If you’re thinking of buying some cory catfish for your fish tank sometime soon, then you’ll be happy to know that they’re great fish. Cory catfish are considered to be easy fish to take care of for beginners, but you do need to watch out for certain things.
For example, you need to keep the fish tank clean while monitoring the pH balance. It’s also necessary to keep at least six of them in a group to get optimal results.
Thankfully, it’s very easy to feed these fish overall. They aren’t picky eaters, but you do want to feed them the right types of food to help them to thrive under your care.
What do cory catfish eat? Are there certain foods that you should make sure to give these fish?
Continue reading to learn everything that you need to know about feeding cory catfish. You’ll learn about all sorts of things that these fish eat, and it’ll be easier to feel confident when adding these great fish to your tank.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Algae?
Many people mistakenly think that cory catfish will eat algae. These fish generally won’t eat the algae that grows on the walls of the tank, and they won’t touch any algae in the substrate either.
Some bottom feeders are known to eat algae, but cory cats simply don’t do this. It isn’t impossible for these fish to eat food that contains algae, though.
So don’t buy cory catfish thinking that they will clean the tank for you. They aren’t the type of bottom-feeding fish that do such things.
Cory catfish will need to be fed things other than algae to thrive in your tank. Now that you know this, you’ll be able to buy them without the false perception that they eat algae.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Algae Wafers?
There are a lot of people who feed cory cats algae wafers. Most report that the cory catfish seem to like algae wafers as a part of their diet.
It isn’t going to be okay to feed these fish nothing but algae wafers, of course. They will need to be fed other things to be able to grow strong and stay healthy.
Just know that cory catfish usually won’t turn away from eating algae wafers. Many enthusiasts say that cory cats like eating algae wafers as snacks.
If your cory catfish don’t seem that interested in the algae wafers, then just move on. They’ll likely be more interested in other types of food.
Since algae isn’t a normal part of the diet of these fish, it isn’t necessary to give them algae wafers. The fish can eat algae wafers, but they don’t have to.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Fish Flakes?
Fish flakes are something that many people feed to their cory catfish. You can give them fish flakes if you want to, but it’s also fine to not buy flakes for the fish.
The fish flakes do have the right nutritional value for the fish. However, they float on the surface of the water, and this makes it tougher for the cory cats to eat the flakes.
Cory catfish hang out at the bottom of the tank. Some of the cory cats might not get used to having to swim to the surface to eat the flakes.
For this reason, many people stick with food that will sink to the bottom of the tank. However, many enthusiasts give cory catfish flakes, and the fish do get used to going to the surface to eat.
So fish flakes can be given to cory cats if you want to buy them. It’s just not necessary to buy them, and the cory cats would probably prefer to eat food that will sink to the bottom where they like to live.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Nutritional Pellets?
Nutritional pellets will be some of the best things to give cory catfish each day. There are many pellets that are convenient to give these fish.
Since cory cats like to hang out at the bottom of the tank, it makes sense that you would want to give them food that will sink. There are many types of sinking nutritional pellets that you can purchase for these fish.
Just remember to buy the sinking pellets for these fish and you’ll have a good experience. The fish will eat the pellets up and they will be getting the nutrition that they need.
It’s easy to find sinking nutritional pellets at any pet stores that sell fish. You’ll also be able to order the pellets from online pet stores if that would be a more convenient option in your situation.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Snails?
Cory catfish typically won’t try to eat snails. They definitely aren’t aggressive enough to want to go after living snails in the tank.
If a snail happens to die in the fish tank, then the cory catfish will eat the snail. It’s also been reported that cory catfish might try to eat a snail that has had its shell crushed.
So snails won’t be a normal part of the cory catfish diet. You’ll not be able to feed them snails as a treat as you would some other types of fish.
Some choose to keep snails in the fish tank alongside the cory catfish. They will not bother the snails and the snails are often used as cleaners for the tank.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Bloodworms?
Feeding the cory catfish bloodworms on occasion will be a very good idea. Cory catfish seem to love eating bloodworms in various different forms.
If you want to, it’ll be possible to feed cory catfish live bloodworms on occasion. You might choose to give the fish these bloodworms as a special snack.
Some might think that feeding the cory catfish live bloodworms will be annoying. If you don’t like dealing with live food, then the fish will also love eating freeze-dried bloodworms.
Either option is going to be just fine, and the cory catfish will gobble the bloodworms up. Many consider bloodworms to be among the best types of food to feed cory catfish.
They should certainly be a part of the diet for these fish. It’s easy to purchase bloodworms from local pet stores, but you can also order what you need online.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Planaria?
Cory catfish will definitely eat planaria flatworms. They have been known to dig them out of the substrate and munch on them.
Eating planaria will be a normal thing for cory catfish to do. These fish like sifting through the substrate looking for food.
This is a natural behavior for the fish. When they find something to eat such as a planaria worm, they’re going to take advantage of it.
Of course, you don’t need to feed the cory catfish planaria worms to help them thrive. It’s just something that the fish can and will eat.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Veggies?
Vegetables can definitely be fed to the cory catfish. There are many types of vegetables that these fish will enjoy.
It’s good to feed the fish vegetables as a part of their diet. This is because vegetables contain beneficial nutrients that will ensure that the cory cats are getting a balanced diet.
If you want to start giving these fish veggies, then you should try feeding them cucumbers, zucchini, squash, and romaine lettuce. You’ll need to chop the veggies up into cubes so that the cory cats can eat them properly.
