger-than-usual water change using cooler, slightly softer water to mimic the Peruvian rainy-season influx. During spawning the female clasps a sperm packet from the male in her pelvic fins, then presses a small clutch of adhesive eggs onto a flat leaf, the glass or a smooth stone. The sequence repeats over an hour or two.
Move eggs to a separate container: they hatch in roughly 3–5 days at 24 °C (75 °F), and fry become free-swimming shortly after. Start with infusoria or micro worms, graduating to baby brine shrimp as growth allows.
What diseases are common in Spotted Corydoras?
Spotted corydoras are hardy when water quality is maintained, but they are susceptible to a handful of issues:
- Barbel erosion or infection: The most common corydoras problem, almost always caused by sharp substrate or chronically poor water quality. Prevention is straightforward — use fine sand, keep the bottom clean and maintain good filtration.
- Red blotch disease / bacterial infections: Lesions or redness on the body, usually secondary to injury or deteriorating water. Increase water-change frequency and address the root cause before any other intervention.
- Ich (white spot): Corydoras are susceptible to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis like most freshwater fish. Early detection — fine white grains on the body and fins — and immediate response give the best outcome. Note that corys and other scaleless or thin-scaled fish are sensitive to some treatments; always check compatibility.
- Fungal infections: Typically secondary to injury or shipping stress. Maintain pristine water and avoid sharp decor.
Health note: medication dosing and disease diagnosis are beyond the scope of a care profile. For sick fish, confirm symptoms against a reputable veterinary or fish-health source before medicating — and remember that corydoras tolerate some common aquarium treatments poorly at standard doses.
How long do Spotted Corydoras live?
A well-kept spotted corydoras lives 5–8 years — respectable for a fish of its size and among the longer-lived small catfish in the hobby. That lifespan rests on the fundamentals: a cycled and stable tank, fine substrate that protects the barbels, regular water changes, varied food, and the social context of a group of at least six. Get those right and spotted corydoras will be active, visible bottom-workers in your aquarium for the better part of a decade.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brochis ambiacus the same as a corydoras?
Closely related, yes. It was long sold and catalogued as Corydoras ambiacus, and the genus Brochis was only formally separated from Corydoras again in 2024 following a phylogenomic review. In the aquarium trade it behaves identically to other cory cats — same care, same social needs.
How many spotted corydoras should I keep?
A minimum of six is the standard recommendation. Corydoras-group catfish are strongly shoaling and become stressed and less active when kept in smaller numbers. A group of eight or more shows the most natural foraging and social behaviour.
What you need to keep a spotted corydoras
The baseline is a heated, filtered 60 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 22–27 °C (72–81 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a spotted corydoras in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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