If you have recently bought a Cory catfish or shrimp, or if you are interested in building an aquarium, then you might be wondering whether a Cory catfish can live with shrimp or not.
Can Cory Catfish Live With Shrimp?
Yes, you can keep cory catfish and shrimps in the same tank.
Both Cory catfish and shrimps are easy-going and won’t be aggressive or hostile towards each other.
While Cory catfish is unlikely to harm the shrimps in your aquarium, they may sometimes eat shrimp eggs or shrimp babies.
But that should not be a problem, and it’s unlikely to have any major impact on the shrimp population in your fish tank.
Research suggests that Cory catfish and shrimps are able to survive in several environments even if the situation gets tough.
That being said, you should never force a Cory catfish into a situation where things might get out of hand.
Best Shrimp Species to Keep with Cory Catfish
Below are some of the best shrimp species you can consider keeping with you cory catfish in the same tank:
- Ghost shrimp
- Red cherry shrimp
- Amano shrimp
- Bamboo shrimp
- Vampire shrimp
- Caridina shrimp
Is Cory Catfish Aggressive?
Cory catfish are not aggressive at all, well, at least the commonly preferred species that every pet store tends to sell.
By nature, Cory catfish are friendly towards their own species, as well as, other buddies they may find in a fish tank.
So, in terms of their aggression, they pose no threat to the shrimp around them.
You can easily place Cory catfish and shrimp in a single fish tank, given that you are meeting all spatial and cleanliness requirements.
However, the thing that you need to consider here is that there are several subspecies of Cory catfish in the world. While most of them are amiable and calm, some might be poisonous.
Rest assured, the common ones that people tend to keep in their tanks are very friendly and would not even think of harming their aquarium friends.
This is the reason why they are very popular in the fish community and can be easily matched with other aquatic animals to fill your fish tank.
What’s interesting here is that these peaceful Cory catfish species prefer to hide instead of going on the offense when they are scared or threatened.
On the other hand, the poisonous species might not attack the aquatic animals around them directly, but they do have the ability to generate certain kinds of toxins from their body that may be fatal to any marine life around them.
Rest assured, they do not use their toxins on a whim, only when they feel incredibly threatened.
So, if you do not have a poisonous Cory catfish on your hands, the shrimp, even the tiny ones, should be safe.
For the most part, a Cory catfish is going to leave the shrimp undisturbed and go about its own business.
Shrimp Species: Do Cory Catfish See Them As Food?
Several shrimp species are used as popular food options for different aquatic animals such as Betta fish and many more.
However, most Cory catfish species do not eat shrimp, especially when they are receiving other forms of fish feed.
The reason why Cory catfish do not prefer shrimp is because they are too big for their mouth. Some species might eat shrimp eggs or newborn shrimp if they do not find anything else, just because of their small size.
Overall, Cory catfish do not particularly hunt for shrimp even if they are placed in one tank.
Brine Shrimp
Just like bloodworms, frozen live foods, and daphnia, brine shrimp is an absolute favorite for most fish that people tend to keep in aquariums.
Similar is the case with Panda Corys.
If you have Panda Cory, it is not a good idea to keep them in the same tank with brine shrimp because there is a very high chance for them to eat the brine shrimp when hungry.
This particular species of Cory catfish are known for being excellent hunters and scavengers.
They can scavenge anything that drops to the bottom of the aquarium and does not have a problem eating brine shrimp.
However, since they have small mouth, they won’t bother shrimps that are bigger in size.
Panda Corys are very different from Pygmy Corys because they are the most peace-loving species when it comes to Cory catfish.
They do not mind sharing with other aquatic animals, which means they won’t have a problem thriving with shrimp either.
Cory Catfish Diet
So, if a Cory catfish won’t eat shrimp, then what will you feed it?
A Cory catfish can easily consume any primary fish foods such as fresh and pellets.
You can provide them with feeder tablets, shrimp pellets, and even algae wafers to satisfy their hunger.
Other than this, daphnia, frozen live foods, and bloodworms are also a tasty treats for many Cory catfish species.
One thing to note, Cory catfish do like to consume little eggs that they might find in the aquarium.
So, if you are placing shrimp with them in a single fish tank, you should keep this in mind.
Even though the Cory catfish will not harm any mature shrimp, they can be a hindrance if the shrimp in your aquarium is trying to mate.
If you are interested in breeding your shrimp, try placing them in another fish tank just to keep them safe.
At the same time, if you are providing your Cory catfish with enough food options, there is very less chance that they would even bother the babies or the shrimp eggs.
As long as you are feeding your Cory catfish, they will not become a nuisance when it comes to the shrimp babies or eggs.
In the wild, a Cory catfish are known to consume almost everything, as long as it fits in its mouth.
Therefore, as long as any tank mates such as the shrimp are larger than their mouth size, they would be safe. Other than this, there is nothing to worry about in terms of aggression or foul play.
The Bottom Line
To put it simply, Cory catfish are non-aggressive aquatic animals that can live happily with shrimp in a singular tank.
As long as you provide food to your Cory catfish on a regular basis, there will be peace between them and the shrimp.
Enough food options will also reduce the chances of them bothering baby shrimp or the eggs.
Keep in mind, that in an event where your Cory catfish consumes any shrimp eggs or fry, it won’t really have a negative effect on your shrimp population right away.
We hope this info is useful for you in resolving your issues on Cory catfish and shrimp can thrive in harmony together in a single fish tank or not.
As a fish pet owner or breeder, it is vital for you to provide nutritious food for your shrimp and Cory catfish to maintain the best living environment for both species.
Lastly, it is always wise to research before adding any new aquatic species to your aquarium so that all tank mates can live in harmony.
So, in short, we’re glad you’re reading this!
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