Wild Ledger • Corydoras Guide
A simple feeding guide for healthy, active cory catfish in home aquariums.
Corydoras eat sinking pellets, wafers, micro foods, frozen foods, and small live foods. They are omnivorous bottom feeders, but they should not be treated as “cleanup fish” that live on leftovers alone. To stay healthy, corydoras need a deliberate feeding routine with foods that sink quickly and are easy for them to find on the bottom.
In a home aquarium, the best diet is a mix of high-quality sinking staple food and occasional protein-rich extras such as bloodworms, daphnia, or brine shrimp. Variety helps support steady growth, better activity, and stronger overall condition.
What corydoras eat in captivity
Corydoras are opportunistic omnivores. In aquariums, they do best on foods that reach the substrate quickly and stay intact long enough for them to find and eat comfortably. Their ideal diet includes a balance of plant matter, fish meal or insect protein, and occasional frozen or live treats.
Good everyday options include:
- Sinking cory pellets
- Sinking wafers
- Micro pellets that drop fast
- Crushed quality flakes that sink
- Frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia
- Live blackworms or similar small live foods, when available and safe
They will also pick at leftover food from mid-water fish, but that should never be their main diet. A healthy corydoras feeding plan is intentional, not accidental.
Best foods for corydoras
The best corydoras diet starts with a reliable sinking staple. From there, you can add variety a few times each week.
| Food type | Best use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sinking pellets | Main staple | Best daily option for most tanks |
| Sinking wafers | Main staple | Good if broken into smaller pieces for smaller species |
| Frozen bloodworms | Treat or protein boost | Feed in moderation, not every day |
| Brine shrimp | Variety food | Good for activity and appetite |
| Daphnia | Light supplemental food | Useful as part of a varied routine |
| Repashy or gel food | Supplement | Can work well if the fish accept it |
For most keepers, the simplest and safest approach is this: feed a sinking staple most days, then add frozen or live variety two or three times per week.
How often to feed corydoras
Most adult corydoras do well with one to two small feedings per day. In a community tank, one of those feedings should make sure food actually reaches the bottom before faster fish eat everything first.
If your tank has aggressive or fast mid-water feeders, feeding corydoras after lights dim slightly or after the main school has already eaten can help. The goal is simple: make sure the corys are truly eating, not just searching.
How much should you feed?
Feed based on group size, tank mates, and how quickly food disappears. A small school does not need much, but they do need direct access to it. Beginners often underfeed corydoras in busy community tanks because they assume leftovers are enough.
As a practical starting point:
- Feed a small number of sinking pellets or wafer pieces sized to your group.
- Watch whether all fish join the feeding within a minute or two.
- Adjust slowly upward or downward depending on how much remains.
If the fish stay active, rounded but not bloated, and continue searching naturally after meals, your routine is probably close to right.
What do baby corydoras eat?
Baby corydoras need much finer food than adults. Newly hatched fry usually do best on very small, soft foods that they can find easily on the tank bottom.
Suitable foods include:
- Powdered fry food
- Crushed sinking pellets
- Microworms
- Baby brine shrimp
- Very small portions of softened gel food
Feed tiny amounts more often, keep the bottom clean, and avoid letting old food decay in the rearing tank.
Foods to avoid
Corydoras are not especially complicated to feed, but a few poor choices cause problems fast.
- Large hard foods they cannot break down easily
- Too much rich protein every day, especially as the only diet
- Floating-only food that never reaches them properly
- Old uneaten food left to foul the substrate
- Oversized algae wafers if they are intended for bigger fish and remain uneaten
The best diet is not the most expensive one. It is the one your corydoras can easily access, digest, and eat consistently without polluting the tank.
Common feeding mistakes
1. Assuming corydoras live on leftovers
This is the biggest mistake. Corydoras need dedicated food, not scraps alone.
2. Letting faster fish beat them every time
In community tanks, the food must reach the bottom and stay available long enough.
3. Overfeeding heavy foods
Too many worms or rich treats can foul water fast, especially in warm tanks.
4. Ignoring the substrate
If food rots between feedings, water quality drops and bottom fish suffer first.
Simple feeding routine for most tanks
If you want the easiest workable routine, this is a good starting point for a healthy school of corydoras:
- Feed a quality sinking pellet or wafer once daily.
- Add frozen or live food two or three times a week.
- Make sure food actually reaches the corydoras, especially in community tanks.
- Remove excess food if anything is left after feeding.
- Adjust portions based on body condition, waste, and water cleanliness.
That routine is simple, practical, and enough for most home aquariums.
Frequently asked questions
Do corydoras eat algae?
Not in the way many people expect. They may pick at surfaces, but they are not true algae-eating cleanup fish.
Can corydoras eat flakes?
Yes, if the flakes sink or are crushed and reach the bottom. Still, sinking foods are a better primary option.
Do corydoras need live food?
No. Live food is useful as a supplement, but a good sinking staple can support them well on its own.
How do I know if my corydoras are getting enough food?
Look for active feeding, normal body shape, steady behavior, and no constant frantic searching after meals.
Final answer
Corydoras eat sinking pellets, wafers, and small frozen or live foods. They are omnivorous bottom feeders, but they should not survive on leftovers alone. Feed them intentionally, keep portions moderate, and use foods that reach the bottom quickly. When their diet is simple, varied, and consistent, corydoras usually do very well.
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