Cory catfish are beloved in the freshwater aquarium hobby because of their happy-go-lucky nature and interesting behaviors, such as constantly shuffling through the substrate for snacks. The nano aquarium enthusiasts take special pleasure in finding the most petite corys. The pygmy cory (C. pygmaeus) has become quite popular because of its adorable appearance and unique swimming style.
This tiny South American schooling fish grows to a grand total of 1 inch (2.5 cm) in length, with females being slightly rounder and longer than males. Its silvery body with a horizontal, black stripe is not particularly colorful, but it’s hard to resist those big, black eyes and little whiskers that look like a mustache. Like many cory catfish, they like to “wink” by quickly looking down and will dart up to the water surface to take the occasional gulp of air. In contrast though, most corydoras are known as bottom dwellers, whereas pygmy corys have the unusual habit of hovering midwater by flapping their fins, almost like an underwater hummingbird.
Pygmy corydoras were originally discovered in the river basins of Brazil, so they are used to pH of 6.4–7.5 and moderately soft water. They also appreciate slightly cooler temperatures between 72–78°F (22–26°C). In the wild, they are prone to predation and therefore like to hide amongst the tree roots and vegetation along the riverbanks. To make them feel more comfortable in your home aquarium, add plenty of plants and hardscape for cover.
How many pygmy corys should be kept together?
8-12
As a species that hangs out in the lower half of the aquarium, they prefer to graze off the ground or on the surfaces of plant leaves. Their little, downturned mouths are most suited for eating sinking foods that are either tiny in size or soft enough to nibble on. For example, frozen bloodworms are often too hefty to easily swallow, but frozen daphnia, cyclops, and baby brine shrimp are perfectly bite-sized. In terms of dry foods, nano pellets, freeze-dried tubifex worm, and sinking wafers are all good options that have worked well for us.
Once their favorite foods is dropped , they all seem to swarm on it like bees to honey.