What tank size does a Sterbai Corydoras need?

A Sterbai Corydoras needs an aquarium of at least 75 litres (19.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.

What water parameters does a Sterbai Corydoras need?

Sterbai Corydoras does best at 23–30 °C (73.4–86 °F), pH 6–7.6 and a general hardness of 1–15 °dGH.

What group size does a Sterbai Corydoras need?

Sterbai Corydoras is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Sterbai Corydoras suitable for beginners?

Yes — Sterbai Corydoras is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.

Species library

Sterbai Corydoras

Corydoras sterbai

Callichthyidae

FishDifficulty: ●●○○○Data: well-established

📷 Matthew Mannell · Public domain · resized · Wikimedia Commons

Sterbai Corydoras — Corydoras sterbai — 📷 Matthew Mannell · Public domain · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The Sterbai corydoras is a strikingly patterned armored catfish from the Rio Guaporé basin of Brazil and Bolivia, easily recognised by the fine white spotting on its dark head and the warm orange flush on its pectoral fins. Unusually among corydoras it thrives in genuinely warm water, which makes it one of the few catfish well suited to a discus community. Peaceful and gregarious, it patrols the bottom on sensitive barbels and is far more confident kept in a shoal.

Care

Keep a shoal of 6 or more over soft, clean sand with gentle flow and warm, well-oxygenated water. Tolerates discus-level temperatures but needs pristine substrate to protect its barbels.

Diet

Omnivorous scavenger that forages the substrate; offer sinking wafers and micro-pellets plus frozen or live daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm, ensuring food reaches the bottom.

Tankmate compatibility

Gets along with (51)

Possible with care (131)

African Butterflyfish Agassiz's Cory Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid Altum Angelfish Amano Shrimp Assassin Snail Banjo Catfish Black Neon Tetra Black Ruby Barb Black Skirt Tetra Blackline Rasbora Bladder Snail Bloodfin Tetra Blue Acara Blue Dolphin Cichlid Blue Tiger Shrimp Blue Velvet Shrimp Boesemani Rainbowfish Borneo Sucker Brichard's Teleogramma Bristlenose Pleco Buenos Aires Tetra Buffalohead Cichlid Bumblebee Goby Butterfly Hillstream Loach Cardinal Tetra Celebes Rainbowfish Celestial Pearl Danio Checkerboard Cichlid Checkered Barb Cherry Shrimp Chili Rasbora Chinese Algae Eater Chocolate Gourami Clown Killifish Cochu's Blue Tetra Colombian Ramshorn Snail Congo Dwarf Cichlid Convict Cichlid Crystal Red Shrimp Denison Barb Discus Doctor Fish Dojo (Weather) Loach Dwarf Orange Crayfish Dwarf Pea Puffer Dwarf Rasbora Ellioti Cichlid Ember Tetra Emerald Cory Endler's Livebearer Festivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 Puffer Firemouth Cichlid Flame Tetra Forktail Rainbowfish Freshwater Clam German Blue Ram Ghost Shrimp Glass Catfish Glowlight Danio Gold Barb Golden Dwarf Cichlid Golden Wonder Killifish Green Discus Green Neon Tetra Guppy Harlequin Rasbora Heckel Discus Japanese Trapdoor Snail Jewel Cichlid Julii Cory Keyhole Cichlid Kissing Gourami Kuhli Loach Lambchop Rasbora Least Killifish Lemon Tetra Leopard Danio Little Corydoras Macmasteri Dwarf Cichlid Malaysian Trumpet Snail Marble Hatchetfish Medaka Ricefish Mystery Snail Neon Tetra Nerite Snail Odessa Barb Otocinclus Panda Corydoras Paradise Fish Paraguay Eartheater Pearl Danio Peppered Corydoras Pictus Catfish Platy Port Cichlid Pygmy Corydoras Rabbit Snail Rainbow Cichlid Ramshorn Snail Red Rainbowfish Red-Tail Shark Redhead Cichlid Reticulated Hillstream Loach Rosy Barb Rubber Lip Pleco Rummynose Tetra Salt and Pepper Cory Saulosi Cichlid Scarlet Badis Scissortail Rasbora Severum Siamese Algae Eater Similis Shell Dweller Skunk Cory Spotted Hoplo Strawberry Rasbora Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp Sunshine Peacock Swordtail T-Bar Cichlid Thai Micro Crab Threadfin Acara Turquoise Rainbowfish Uaru (Triangle Cichlid)Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid Venezuelan Cory White Cloud Mountain Minnow Wrestling Halfbeak Zebra Danio

