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Encyclopedia / Catfish & Plecos / Dwarf cory
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Dwarf cory

Gastrodermus hastatus · Corydoras hastatus, Hastatus, Midget cory, Dwarf corydoras

Peaceful, schooling and active in the middle layers; very nano-friendly.

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3.2 cmBody length, without tail ✓
20–26 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
54 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Dwarf cory only grows to 3.2 cm.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Dwarf cory only grows to 3.2 cm.
Not recommended
  • Angelfish eats animals up to about 4 cm. Dwarf cory only grows to 3.2 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.5.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 26 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

358 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓2–12 dGH
Group size ✓8 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Middle
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 1.5–2.5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful, schooling and active in the middle layers; very nano-friendly.

  • sand

Food

Sinking micro-pellets, wafers, frozen bloodworms and daphnia, fed after lights-out.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Females grow larger and, when mature, are noticeably rounder and broader-bodied than males, especially when full of eggs; easiest to see from above.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-scatterer (sticky eggs) · Moderate

Can be bred like most corys: two or more males per female and a large soft, cool water change. The female holds 2-4 eggs between her pelvic fins and sticks them to plants, glass or spawning mops, repeating until up to about 100 eggs are laid.

Pairing

Keep a group with more males than females; condition with live and frozen foods. Males chase females in a 'T-position' before spawning.

Setup

40 L tank with a sponge filter, fine sand and java moss or spawning mops; a cool water change is often what sets them off.

What starts it

A large cool (3-5 C) water change, lower barometric pressure feel, and heavy feeding of live foods.

Eggs

Up to about 100 very sticky eggs, laid 2-4 at a time on glass or plants; they hatch in 3-4 days and breeders add methylene blue or alder cones to stop fungus.

Raising the fry

Move eggs to a hatching tub with an air stone and a pinch of methylene blue or alder cone. Feed microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp; keep water spotless.

Common mistakes
  • Dirty sand that causes barbel erosion
  • Not removing eggs from hungry adults
  • Skipping the cool water change trigger
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouth America – Paraguay basin & parts of the Amazon (Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay)
Rivers and lakesUpper Paraguay River and the Pantanal wetlands
HabitatVegetated swamps and slow, shallow waters
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the dwarf cory

A tiny cory (about 3 cm) from the Amazon and Río Paraguay basins whose key mark is a dark, roughly diamond-shaped spot on the tail base. Unlike most corys it swims in midwater, schooling with similar-looking small tetras.

The husband-and-wife team Carl and Rosa Eigenmann described this tiny cory in 1888. Unlike most cories, it spends much of its time swimming in mid-water shoals. Its small size and lively behaviour have long made it a favourite for nano tanks.

First described by Carl H. Eigenmann & Rosa Smith Eigenmann in 1888.

  • It often swims in open water, unlike most bottom-dwelling cories.
  • Adults reach only about 2–3 cm, making it one of the tiniest catfishes in the hobby.
  • A black spot at the tail base is its most obvious marking.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources