All fish / Callichthyidae

Dwarf Corydoras

Corydoras hastatus

Also known as pygmy cory, dwarf cory, tail spot pygmy cory, hastatus cory, micro cory, dwarf catfish, spotted tail cory, コリドラス・ハスタートゥス, koridoras hastatus, 侏儒鼠鱼, 迷你鼠

A tiny greyish silver catfish with a dark spot at the base of the tail edged in pale cream. Unlike most corydoras it spends much of its time hovering in open water in loose shoals, which makes it a lively choice for small planted tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

2.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.8

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Group of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: micro pellets, crushed flake, baby brine shrimp, daphnia and microworms

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Amazon and Paraguay river basins (Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina)

Breeding

An egg scatterer that lays adhesive eggs singly on plants and glass, often after cool water changes. It breeds fairly readily in a mature, planted tank, though the fry need very fine live foods.

Good to know

Its small size makes it easy prey for larger fish, so keep it only with tiny, peaceful tankmates. It is often confused with Corydoras pygmaeus, which has a horizontal stripe rather than a single tail spot.