Cory Catfish are one of the most popular fish in the aquarium hobby and it’s easy to see why. Their lively character and cute appearance make them an attractive choice.  On top of that, they’re relatively easy to care for and the most common species do not require any special treatment.

But before getting a group of Cory Catfish, you might wonder how big they get. In this article, I’ve tried my best to make the ultimate resource on 25 Cory Catfish species and their size. If you like this post, please consider sharing it with your friends. 

Corydoras size

Cory Catfish are existent in all different sizes. From small dwarf species to almost giant fish: it’s a diverse genus. But how big do Corydoras usually get?

The average size of Cory Catfish to  2 to 3 inches (5-7,5cm) in full length, depending on the species. Smaller dwarf species stay under 1 inch (2,5cm), while big species can get over 4 inches (10,0cm) in length.

The Cory Catfish that are sold in the pet stores are most likely juvenile fish. So, they will grow quite a lot in your aquarium. 

Species overview (Corydoras Size chart)

There are 162 species of Corydoras. Not all of them have names yet, so some have been given a number (Cw…) similar to l-numbers. Although most Cory Catfish stay in the range of 2-3 inches, it’s obvious that not all of them are this size. Here is a size chart with some of the most common species and their size. Click on the name to scroll to the full info chart.

Cory Catfish always need to be kept in sizable groups. How big these groups need to be depends mostly on the tank size. If you want to learn more about how many corydoras to keep, make sure to read our blog post.

How many Corydoras should I keep?

Bronze Cory Catfish (C. aeneus)

The bronze Cory Catfish or Corydoras aeneus is the most popular Cory Catfish kept. In pet stores, they are often sold as juveniles, so they are often small when bought. In reality, this is one of the bigger Cory Catfish species.

Bronze Cory Catfish get around 3 inches (7.5cm) in full size. Males stay smaller, getting up to 2,5 inches (6,5cm). 

Photo by Jes

Albino Cory Catfish (C. aeneus)

Albino Cory Catfish are the same species as Bronze Cory Catfish, but they have been domesticated to get their white color. They are along with the Bronze Cory the most popular Cory Catfish and become a reasonable size in captivity.

Female Albino Cory Catfish get around 3 inches (7,5cm) in full-grown size, males stay smaller, getting up to 2,5 inches (6,5cm)

Black Cory Catfish (C. venezuelanus)

The black cory catfish was long thought to be the same species as the Bronze Cory (C. aeneus). Later it became C. venezuelanus sp. black.

The full size of Black Cory Catfish is 2,2 inches (5,5cm). Males stay a little smaller, getting up to 2 inches (5,0cm).

Sterba's Cory Catfish (C. sterbai)

Another popular Cory Catfish species, due to its beautiful pattern and orange accents. This species can tolerate higher temperatures, which makes them great for in Discus tanks.

The full size of Sterba’s Cory Catfish is 2,5 inches (6,3cm). The size of males is 2,3 inches (5,8cm).

Peppered Cory Catfish (C. paleatus)

The peppered Cory Catfish has a pattern similar to the barbatus Cory Catfish, with sometimes cool green reflection. It also tolerates lower temperatures of 68°F (20°C).

Peppered Cory Catfish are a rather small Cory Catfish species, getting up to 2,3 inches (6cm) in length. Males usually stay a little smaller than females.

Photo by James Green

Panda Cory Catfish (C. panda)

Corydoras panda is one of the most popular small Cory Catfish and it isn’t hard to see why. They’re very beautiful catfish, with black patches across their body, which is where it’s got its names from.

On top of that, Panda Corydoras are a small species, suited for many tanks.

Panda Cory Catfish are one of the smallest Cory Catfish that usually get up to 1,5 inches in length (3,8cm). Males stay a little smaller than females.

Photo by Harry Kramer

Pygmy Cory Catfish (C. pygmaeus)

Corydoras pygmaeus or dwarf Cory Catfish are one of the smallest Cory Catfish species. What’s fun about this species is that they not only swim in the bottom layer of the tank but sometimes act as schooling fish, swimming in the middle layer of the tank.

This species is often confused with the Dwarf Cory (C. hastatus) due to their very similar appearance. Yet, C. hastatus has a very typical tail spot (hence its common name, tail spot Cory).

Pygmy Cory Catfish are one of the smallest Corydoras species and the average Pygmy Corydoras size is around 1 inch (2,5cm). Males stay a little smaller, although that’s often hard to notice due to their small size.

Photo by Johnny Jenssen

Tail-spot Cory Catfish (C. hastatus)

Corydoras hastatus is a rather rare species in the aquarium. It’s very similar to C. pygmeaus and has similar behavior.

Corydoras hastatus is a very small Corydoras species, getting up to 1 inch (2,5cm) in full size. Males stay smaller, although that’s hard to notice due to their small size.

