Can African Lungfish and Bearded Cory Live Together?

African Lungfish is a highly aggressive species (10/10), while Bearded Cory is peaceful (2/10). This notable difference means African Lungfish may occasionally assert dominance over Bearded Cory.

Large aggression gap (8 points) between African Lungfish and Bearded Cory increases stress risk for the more peaceful fish.

African Lungfish and Bearded Cory both frequent the Bottom (Substrate) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Worth noting: African Lungfish is a known jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

There is no temperature overlap between African Lungfish (24–30°C) and Bearded Cory (16–23°C). This fundamental mismatch makes long-term cohabitation impractical.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 6 and 7.4. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 5–12 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house African Lungfish and Bearded Cory together, plan for an aquarium of at least 680 litres with a minimum length of 180 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Providing a mix of open swimming space and sheltered areas with rocks, driftwood, or plants will keep both species comfortable and allow natural behaviour.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Sand (Sifters), Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels), Driftwood (Digestion/Hiding). Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Both species do well with low (still water) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.