Easy
Panda Cory Catfish (Corydoras panda)
20–25°C · pH 6–7.5
From £8.69Some sizes on sale
One quantity buys one unsexed Longfin Panda Cory in the selected size. This peaceful Peruvian catfish is named for its Giant Panda-like pale-and-black pattern. Tropical Fish Co recommends at least six of the same species in a mature aquarium around 60 litres or more, with useful floor space, 20-25 C water, fine non-abrasive substrate and deliberate sinking food.
Hoplisoma panda
Longfin Panda Cory are a shoaling species — they need 6+ to feel safe and show their full colour.
One quantity buys one unsexed Longfin Panda Cory in the selected size. This peaceful Peruvian catfish is named for its Giant Panda-like pale-and-black pattern. Tropical Fish Co recommends at least six of the same species in a mature aquarium around 60 litres or more, with useful floor space, 20-25 C water, fine non-abrasive substrate and deliberate sinking food.
Identify the exact cory catfish before choosing care. Our starting policy for many common medium species is six compatible conspecifics, a mature 60 x 30 cm aquarium of about 60 litres, smooth fine sand and measured species-appropriate water.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
One quantity buys one live, unsexed Longfin Panda Cory in the size selected above. This ornamental longfin form has the familiar Panda Cory pattern: a pale body, black eye mask, dark dorsal marking and black band at the base of the tail, with extended finnage that gives it a flowing outline. Its accepted scientific name is Hoplisoma panda; the former name Corydoras panda is still widely used in aquarium literature.
Longfin Panda Corys are peaceful social catfish for a mature, well-maintained freshwater aquarium. Keep a proper group, give them food that reaches the bottom, and provide clean water, good oxygenation and fine non-abrasive substrate. They forage along the floor but are not algae eaters or a replacement for aquarium cleaning.
| Sale unit | One live Longfin Panda Cory per quantity |
|---|---|
| Sex | Unsexed; sex is not guaranteed |
| Form | Longfin aquarium form of Hoplisoma panda |
| Dispatch size | The size selected above; availability can differ between size options |
| Image note | The gallery image is a representative view, not the exact fish dispatched |
The 2.5 cm, 3–4 cm and 4–5 cm options are dispatch-size bands, not promises about final adult length. FishBase records 3.8 cm standard length, measured to the end of the body without the tail. Retail measurements may use total length, and extended fins can add visible length, so the two measurement systems are not directly interchangeable.
Nijssen and Isbrücker described the Panda Cory from the Ucayali River system in Peru in 1971 as Corydoras panda. The 2024 phylogenomic revision of Corydoradinae moved this member of the family Callichthyidae to Hoplisoma, and current FishBase and Eschmeyer records use Hoplisoma panda. The Panda common name refers to the pale body and contrasting black patches likened to a Giant Panda's pattern. The longfin fish is an ornamental form of that species, not a separate species.
The black eye mask, dorsal patch and caudal-peduncle band are the key visual pattern, although contrast, body shape and fin length vary naturally. Cory-type catfish carry bony armour plates along the body and sensory barbels around the mouth. In mature Panda Corys, females are generally larger and broader when viewed from above, while males tend to be slimmer; the Fishkeeper Panda Cory profile documents that difference. Juveniles and online orders are still sold unsexed because body shape is not a reliable guarantee for every fish.
Plan a same-species group rather than one or two fish. Fishkeeper recommends five or more, Practical Fishkeeping recommends a larger shoal of at least five for Panda Corys, and the Panda-specific ScotCat factsheet advises six or more. Tropical Fish Co therefore uses six as the practical minimum. More can be kept when bottom area, filtration and the complete community plan support them.
Standard-fin and longfin Panda Corys are forms of the same species and can contribute to the same social group. Different Cory species may mingle, but do not use a mixed handful as an excuse to keep every species in token numbers. Peer-reviewed work on Corydoras aeneus documents Cory schooling behaviour, while the exact retail floor of six is a conservative Panda Cory husbandry recommendation rather than a number measured in that study.
Judge the aquarium by usable bottom footprint as well as litres. A 45 × 30 cm base is a published specialist lower reference for a small Panda Cory group; Tropical Fish Co recommends roughly 60 litres or more for six in a community aquarium to provide greater water stability, feeding room and margin for compatible midwater fish. A longer aquarium is preferable to a tall narrow one of the same volume.
Leave open foraging areas and add shaded retreats among plants and smooth wood. Use mature biological filtration with surface movement and moderate flow that does not force the fish to fight a strong jet. Keep a clear route to the surface. FishBase records this species as a facultative air-breather, and specialist profiles note that an occasional surface gulp can be normal. Repeated frantic surfacing or laboured breathing still calls for an immediate check of oxygen, temperature, ammonia and nitrite.
| Factor | Reviewed record | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 20–25°C | Choose a stable point shared by every resident |
| pH | FishBase environmental range: 6.0–8.0 | Do not chase an exact number with abrupt chemical changes |
| Hardness | FishBase environmental range: 2–25 dH | Match acclimated stock and prioritise stability |
| Filtration | Mature biological filter | Ammonia and nitrite should be zero before fish are added |
The broad pH and hardness entries describe the species record, not a guarantee that an individual can be moved rapidly between the extremes. Test the aquarium before ordering and avoid prolonged high-20s community setups: Panda Cory specialists consistently place this species toward the cooler part of the tropical range.