False Julii Cory Catfish (C. trilineatus)

The false Julii Cory Catfish is often confused and sold as Julii Cory Catfish, which is where they got their common name from. However, with some attention, it’s rather easy to tell both apart. 

False julii Cory Catfish length is around 2,5 inches. Males stay smaller and slimmer. They are slightly bigger than Julii Cory Catfish, which makes them easy distinguisable

Julii Cory Catfish (C. julii)

The real Julii Cory Catfish is less common than the False Julii Cory Catfish. It also stays a little smaller, which makes them ideal for a 15-gallon tank.

The adult size of julii cory catfish is around 2 inches or 5cm in full length. MAles stay somewhat smaller. Julii Cory Catfish are smaller than the often confused with Corydoras trilineatus.

Salt And Pepper Cory Catfish (C. habrosus)

Corydoras habrosus is one of my personal favorite Cory Catfish: it’s a fun and active Cory Catfish to look at and their cool pattern makes them very appealing. It’s a rather small species, but not as small as often said. They can live in tanks upwards of 15 gallons.

Salt and Pepper Corydoras are relatively small species, but not as small as often thought. Females get around 1,5 inches (3,8cm) big, males often stay smaller.

Photo by Adam B.

Emerald Cory Catfish (C. splendens)

This is one of the biggest Corydoras species. If you have a suitable tank and are looking for something more prominent, this might be what you’re looking for. 

One of the biggest Corydoras species. The emerald Cory Catfish size is 4 inches (10,0cm), males stay smaller getting up to 3,5 inches (7,8cm).

Photo by Nonstickron

Gold/Orange Laser Cory Catfish (Cw010)

The gold laser Corydoras almost seems like it’s domesticated. Yet, it’s a fully wild species with a very special pattern. They get rather big, so a 25-gallon to 30-gallon tank is recommended.

The full size of the orange laser cory catfish is 3 inches (7,5cm). Males can get up to 2,8 inches (7,0cm)

Green Laser Cory Catfish (Cw009)

The gold laser Corydoras almost seems like it’s domesticated. Yet, it’s a fully wild species with a very special pattern. They get rather big, so a 25-gallon to 30-gallon tank is recommended.

The full size of the orange laser cory catfish is 2,5 inches (6,4cm). Males can get up to 2,3 inches (5,9cm)

Barbatus Cory Catfish (Scleromystax barbatus)

This is not really a Corydoras species, but it is very similar in terms of behavior. They get very big and are slimmer than Cory Catfish species. They can also live in colder water.

Barbatus Cory Catfish are the biggest Cory Catfish species. Their full size is 5 inches. Males are only slightly smaller.

Adolfo's Cory Catfish (Corydoras adolfoi)

The adolfo’s Cory Catfish is often confused with the Broad Stripe Cory Catfish (C. duplicareus). You can tell them apart because the Adolfo’s Cory has a less broad stripe on the back and gets bigger.

The full size of the Adolfo’s Corydoras is 2.2 inches (5,6cm). Males reach full size at 2 inches (5,2cm)

Smudge Spot Cory Catfish (Corydoras similis)

The smudge spot Cory Catfish is a smaller species, suited for tanks upwards of 15 gallons.

The full size of C. similis is 1,5 inches (3,8cm), males stay smaller, up to 1,3 inches (3,3cm).

Twosaddle Cory Catfish (Corydoras weitzmani)

Corydoras weitzmani gets around 2,2 inches (5,5cm) in full-size. Males stay somewhat smaller and slimmer.

Bandit Cory Catfish (Corydoras metae)

The full size of Corydoras metae is 2 inches (5,1cm). Males stay smaller than females, up to 1,8 inches (4,6cm).

Delphax Cory Catfish (Corydoras delphax)

The full size of Corydoras delphax is around 3 inches (7,6cm). Males stay smaller, getting up to 2,8 inches (7,0cm)

Skunk Cory Catfish (Corydoras granti)

The full size of Skunk Cory Catfish is 2,2 inches (5,5cm). Males stay smaller, getting up to 2 inches (5,0cm).

Robust Cory Catfish (C. robustus)

This species certainly hasn’t stolen its name. It’s one of the bigger Corydoras species, suited for tanks upwards of 50 gallons.

The full size of the robust Cory Catfish is 3,5 inches (8,9cm). Males stay smaller, getting up to 2 inches (5,0cm).

Photo by: ?

Horseman's Cory Catfish (Corydoras eques)

The full size of Corydoras eques is 2,0 inches (5,1cm). Males stay smaller, getting up to 1,8 inches (4,6cm).

Sources

A lot of the info I’ve gathered from this blog post is coming from the Planet Catfish website. Make sure to bring it a visit, as it’s the best resource online.