I keep reading that cory catfish must be bought in groups of 6 or more.?

Will the fish die of "lonely stress" if I only buy one? Do certain breeds of cory catfish function better alone than others like panda or bronze?

I keep reading that cory catfish must be bought in groups of 6 or more.?nortan

Cories are schooling fish, which means they feel safer in groups. While he may not die of lonelyness, he would feel better in a group, and anyways a group of cories just look cute together. But I have had one alone and he did just fine.

I keep reading that cory catfish must be bought in groups of 6 or more.?noton

Yes they will do much better in groups of 6 or more. They won't usually die of being lonely, but they will not be active at all when kept in small groups. 6 or more and they will be much more happy and active. I don't know why 6 is the magic number, but even in groups of 5 they are much less active than if I have 6.
The Sterba's Cory prefers a dark, soft-bottom aquarium shared with upper to mid-water dwelling species, and they don't have to be in schools. A sparse array of plants, tepid clear water with some current, and allowance for plenty of free-swimming space will provide an optimal environment.Sterba's Cory is omnivorous and will require a well balanced diet including dried, flake, frozen, and live foods. Feed a quality flake and pellet food as well as frozen brine and live worms