Sterbai Corydoras Care Guide

The sterbai is the warm-water cory — the exact inverse of the panda. It is one of the very few corys that tolerate genuine heat, up to around 30 °C, which makes it the go-to bottom-dweller for discus and warm tropical tanks where most other corys would cook. It is also hardy, peaceful and unmistakable: white-to-cream spots on a dark domed head, the reverse of the typical cory pattern, finished with glowing orange pectoral fins.

Sterbai Corydoras at a glance

The sourced figures the welfare engine uses to judge Sterbai Corydoras — the parseable key facts.

Where it comes from

Sterbai come from the Rio Guaporé (Iténez) basin on the Bolivia-Brazil border, where the type specimen was collected, living in smaller rivers, tributaries and flooded forest pools with soft, acidic water. Hobby sources attribute its standout heat tolerance to those warm native waters — though one caveat worth knowing is that FishBase's 21 to 25 °C figure is a natural-climate descriptor, not an aquarium keeping range, so do not read it as a cap. Unlike the Near-Threatened panda, the sterbai is IUCN Least Concern: it is abundant in the wild and bred commercially in huge numbers, making it both easy to find and an ethical buy.

Did you know?

• It is the discus keeper's cory: the sterbai tolerates around 30 °C (86 °F) — "the best cory for discus tanks" — where most corys would overheat, the exact inverse of the cool-water panda.
• It wears a reversed pattern: white-to-cream spots on a dark domed head and body, the mirror image of most corys, finished with glowing orange-to-yellow pectoral fins that develop young.
• It is named after a professor — Günther Sterba, the Leipzig zoologist and aquarium author.
• It was described in 1962 alongside its mirror-twin, C. haraldschultzi, which has the opposite head pattern: dark dots on a light head, the reverse of the reverse.
• A 2024 name change most hobbyists have not caught up with: it is now Hoplisoma sterbai after the biggest Corydoradinae shake-up in a century split one genus into seven; Hoplisoma is by far the largest of the new genera.
• It is one of the most-kept catfish on Earth — abundant in the wild, IUCN Least Concern, and bred commercially in huge numbers.

Tank size — and why

Plan on about 20 US gallons for a group of six, and step up to 30 gallons or more for larger groups — size by floor area rather than volume, since these are active bottom foragers that want a long, low footprint over a tall column. Seriously Fish allows a smaller 45x30x30 cm base for a small group, but 20 gallons is the safer consensus and leaves room for the eight-plus shoal the fish is happiest in. At around 6.5 cm (FishBase records up to 6.8 cm), the sterbai is one of the chunkier common corys, so it earns its floor space. Fit a lid: corys gulp surface air and can jump.

As a guide, a 20-gallon tank comfortably suits a starter group of about 6–8 Sterbai Corydoras. As floor-dwelling shoalers they want bottom area, not water column, so a bigger group or added tankmates pushes you toward a larger footprint rather than fitting in alongside.

How big does it really get?

Full-grown Sterbai Corydoras reach about 6.5 cm (2.6 in) long, but they are usually sold at only about 2.5 cm (1 in) — a typical shop size (estimate). At full size, Sterbai Corydoras needs roughly a 20-gallon tank, about 76 cm long; a common 10-gallon starter kit is only about 51 cm.

Adult size is sourced; the shop size is a typical-juvenile estimate; tank length is approximate for a standard 20-gallon aquarium.

Water parameters in practice

Temperature is the load-bearing point and the whole reason keepers choose this fish: it sits at the warm end of the corys. The comfortable band is about 24 to 28 °C, and AquariumStoreDepot reports it thrives up to 86 °F (30 °C), "making it the best cory for discus tanks" — Aquarium Co-Op agrees it can take higher temperatures than other corys. On chemistry it is forgiving: soft, slightly acidic water around pH 6.0 to 7.6 (FishBase tolerates up to 8.0) and roughly 1 to 15 dGH, prioritising stability over an exact number. Generally hardy and adaptable, this is one of the easier corys to keep right.

Diet & feeding

Despite the clean-up-crew myth, sterbai are not algae-eaters and will not live on another fish's leftovers — Aquarium Co-Op is clear that you feed them their own food. In the wild they are benthic omnivores, sifting invertebrates and plant and detritus matter from the substrate; in the tank, sinking pellets, wafers or tablets make the staple, supplemented with frozen or live bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp, blackworms and gel foods. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and because these are slow, bottom-level feeders, make sure their share reaches the floor before faster mid-water fish — or greedy warm-water tankmates like rams — strip it. Constant sand-sifting with the barbels is both how they eat and a sign of a healthy fish.

Gear & setup

The single most important choice is fine, smooth sand. Sterbai forage by driving their snouts into the substrate, and AquariumStoreDepot puts it plainly: fine, smooth sand is non-negotiable, because rough or coarse gravel wears those barbels down. Seriously Fish recommends river sand and an Amazon-biotope layout with driftwood and plants; add moderate, well-oxygenated flow. Because this fish lives at warm temperatures, pay attention to oxygen — warm water holds less of it — and keep a lid against jumping. A heater is a given here, since the sterbai's niche is the warm tank.