Small cubes will be best when you’re trying to feed the fish. Your fish will enjoy eating veggies from time to time.
Just note that you shouldn’t feed the cory catfish vegetables all the time. This should be given to the fish as an occasional treat.
Feeding the fish vegetables too often can wind up being unhealthy for them. You should be able to feed cory catfish veggies three times a week and everything will work out just fine.
It’s also recommended to rotate the vegetables that you’re giving them. This will keep the cory catfish interested in the food.
Do Cory Catfish Eat Fish Poop?
Cory catfish don’t eat fish poop on purpose. Sometimes cory cats will eat fish poop accidentally while they’re foraging for food at the bottom of the tank.
So you can certainly see these fish consume fish poop from time to time. However, they aren’t seeking out the fish poop.
The real answer to this question is that cory cats don’t eat fish poop. Fish poop doesn’t have nutritional value, and it isn’t something that will help the fish to thrive.
If you see the cory cats accidentally suck down some fish poop, then you don’t need to be concerned. It won’t harm them, but it isn’t something they need to be eating either.
Remember to try to keep your fish tank clean. If there is a lot of fish poop in the tank, then that might be a sign that you’re feeding the fish too much or that the tank is overcrowded.
Can Cory Catfish Eat Betta Food?
You know that cory catfish are good community tank members. Many people choose to keep cory cats and betta fish in the same tank.
Bettas are beautiful fish, but it can be hard to find good tank mates for them. This is why it’s so great that cory cats get along well with bettas.
If you run out of normal food for the cory cats, then will you be able to feed them betta food? Yes, they will indeed eat betta food if you try to give it to them.
Betta food contains a lot of protein and the cory cats will find it to be tasty. They don’t hesitate to eat the food when you give it to them.
Just don’t feed them betta food all of the time. Too much protein has the potential to be bad for the fish.
Cory cats need to get plant matter in their diets as well. So you have to endeavor to balance things out.
The Best Food for Cory Catfish
You want to feed cory catfish a varied diet that will meet their nutritional needs. Typically, you’ll be feeding the fish flakes, nutritional pellets, and algae wafers.
This will be the normal type of food that you give the fish. You’ll then be supplementing that diet with other types of foods that are good for the fish.
As mentioned earlier, feeding cory catfish veggies will be beneficial. You should cut up veggies and feed them to the cory cats three times per week.
They will also appreciate eating bloodworms as treats. You can give them live bloodworms or you can choose to purchase freeze-dried bloodworms.
It’s also important to note that cory cats are omnivores that scavenge for food at the bottom of the tank. They might wind up eating leftover food if they’re being kept in a community fish tank.
How Often to Feed Cory Catfish
It’s recommended to feed cory catfish twice per day. Some people only feed these fish once per day, though.
Either option is fine, but you’ll have to feed the fish more at once if you are only going to feed them once per day. Generally, feeding the fish twice per day is seen as the preferable choice.
It’d be wise to try to feed the fish at the same time each day. This will ensure that the cory catfish are getting the nutrition that they need.
Many new fish owners will set alarms to stay on a schedule when feeding fish. One option is to feed the fish before you go to work and to feed them again when you get home from work.
A schedule such as this should work out nicely. You’ll be able to keep the cory cats fed and they will be very content if you’re giving them the right types of food.
How Much to Feed Cory Catfish
You definitely need to know how much to feed cory catfish to get the best results. It wouldn’t be good to not feed them enough food, but you also don’t want to give them too much.
For optimal results, it’s recommended to feed the cory catfish as much as they can eat in three minutes. Do this twice per day and the cory cats will thrive under your care.
As mentioned above, some choose to feed these fish only once per day. This is okay to do, but you’ll need to feed them more at once.
In this situation, it’ll be best to feed the fish as much as they can eat within five minutes. Do your best not to give the fish too much.
Eventually, you’ll get pretty good at knowing the amount of food to give the fish. Until you get used to things, it might be good to time things to try to get it right.
Can You Overfeed Cory Catfish?
Yes, it is indeed possible to overfeed cory catfish. It isn’t recommended to overfeed the cory catfish since it can cause various problems.
One problem involves causing the cory catfish to become constipated. When a fish becomes constipated, it’ll cause it to develop swim bladder issues.
The swim bladder is an organ that helps fish to control buoyancy. When the swim bladder is malfunctioning, it’ll be impossible for the fish to swim around normally.
You might see the fish swimming around in circles or swimming upside down. Things other than constipation can cause swim bladder problems, but constipation is a common cause.
It’s possible to alleviate constipation by feeding the cory catfish a boiled pea. This will make the fish poop a lot so that it can get back to normal.
In the future, you’ll want to be more careful not to overfeed the fish. This will help to stave off constipation issues.
Final Thoughts
Learning about what you should be feeding cory catfish will help you out. Now you know about things that the fish will eat as well as things that the fish won’t eat.
You’ll be able to put together a good diet plan that will keep the fish healthy in your tank. Feeding cory catfish won’t be hard since they aren’t picky eaters, but you will want to ensure that you’re giving them a balanced diet.
Do your best to feed the fish often enough to keep them healthy. Just avoid feeding them too much since that can be detrimental to the fish.
If you have any friends who are getting started with cory cats in their fish tanks, then be sure to share what you learned today. It’ll come in handy for anyone who is trying to care for these fish optimally.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.