□
Panda Corydoras (Corydoras panda) | Superior Shrimp & Aquatics

Sign In

Forgot your password? Sign Up
1 2

Panda Corydoras (Corydoras panda)

Panda Corydoras (Corydoras panda)

$5.00
$5.00
Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Pack Size: 1

Sub total:

$5.00
View full details
<p>Earn%20[points_amount]%20when%20completing%20this%20purchase.</p>
Description
Reviews
Description
Panda Corydoras - Superior Shrimp and Aquatics
Freshwater Fish

Panda Corydoras

A small, striking Corydoras with a pale white to cream body and bold black eye patches, dorsal spot, and tail base marking. One of the most distinctive and most popular Cory species in the hobby.

White Body with Black Panda Markings Corydoras panda Peaceful Bottom Dweller pH 6.0–7.5 Cool Water Tolerant Shrimp Compatible

Panda Corydoras (Corydoras panda) are a small, visually distinctive bottom-dwelling catfish native to the cool, clear Ucayali River system in Peru. The common name comes from the three bold black markings on an otherwise pale white to cream body -- a black eye mask, a black dorsal fin spot, and a black patch at the base of the tail -- which closely resemble the colouring pattern of a giant panda. This clean, high-contrast two-colour pattern makes Panda Cories one of the most immediately recognisable and most visually striking Corydoras species available, and they are consistently popular for that reason. Like all Corydoras they are peaceful, social, substrate-foraging catfish that occupy the bottom layer of the tank and are safe with the vast majority of community tank inhabitants. They prefer cool, clean, well-oxygenated water and are sensitive to poor water quality and elevated temperatures. Keep in groups of 4 or more on fine sand substrate.

6.0–7.5pH
2–12GH (dGH)
64–75°FTemperature
2 inMax Size
Appearance & Behaviour

The Panda Pattern

Pale white to cream body with three bold black markings -- eye mask, dorsal spot, and tail base. The three black markings of the Panda Cory are consistent between individuals and clearly defined against the pale base colour, giving the species a clean, graphic quality that distinguishes it immediately from the mottled or banded patterns of most other Corydoras. The eye mask is the most prominent feature, giving the fish an expressive, almost cartoonish face at close range. The combination of the pale body and bold black markings makes Panda Cories particularly visible in a planted tank, even in low-light conditions where more uniformly coloured fish become harder to see. Smaller and more delicate than Peppered Cories -- reaching approximately 2 inches at maturity. Panda Cories are among the smaller Corydoras species at full size, which makes them particularly well-suited to nano and mid-size planted tanks where a larger Cory species would feel visually heavy. Their smaller size also means their bioload is proportionally lower, which is a practical advantage in a carefully managed shrimp tank. Social and group-dependent -- keep in groups of 4 or more, 6 preferred. Panda Cories are shoaling fish and show significantly reduced activity, hiding behaviour, and stress indicators when kept singly or in pairs. In a group of 6 they are active, visible, and forage confidently across the full substrate surface. Like the Peppered Cory they should never be kept as a single specimen. Sensitive to water quality and elevated temperature -- more demanding than Peppered Cories. Panda Cories originate from clear, fast-flowing Andean foothill streams and are more sensitive to elevated nitrates, ammonia spikes, and temperatures above 75°F than the hardier Peppered Cory. They are not a beginner fish in the sense of tolerating poor conditions -- they require a cycled, well-maintained tank with consistent water changes and stable parameters. Temperature above 77°F causes chronic stress and shortened lifespan. This sensitivity makes them well-suited to the stable, clean conditions of a well-run shrimp tank. Fine sand substrate is essential -- coarse gravel causes barbel erosion. The sensitive downward-facing barbels of Panda Cories are prone to bacterial infection and physical erosion on coarse or sharp substrates. Fine sand is not optional for long-term Panda Cory health. Eroded or shortened barbels in an established tank are a reliable sign of inappropriate substrate or poor water quality.
Shrimp Compatibility

Peaceful but Active Foragers

Adult Neocaridina shrimp are safe -- shrimplets are at moderate risk. Panda Cories are not aggressive hunters but they are thorough substrate foragers and will consume shrimplets encountered during foraging. Adult Neocaridina at full size are too large to be targeted. Dense planting with Java Moss, Subwassertang, and fine-leaved foreground plants provides the shrimplet cover needed to maintain a breeding colony alongside a Cory group. Shared preference for fine sand, cool water, and clean conditions makes them ideal mixed-tank companions. The conditions that keep Panda Cories healthy -- fine sand, 68 to 74°F, low nitrates, stable parameters, good flow -- are the same conditions that produce the best shrimp health and colour. There is no compromise required on tank setup when keeping both species together in a well-run planted tank. The pale body and black markings of Panda Cories contrast vividly with red and orange Neocaridina. A group of Panda Cories foraging across dark sand in a tank with Fire Red Cherry or Sunkist shrimp produces a warm-cool, light-dark contrast at the substrate level that reads as visually intentional. The white-and-black of the Cories and the vivid reds and oranges of the shrimp share the substrate layer without competing for it. Not recommended for Caridina setups. Panda Cories prefer pH above 6.0 and moderately soft water. Active substrate Caridina tanks running very low pH and KH are not ideal for long-term Panda Cory health.
Keeper's Note

Panda Cories are the most visually striking Corydoras species for a shrimp tank context -- the pale body and bold black markings create a clear visual contrast against dark substrate and brightly coloured shrimp that the more subdued Peppered Cory cannot match. A group of 6 on black sand with a colony of Fire Red Cherry Shrimp and dense green planting is a display that works at every viewing distance -- the Cories are visible and interesting up close, and the collective movement of the group across the substrate reads as clean and naturalistic from across the room. Keep the water cool, clean, and stable, and this combination rewards long-term.

