TankBud

Nain dwarf cory

Gastrodermus nanus

Also known as Corydoras nanus

FreshwaterFish

Nain dwarf cory (Gastrodermus nanus)
karsten_s · CC BY 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
1.8 in
4.5 cm
Minimum tank
16 gal
60 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
The Guianas

Overview

The nain dwarf cory is a small, peaceful shoaler that needs a group of at least six to stay confident and active. It forages over the sandy bottom with its barbels and suits a calm community of small fish that will not crowd the floor. Feed sinking pellets, frozen daphnia and bloodworm, and crushed wafers, checking that enough reaches the substrate. A group settles well in a tank of around 60 liters or larger with soft sand to sift.

In the wild

Corydoras nanus is native to the Guianas, including the Maroni drainage of Suriname, living over sand in warm, soft, slightly acidic water. Recreate that with a soft sand bed, driftwood, dried leaves, and shaded planting, using clean, gently moving water. Keep the temperature between 22 and 26 C and the pH from about 6.0 to 7.5, with regular water changes.

Good to know

A small armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae, the nain dwarf cory reaches only about 4.5 cm. A dark stripe runs along the flank toward a blotch at the tail base, over a pale, faintly patterned body. Two rows of bony plates armor each side. Regular aquarium spawning is not well documented, though cories of this type lay sticky eggs the female holds briefly between her pelvic fins.

Did you know

Both its names stress how little it is: the species name nanus is Latin for dwarf, while nain is simply the French word for dwarf, a nod to the small, slender build of this Guianan cory.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Nain dwarf cory is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Nain dwarf cory need?

A Nain dwarf cory needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Nain dwarf cory need?

A Nain dwarf cory is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

How big does a Nain dwarf cory get?

An adult Nain dwarf cory reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

Does a Nain dwarf cory need a group?

Yes. A Nain dwarf cory is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

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