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No federal permit to keep

Pygmy corydoras

Corydoras pygmaeus

Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Callichthyidae (Corydoras and armored catfish)

The pygmy corydoras or pygmy catfish (Gastrodermus pygmaeus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae, the corys, of the family Callichthyidae, the armored catfishes.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Beginner

FamilyCorydoras and armored catfish

Adult lengthup to 1.2 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.

Water temperature	72–79 °F (22–26 °C) Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average. The source uses Gastrodermus pygmaeus; this record retains the input CSV name.	254
Water pH	6.4–7.4 Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average. The source uses Gastrodermus pygmaeus; this record retains the input CSV name.	254
Water general hardness	0–8 dGH Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average. The source uses Gastrodermus pygmaeus; this record retains the input CSV name.	254
Adult standard length	30 mm Maximum standard length reported by source; excludes caudal fin, not total body length.	254
Minimum tank base	length: 45 cm; width: 30 cm Minimum aquarium base recommended by this source, not a tank-volume specification.	254
Minimum social group	6 fish Keep at least six with appropriately small, peaceful companions.	254

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 0.8 in / 2.1 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 72–79°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 6–8.
Hardness: 2–25 dGH.
Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 18 × 12 in (roughly 11 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–79 °F, pH 6.4–7.4, 0–8 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Diet: “Any food offered must be small enough for its tiny mouth.”
Tankmates: “It's very peaceful, but doesn't make an ideal community fish due to its small adult size.”
Breeding: “Can be bred in a similar fashion to many other Corydoras species, although the fry require a little extra care due to their size.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Corydoras and armored catfish

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Shallow South American streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Soft sand substrate, groups of six or more, and clean water.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Diet

Sinking pellets, wafers and frozen bloodworms.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Social life

Keep in groups.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Health watch

Barbel erosion on dirty or rough substrate.

Sources 117 119 164 118

Understanding the animal

About this animal

This catfish is found in the Madeira River basin in Brazil.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Pygmy corydoras” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 72–79 °F (22–26 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 2–25 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: brood hiders.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 72–79 °F.

FishBase species summary: Corydoras pygmaeus

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 89°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 70°F (down to 67°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	78–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	83–84% on average (driest month about 80%)
Rainfall	about 2571 mm a year, spread fairly evenly

Measured at 16 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The pygmy corydoras or pygmy catfish (Gastrodermus pygmaeus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Corydoradinae, the corys, of the family Callichthyidae, the armored catfishes. This catfish is found in the Madeira River basin in Brazil. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	The female holds 2-4 eggs between her pelvic fins, where the male fertilizes them for about 30 seconds. Only then the female swims to a suitable spot, where she attaches the very sticky eggs. The pair repeats this process until about 100 eggs have been fertilized and attached. — FishBase
Appearance and size	The pygmy corydoras is a silver-colored fish, with an unbroken black line that runs horizontally along the center of the sides of the fish from the tip of its snout to its caudal peduncle. It has a second thin black line along the lower part of the side of the body, from behind the ventral fins and continuing into the tail. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
History and naming	The first scientific description of the pygmy corydoras was published in 1966 by German biologist and physician Joachim Knaack, in Aquarien und Terrarien-Zeitschrift. One specimen was designated the holotype and one additional specimen was collected as a paratype. The scientific name uses the Latin word pygmaeus, meaning "dwarf" or "pygmy". — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources1in

FishBase 1640.8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1671.2

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources72–79°F

FishBase 16472–79

Seriously Fish species profiles 16772–79

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources6.2–7.7

FishBase 1646–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676.4–7.4

Water hardness

Average of sources1–16.5dGH

FishBase 1642–25

Seriously Fish species profiles 1670–8

Minimum tank footprint

Reported18in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16718

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 18 × 12 in (about 11 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding)
Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.