Temperament & behaviour

Peaceful, hardy and non-aggressive — a model community bottom-dweller with no territory and no fin-nipping. It forages and rests in company and is far more confident and active among its own kind; kept in too small a group it turns shy and hides instead of working the bottom. Like other corys it can lock its pectoral spines erect and deliver a mild sting if handled carelessly, so move it in a container rather than bare hands.

Group & social needs

Keep a group — six is the bare minimum, but eight or more is the real target for a bold, busy shoal. They are obligate shoalers with no sexual aggression and no territory, so the only ceiling is floor space. Singles and pairs are a welfare failure: under-stocked corys hide and stop foraging, while a larger group is visibly more active.

Compatible tank mates (preview)

A short, engine-cleared shortlist — the species TankStocking's welfare engine clears with Sterbai Corydoras and that suit its size and temperament best. Tap any to load the pairing in the planner.

• Amano Shrimp — Peaceful temperament, similar adult size.
• Bamboo Shrimp (Wood/Fan Shrimp) — Peaceful temperament, similar adult size.
• Black Neon Tetra — Uses the midwater zone, peaceful temperament, similar adult size.

A note on the shrimp and snails here: Sterbai Corydoras is peaceful and generally invertebrate-safe — but almost any fish will take very small shrimplets given the chance, so give shrimp dense cover (moss, leaf litter) if you want a colony to grow, rather than expecting every baby to survive.

This engine-cleared shortlist is Sterbai Corydoras's tankmate surface for now — a dedicated tank-mates guide can follow for high-demand species.

Breeding & sexing

Sex them from above: females are larger, rounder and broader-bodied, especially when gravid, while males are slimmer and slightly smaller, with the orange pectorals a secondary cue. The sterbai is one of the easiest corys to spawn and is bred commercially in vast numbers. To trigger a spawn, mimic the rainy season with a large 50 to 70 per cent water change a few degrees cooler than the tank. In the classic "T-position" the female takes the male's milt and deposits adhesive eggs on glass and plants; a conditioned female may lay roughly 80 to 150 eggs (a single-source hobby figure), which hatch in about three to five days. The fry absorb the yolk for two to three days, then take microworms, vinegar eels and baby brine shrimp in spotless water.

Lifespan

Around five to eight years with good care, with five-plus the best-supported figure; some sources cite shorter or implausibly long extremes that are better treated as unverified. What shortens it is the usual cory trio: sharp or dirty substrate eroding the barbels and opening the door to infection, chronic poor water quality, and the stress of too-small a group. Being generally hardy, a well-kept sterbai is one of the more robust corys.

Common mistakes

• Assuming all corys take discus heat — that warm tolerance is exactly what makes the sterbai special; most corys, including the panda and the bronze, do not, so do not buy them for a discus tank and expect them to last.
• Sharp gravel — the number-one avoidable cause of barbel erosion and the infection that follows. Buy sand first, or do not buy the fish.
• Buying too few. Singles and pairs are a welfare failure; keep six at the very least and ideally eight or more.
• Treating them as algae-eaters or a clean-up crew — they need their own sinking food, and as slow bottom feeders they are easily out-competed by faster warm-water tankmates.
• A tank that is too small or too tall — corys need floor area, so a tall nano is the wrong shape.
• Dosing salt or medications at full strength — corys are scaleless and medication-sensitive, so under-dose or avoid salt and copper (genus-level hobby consensus, not a sterbai-specific lab figure).
• Pouring transport water into the tank — a stressed cory can release a toxin in a sealed bag, so net the fish out and discard the bag water.

Signs of trouble

• Worn-down or frayed barbels — the substrate-and-hygiene warning sign; correct to sand and clean water before infection sets in.
• A cory resting clamped and listless, off its food and no longer foraging — a general stress or water-quality cue.
• Frantic, repeated dashes to the surface well beyond the normal air-gulp — poor water quality or low oxygen, the latter a real risk in a warm tank.
• Reddened skin or white-spot lesions — standard cory ailments like ich and fin rot; remember this fish is generally hardy, so trouble usually points to a husbandry slip.

Is this fish right for you?

Do not buy if you are running sharp gravel and will not switch to sand, or if you cannot house a group of at least six. Skip it for a cold or unheated tank — this is a warm-water fish — or for a tank with cichlids large or aggressive enough to bully a bottom-dweller. There is no dyed or balloon ethical red flag here: the albino and melanistic (black) sterbai are legitimate strains, not deformed morphs, and the species is captive-bred in huge numbers and IUCN Least Concern. Quarantine new stock as a matter of routine.

Bringing one home

Float the bag to match temperature, add tank water gradually, then net the fish out and discard the transport water rather than pouring it in — stressed corys can foul a sealed bag. Add it to a mature, cycled tank held at its warm 24-28 °C band, handle it in a cup rather than bare hands to avoid the locking pectoral spines, and quarantine new stock.

Common questions

Can sterbai corys live with discus?