Avoid (89)

Acei Cichlid Adonis Pleco Auratus Cichlid Bala Shark Black Moor Goldfish Borleyi (Redfin Hap)Brevis Shell Dweller Brichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bumblebee Cichlid Calvus Cichlid Clown Loach Cobalt Blue Zebra Comet Goldfish Common Goldfish Common Pleco Compressiceps Cichlid Cuckoo Catfish Cylindricus Cichlid Cyprichromis Demasoni Cichlid Demon Eartheater Dogtooth Cichlid Duboisi Tropheus Dwarf Petricola Catfish Electric Blue Ahli Electric Yellow Lab Elongate Mbuna Endlicheri Bichir Even-spotted Synodontis Fantail Goldfish Five-bar Cichlid Frontosa Goby Cichlid Golden Julie Green Spotted Pufferfish Green Terror Hongi Cichlid Iridescent Shark Jack Dempsey Jaguar Cichlid Johanni Cichlid Kenyi Cichlid Koi Lemon Cichlid Livingstoni Maingano Cichlid Malawi Eyebiter Malawi Hawk Marlieri Cichlid Masked Julie Molly Multifasciatus Shell Dweller Ocellatus Shell Dweller Oranda Goldfish Ornate Bichir Oscar Peacock Bass Peacock Cichlid Pike Cichlid Powder Blue Cichlid Ranchu Goldfish Red Devil Red Empress Red Terror Red Zebra Cichlid Regan's Julie Reticulated Flying Fox Rostratus Rosy Red Minnow Royal Pleco Rusty Cichlid Ryukin Goldfish Sailfin Molly Sailfin Pleco Salvini Cichlid Sand-sifting Xenotilapia Shubunkin Goldfish Silver Arowana Silver Moony Star Sapphire Striped Raphael Catfish Taiwan Reef Cichlid Telescope Goldfish Texas Cichlid Threadfin Petrochromis Tropheus Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)Wolf Cichlid Zebra Mbuna

Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.

Telling males from females

What works for this species, most reliable first.

Width from aboveStrong · from about 8 months, once they are adult-sized
Corydoras are sexed from directly above, never from the side. Look down at the group while they rest on the sand.
Bristles and cheek spinesA hint only · from about a year
Male plecos grow odontodes — spiny growths on the cheeks and along the leading pectoral rays. Bristlenose males additionally grow branching tentacles across the snout and over the top of the head.

All the methods, with diagrams

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Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Sterbai Corydoras need?: A Sterbai Corydoras needs an aquarium of at least 75 litres (19.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
What water parameters does a Sterbai Corydoras need?: Sterbai Corydoras does best at 23–30 °C (73.4–86 °F), pH 6–7.6 and a general hardness of 1–15 °dGH.
What group size does a Sterbai Corydoras need?: Sterbai Corydoras is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the Sterbai Corydoras suitable for beginners?: Yes — Sterbai Corydoras is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.

Sources

Water & tank

Temperature23–30°C

Optimal temp.25–28°C

pH6–7.6

Hardness (GH)1–15°d

Carbonate (KH)0–10°d

Adult size6.5 cm

Min. volume≥ 75 L

Min. tank length≥ 60 cm

Group size≥ 6

Swimming zoneBottom

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowModerate

Lifespan~8 yrs

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