Can Cory Catfish Live With Shrimp? Yes, With a Caveat

Yes, cory catfish can live with shrimp. Corydoras are peaceful bottom feeders with small mouths, and they leave adult shrimp alone. The one risk is baby shrimp (shrimplets), which some corys will eat if they find them.

So the answer to “will corydoras eat shrimp” depends on the shrimp’s size. Adult shrimp are safe. Newly hatched shrimp are not, unless the tank has plenty of cover.

The following shrimp work well with cory catfish:

Amano, bamboo, and vampire shrimp are larger, so they are the safest picks. Cherry and Caridina shrimp are smaller and breed more often, so they are the ones most affected by shrimplet losses.

Will Cory Catfish Eat Baby Shrimp?

Many keepers report that most corys will eat shrimplets if they come across them. Cories scavenge along the substrate, so they can pick up baby shrimp by accident while looking for food. They are not active hunters, and baby shrimp spend their first weeks hiding, so a shrimp colony can usually keep growing if the tank is well planted. Keepers report that some species are less likely to eat shrimplets than others, and that sterbai and Schultzi corys are more likely to hunt them. Pygmy corydoras stay around 1 inch and are the usual choice for a shrimp-focused tank.

What Should You Watch For?

Cover for shrimplets. Moss, dense plants, and leaf litter give baby shrimp somewhere to hide.
Well-fed corys. Feed sinking wafers or pellets so the corys do not need to forage for shrimplets.
Copper. Many fish medicines and some treatments contain copper, which is toxic to shrimp and harmful to corys. Check the label first.
Matching water. Most corys do well at about 72-78°F. Caridina shrimp often need softer, more acidic water than cories require, so check each species’ needs.
Group size. Keep corys in groups of at least 4 to 6, which also keeps them calmer around shrimp.

If shrimplet survival matters to you, a pygmy cory species or a breeding box for the shrimp is the safest route.