Yes — this is the cory for a discus tank. The sterbai tolerates warm water up to around 30 °C, where most corys would overheat, so it is the go-to bottom-dweller for discus and warm-water community setups.

What temperature do sterbai corys need?

Warm — about 24 to 28 °C is the comfortable band, and it thrives up to roughly 30 °C (86 °F). That heat tolerance is its defining trait and the reason hobbyists choose it over cool-water corys like the panda.

What is the difference between a sterbai and a panda cory?

Temperature, mainly. The sterbai is a warm-water cory (up to ~30 °C, ideal for discus), while the panda is a cool-water cory (20-25 °C) that suffers in heat — they are husbandry opposites. The sterbai is also hardier and has a reversed white-on-dark pattern with orange pectoral fins.

What is an albino sterbai cory?

A legitimate colour strain of the same species — a pale cream-to-pink body with pink eyes that keeps the characteristic orange pectoral-fin spines. A melanistic (black) form is also traded. Neither is a dyed or deformed morph, so there is no ethical red flag.

How many sterbai corys should I keep, and do they need sand?

Six is the bare minimum and eight or more is better — they are obligate shoalers that turn shy in small groups. And yes, fine smooth sand is effectively mandatory: gravel wears down the barbels they feed with.

Sources & confidence

Sources & confidence (9 species)

These back the Sterbai Corydoras figures and the previewed tank mates above. Each figure is read from the TankStocking species database (v2026.06); below is the care reference behind it and how confident we are in that data. Confidence reflects the source quality, not whether any pairing is safe. Full source list and the welfare model are on the methodology page.

• Sterbai Corydoras Corydoras sterbai — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-sterbai) high confidence
• Amano Shrimp Caridina multidentata — Aquarium Co-Op amano shrimp care; Aquadiction high confidence
• Bamboo Shrimp (Wood/Fan Shrimp) Atyopsis moluccensis — Aquariadise (aquariadise.com/caresheet-bamboo-shrimp-atyopsis-moluccensis) high confidence
• Black Neon Tetra Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi — Seriously Fish / Aqua-Fish (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) high confidence
• Black Phantom Tetra Hyphessobrycon megalopterus — Seriously Fish (Hyphessobrycon megalopterus) high confidence
• Bleeding Heart Tetra Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma — Seriously Fish (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma) high confidence
• Boesemani Rainbowfish Melanotaenia boesemani — Seriously Fish; Aquarium Co-Op Boesemani guide high confidence
• Bolivian Ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/mikrogeophagus-altispinosus) high confidence
• Brilliant Rasbora Rasbora einthovenii — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/rasbora-einthovenii) high confidence

Care-guide sources (8)

This guide synthesises the references below; where they disagree, the range and the disagreement are noted in the text above. The figures in the key-facts box are read from the TankStocking species database (v2026.06). Full welfare model on the methodology page.

• FishBase — Hoplisoma sterbai (Sterba's cory) — valid name/authority (Knaack 1962), family, range (central Brazil/Bolivia), max 6.8 cm SL, pH 6.0-8.0, dH 2-25, soft acidic habitat, climate field 21-25 °C (not a keeping range), IUCN Least Concern (2020)
• Seriously Fish — Corydoras sterbai — Guaporé / Bolivia-Brazil, ~6.5 cm, temp 24-28 °C, pH 6.0-7.6, hardness 1-15 °H, sexing, easy spawner, hatch 3-5 days, haraldschultzi distinction, sand/biotope
• AquariumStoreDepot — Sterbai Cory — 6-7 cm, lifespan 5-8 yr, temp 24-30 °C / max 86 °F / "best cory for discus," pH 6.0-7.6, 0-15 dGH, 20 gal, group 6+, fine sand "non-negotiable," albino, sexing, tankmates (discus/rams/cardinals)
• Aquarium Co-Op — Cory Catfish Care Guide — sterbai "can live in higher temperatures," general cory care (group 6+, 20 gal, smooth substrate/barbels, "not algae eaters")
• Wikipedia — Sterba's corydoras (Hoplisoma sterbai) — Hoplisoma sterbai (Knaack 1962), etymology (Günther Sterba), Guaporé range, 5.1-6.6 cm, reversed white-on-dark head pattern, haraldschultzi contrast, albino/melanistic forms, IUCN Least Concern
• Corydoras World — Hoplisoma lineage — lists Hoplisoma sterbai (Knaack 1962); Hoplisoma = lineage 9, ~87-89 species, by far the largest of the new genera
• AMAZONAS Magazine — A massive revision of the genus Corydoras — 2024 Dias et al. revision; one genus split into seven including Hoplisoma (most species-rich)
• Aquariadise — Sterbai Cory — cooler-water spawning trigger (50-70% change), substrate/barbels, sexing, albino (some extracted numbers were garbled and disregarded)

More on Sterbai Corydoras

Related guides on TankStocking — each scored by the same welfare engine as the planner.

This care guide is a sourced planning reference, not veterinary advice — individual fish, filtration and maintenance all matter. Cycle the tank, test your water, and observe your fish. How TankStocking works →