Can rainbow sharks live with pygmy corys?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Rainbow sharks and pygmy corys can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 6 inches a rainbow shark can swallow a small pygmy cory. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

Rainbow shark72–80°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Pygmy cory72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 6 inches a rainbow shark can swallow a small pygmy cory. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What works

Both are fine at 72–79°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: rainbow sharks the bottom, pygmy corys the mid.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Rainbow shark	Pygmy cory
Temperature	72–80 °F	72–79 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	6.0 in	1.0 in
Minimum tank	55 gal	10 gal
Temperament	Semi-aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	One per tank	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for rainbow sharks

All rainbow shark tank mates

Better tank mates for pygmy corys

All pygmy cory tank mates

Questions

Can rainbow sharks live with pygmy corys?

Yes, with care. Rainbow sharks and pygmy corys can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 6 inches a rainbow shark can swallow a small pygmy cory. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What temperature suits both rainbow sharks and pygmy corys?

72–79 °F. Rainbow sharks need 72–80 °F, pygmy corys need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do rainbow sharks and pygmy corys need together?

At least 55 gal, set by the rainbow shark. Add space for each extra fish.