The short answer
Corydoras are peaceful, sociable bottom dwellers that get along with almost every calm community fish. Their best tankmates include:
- More corydoras — always keep a group of six or more of the same species
- Peaceful mid-water shoalers like neon tetras or harlequin rasboras
- Guppies, platies and other calm livebearers
- Otocinclus, bristlenose plecos and shrimp
Keep them in a group first
The single most important “tankmate” for a corydoras is more of its own kind. They are shoaling fish, and a group of six-plus lets them forage, rest and play together the way they should. Compatibility with other fish is easy because corydoras occupy the bottom and stay out of everyone’s way — the things to avoid are large or aggressive fish that might eat or harass them (big cichlids, aggressive gouramis) and anything that monopolises food before it reaches the substrate.
Make sure they get fed
Because corydoras feed on the bottom, they can go hungry in a busy tank where mid-water fish grab everything first. Add sinking pellets or wafers so food reaches them, and don’t rely on them to “clean up” leftovers alone — that’s a myth that leaves them underfed. A soft sand substrate keeps their barbels healthy.
For the right numbers, see how many corydoras to keep together and how many fish you can keep. Read the full corydoras care guide, browse the fish food hub for sinking foods, and if you want a bottom-focused tank, see the best bottom-dwelling fish.