Fine aquarium sand is the preferred bottom because it supports natural sifting. Practical Fishkeeping's Corydoras substrate guidance recommends fine sand and explains the abrasion risk from gravel. Fishkeeper adds an important qualification: barbel damage can involve both abrasion and bacterial problems associated with waste accumulating in coarse substrate.
Avoid sharp or jagged material and keep the bottom clean. Smooth fine gravel is less risky than sharp gravel, but it does not offer the same easy sifting surface as fine sand. Redness, shortening or swelling around the barbels should prompt checks of substrate texture, trapped waste and water quality rather than an automatic diagnosis.
Use complete sinking catfish pellets, granules, tablets or wafers as the dependable base. Fishkeeper also recommends suitable frozen foods such as mosquito larvae and brine shrimp. Feed in more than one place when needed so every fish can reach food, and remove persistent leftovers before they decay.
Corys will take edible particles that reach the floor, but scraps are not a complete diet and algae is not their main food. If fast midwater fish consume everything first, place the sinking ration after the initial feeding rush and watch the whole group rather than assuming food reached them.
They are generally peaceful. Fishkeeper and ScotCat both recommend calm community companions such as smaller tetras, pencilfish and rasboras. Practical Fishkeeping also lists smaller peaceful dwarf cichlids, provided the chosen species shares the temperature range, the aquarium has enough floor space and neither territorial behaviour nor feeding competition harms the Cory group. Avoid large predatory fish, aggressive cichlids, persistent fin-nippers and very boisterous feeders. The ScotCat profile specifically warns that harassment and food competition can keep Panda Corys from feeding; that is especially relevant when choosing companions for the longfin form.
| Often suitable with space | Best avoided |
|---|---|
| Small peaceful tetras | Persistent fin-nippers |
| Calm rasboras and pencilfish | Large predatory fish |
| Other peaceful Cory groups in a larger aquarium | Aggressive cichlids |
| Compatible peaceful dwarf cichlids with sufficient space | Territorial cichlids that harass bottom fish |
| Calm midwater fish sharing 20–25°C | Boisterous feeders that deny bottom food |
No list can account for every individual fish. Check adult size, temperature, behaviour, aquarium dimensions and feeding access, and have a separation plan if persistent chasing or fin damage appears.
Panda Corys can breed in aquariums, but this product does not promise a sexed pair or breeding-ready adults. The Fishkeeper profile describes the classic Cory “T-position”, adhesive eggs placed on plants, decor or glass, and fry progressing from fine first foods to newly hatched brine shrimp. It also notes that separating parents from eggs can improve survival.
Specialist profiles often describe a slightly cooler water change as a spawning trigger. Treat that as experienced breeding practice, not a guaranteed recipe or permission to shock fish with an abrupt temperature drop. Intentional breeding needs conditioned adults, clean stable water and a prepared rearing plan before eggs appear.
Prepare and test the aquarium before dispatch day. Keep lighting low on arrival and follow the current acclimation instructions supplied with the order. During the first days, check that each fish maintains normal posture, joins the group and reaches food. Persistent gasping, isolation, loss of balance, refusal to feed or deteriorating fins is not something to dismiss as settling.
No exact lifespan is promised. The reviewed scientific species records do not provide a verified aquarium lifespan, and outcome depends on age at purchase, stock history, water quality, nutrition and chronic stress.
For the classic shorter-fin appearance, see the standard Panda Cory. You can also compare the Longfin Bronze Cory, browse the South American catfish collection, or return to all freshwater fish for sale. Match species by adult needs and behaviour, not appearance alone.
Live fish are individually bagged with pure oxygen, protected in an insulated box with weather-appropriate heat packs and sent by a tracked courier licensed to carry live animals. The confirmed Wednesday or Thursday delivery date and tracking are sent by email. Current coverage includes most UK mainland postcodes, with exclusions and restrictions explained before dispatch.
The Live Arrival Guarantee applies only under the current policy conditions. Someone must be present to receive the parcel, and an arrival problem must be reported the same day with the required continuous unboxing video. Read the current delivery, postcode and Live Arrival Guarantee terms before ordering; those live terms take priority over this summary.
20–25°C · pH 6–7.5
18–26°C · pH 6.5–8 · 30L
23–27°C · pH 7.4–8.4 · 1000L
20–24°C · pH 7–8 · 45L
24–28°C · pH 6.5–7.5 · 2000L
24–28°C · pH 5.5–7 · 60L
24–28°C · pH 7–8 · 120L
18–28°C · pH 6.5–8 · 20L
22–26°C · pH 6–7.5 · 60L
24–28°C
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 500L
28–30°C · pH 5.5–7.5 · 300L
22–26°C · pH 6–7.5 · 150L
22–26°C · pH 6–7.5 · 200L
22–28°C · pH 7–8.5 · 10L
23–27°C · pH 5.5–7.5 · 80L
