Corydoras: Complete A-Z Species Directory

Corydoras catfish are the backbone of the freshwater community tank. These armored bottom-dwellers have been a staple in the hobby for over a century, and for good reason. They are peaceful, hardy, endlessly entertaining to watch, and they help keep your substrate clean. With over 170 described species (and many more undescribed C-number and CW-number types), there is a cory for virtually every tank setup.

This A-Z directory covers every corydoras species we have profiled at Aquarium Store Depot. Use the alphabet links below to jump to any section, and click on any species name to read its full care guide. We are actively adding new species, so check back regularly as this directory grows.

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A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

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A

• Adolfo’s Cory (Corydoras adolfoi) — Striking black head band and orange nape, a premium species from the Rio Negro

B

• Bandit Cory (Corydoras metae) — Attractive cory with a dark mask-like band across its eyes, from Colombia
• Bronze Cory (Corydoras aeneus) — The most popular and widely available cory catfish, extremely hardy and beginner-friendly

E

• Elegant Cory (Corydoras elegans) — Unique cory that swims in the mid-water column rather than staying on the bottom
• Emerald Cory (Corydoras splendens) — The largest commonly available cory with a stunning metallic green body

H

• Habrosus Cory (Salt and Pepper Cory) (Corydoras habrosus) — One of the three dwarf cory species, a tiny bottom-dweller with a speckled pattern
• Hastatus Cory (Dwarf Cory) (Corydoras hastatus) — The smallest cory species, a true nano fish that schools in mid-water

J

• Julii Cory (Corydoras julii) — True julii with isolated spots (rarely sold in stores; most “julii” are actually three-line corys)

P

• Panda Cory (Corydoras panda) — Adorable black-and-white cory named for its panda-like eye markings
• Peppered Cory (Corydoras paleatus) — Classic cold-hardy cory that thrives in unheated tanks, one of the first species kept in aquariums
• Pygmy Corydoras (Corydoras pygmaeus) — Tiny mid-water cory perfect for nano planted tanks, schools beautifully in large groups

S

• Schwartz’s Cory (Corydoras schwartzi) — Handsome cory with a bold horizontal stripe, sometimes confused with the three-line cory
• Skunk Cory (Arched Cory) (Corydoras arcuatus) — Named for the dark stripe running along its back like a skunk’s marking
• Sterbai Cory (Corydoras sterbai) — The go-to cory for warm water tanks, pairs perfectly with discus and rams

T

• Three-line Cory (False Julii) (Corydoras trilineatus) — The fish almost always sold as “julii cory” in stores, with connected reticulated markings

V

• Venezuelan Cory (Orange Cory) (Corydoras venezuelanus) — Warm orange-toned cory sometimes confused with the bronze cory, from Venezuela

Species Coming Soon

We are actively working on care guides for more corydoras species. In addition to the species listed above, there are hundreds of described and undescribed corydoras identified by C-numbers and CW-numbers in the hobby. Check back regularly as we expand this directory.

Recommended Video

Check out our corydoras tier list video where we rank the most popular cory catfish in the hobby:

References

• Corydoras Species List — FishBase
• Corydoras Genus Overview — Seriously Fish
• Corydoras Species Index — Planet Catfish