Bandit corydoras care
Corydoras metae · Meta River basin, Colombia
Bandit corydoras are pale gold catfish with a black mask across the eyes and a black band along the back.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 79 °F (22 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 1.9 in
- pH
- 6 to 7
- Hardness (GH)
- 3 to 8 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5 to 10 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep bandit corydoras
Bandit corydoras are pale gold catfish with a black mask across the eyes and a black band along the back. Keep six or more on sand in a 20 gallon or larger tank at 72 to 79 °F; they feed on the bottom, so give them fast-sinking pellets and frozen foods.
Diet: Omnivore: fast-sinking pellets, frozen and live foods such as bloodworm. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Bandit corydoras tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Rummy-nose tetra
2 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Silvertip tetra
2 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Harlequin rasbora
2 in · 10+ gal · 72–81 °F
Zebra danio
2 in · 10+ gal · 64–77 °F
Cherry barb
2 in · 20+ gal · 73–81 °F
Honey gourami
2 in · 10+ gal · 72–82 °F
Lemon tetra
2 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Emperor tetra
2 in · 20+ gal · 73–81 °F
Keep apart
Angelfish: Adult angelfish eat fish under about 2 in; bandit corydoras grow to 1.9 in.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Amazon puffer: Amazon puffers nip slow fish such as bandit corydoras.
Fancy goldfish: Adult fancy goldfish eat fish under about 2 in; bandit corydoras grow to 1.9 in.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as bandit corydoras.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as bandit corydoras.
What a bandit corydoras tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aquarium Co-Op Easy Flow Sponge Filter, Small
A sponge filter gives gentle flow and cannot pull in small fish. It runs from an air pump, with airline tubing and a check valve, all sold separately.
Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon bandit corydoras tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon bandit corydoras tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Bandit corydoras need 72 to 79 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding bandit corydoras.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 79 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank · Heaters for a 20 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common bandit corydoras problems
- Rough gravel damages their barbels; sand or smooth fine gravel suits them.
- Faster fish eat the food before it reaches the bottom; feed sinking food as the lights dim.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Corydoras metae. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Bandit corydoras Gonzalo Valenzuela, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rummy-nose tetra PierangeloGatto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Silvertip tetra Filtropat; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Harlequin rasbora NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zebra danio Roundish, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry barb Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Honey gourami Antoon Dommerholt (Dutch Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lemon tetra SOK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Emperor tetra 7TP (Krzysztof Bartosik), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amazon puffer O. Schneider, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pygmy corydoras Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salt-and-pepper corydoras D.W., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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