🐠
Browse more freshwater fish

Browse our full Freshwater Fish collection.

→
Before placing your order, please review our DOA Policy Shipping Info
Reviews

Customer Reviews

Based on 3 reviews
67%
(2)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
33%
(1)
A
Anonymous
I will most likely never deal with this place again fish were way undersized and severely

I will most likely never deal with this place again fish were way undersized and severely unhealthy when arived 3 DOA and the rest died in quarantine within 24 hours ... when i contacted them was told oops we sent wrong size fish will credit the differences from youth to juvinile .. bags were also tiny and held very little water............

To add to your comment the new tank was set up by canabalizing an ehiem canister filter and usung frits zyme and an amonia isolater prime ... in the water was tested twice a day as well as substrate plastic plants and rock utilized from main tanks to avoid amonia spikes .. your responce is a pour defense for bad practices i had given you my direct phone in the email a simple conversation could of probably easily made both of us happy but you didnt even take the opertunity i even responded to your email about store credit with no responce but you responded to the review mighty fast.........

Here is a sample (COPY AND PASTE) of trying to get what i would assume is the owner to call to resolve the issue but because i chose to give a bad review chooses to move on . After i esplicitly said i canabalized an active bio enviroment to create an instant stable quarantine . And explained the longer i thought on it and the locall found fish all added to the furiousness...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can call me at ***-***-**** if you would like to discuss.. i have over 40 years in the hobby.  Would never recklessly setup a quarantine tank . So like i said i woukd be happy to discus and time frame was based on the late responce recieved on the 8th and finding the exact size fish i desired and order from you locally for less money added with the time to mull it over it weighed heavy on me making me rather furious. 

Reguards,

Jason Fosco 

-------- Original message --------

From: John Zika

Date: 9/11/26 12:15 PM (GMT-05:00)

To: **********************

Subject: Re: Refund notification

Hi ********,

I’m sorry to hear that the remaining fish didn’t make it. However, I’m concerned about the timeline. Your order was delivered on September 3, and today is September 11—eight days later. You’re now reporting that all of the fish died within the first 24 hours, but our earlier exchanges focused on the individual losses and the size of the plecos. At no point during those discussions did you mention that the entire group had died.

The $28 refund and my subsequent offer of additional store credit were based on the losses and sizing concerns you had reported at the time. Learning eight days after delivery that all of the fish reportedly died within 24 hours changes the situation considerably. Without knowing what happened, I’m not comfortable sending more livestock.

I’ve also seen the one-star reviews you left across your purchases, and it’s clear that you’re dissatisfied with the overall experience. Given the concerns you’ve raised and how this has unfolded, I think it’s best that we go our separate ways.

Although I previously offered additional store credit as a courtesy, I won’t be moving forward with that offer or providing replacement livestock. The $28 refund has already been issued.

John
Superior Shrimp & Aquatics

Anonymous review photo

The quarantine losses are worth walking through, because you told us the tank was brand new. A new tank hasn't cycled, meaning there's no established bacteria colony in it to convert the ammonia the fish produce. Ammonia starts building the moment they go in and it burns gills quickly. An entire group dying inside 24 hours is what an ammonia spike in an uncycled tank looks like. Shipping stress doesn't behave that way. It takes individual fish over several days, it doesn't wipe out a whole group in one window. Panda corys sit on the sensitive end for ammonia and nitrite too, so they show it sooner than hardier species would. This isn't on us and you've been adding esculating reasons to your reviews. None of the fish you got were 'unhealthy'. All email corrispondance shows that you were happy with the order besides the size of the plecos, which we took care promptly.

Our Live Arrival Guarantee covers condition on arrival, since that's the part we pack, insulate, and can actually see. What happens in your water after that is outside our visibility.

For anyone reading this, it's one order posted as five separate reviews across five product pages, including a snail pack where the review is about fish. We responded to this individual in good faith.

T
Tommy Ho
Cute little helpers

I received my order with 6 little panda corydoras. They were swimming upon arrival, but unfortunately, 2 passed away due to stress. The remaining 4 are doing great though!

Thank you, Tommy! We’re glad to hear the remaining panda corydoras are doing great, though we’re sorry that two didn’t make it after arrival. Shipping stress can be tough on little fish, and we appreciate you sharing your experience. If you haven’t already, please reach out to us at support@superiorshrimpaquatics.com so we can take a closer look.

T
Taylor Zambory
Cutie little Cories

They’re so cute and tiny, I love them

Thank you, Taylor! We’re so glad you’re enjoying your tiny Panda Corydoras. They really are adorable little fish! If you have any issues, please email us at support@superiorshrimpaquatics.com.

    Panda Corydoras (Corydoras panda)
    $5.00
    $5.00
    Home Shop
    Wishlist     Log in