Cories And Shipping.

[n3ont3tra]

I've bought a lot of panda cories from liveaquaria.com over time, usually two or three at a time. They never seem to do well, and they are either DOA or die within a few days. I have two other pandas that I've had in the tank for over a year now. I'm pretty sure the fish are healthy when they are shipped, so I'm assuming it's shipping stress that causes the problems. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[jollysue]

Pandas, especially fish farm pandas, are more sensitive than some other species. I have had wild caught pandas shipped and never lost one. Aquarium bred that I had shipped from a breeder did fine, but I lost one in a filter intake soon after I recieved them. Farm bred pandas that I have bought--I wouldn't bother shipping them--are less vital than well bred pandas.

I have been told by an importer that aquarium bred fish are less adaptable than wild caught. Wild caught fish and especially river fish like Corys, must deal with variations in their environment often, but aquarium bred have more stable water coditions. They also are protected and raised without the challenges of the wild that thin and strengthen the species.

All you wanted to know and more--haha.

Anyway, pandas are notorious for not doing well and being sensitive. As I said my wild ones are sturdy and active. The panda species in captivity has been weakened by poor breeding practices by fisah farms.

I would recommend that you find an importer or a good breeder to purchase your pandas from. Where do you live?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

There is a trick experienced cory shippers know about to greatly increase survival rates. When corys get scared they produce a "toxic" chemical. If this happens in the bag, they litterally kill themselves. What experienced shippers do is use a trick called kick the bucket.

Corys to be shipped are put into a bucket of clean water. Then the bucket is given a kick to startle the fish. This is repeated several times at intervals. The fish let out the chemical in the bucket. They are then bagged in clean water and shipped.

I doubt if liveaquaria.com uses this trick.

 

[n3ont3tra]

There is a trick experienced cory shippers know about to greatly increase survival rates. When corys get scared they produce a "toxic" chemical. If this happens in the bag, they litterally kill themselves. What experienced shippers do is use a trick called kick the bucket.

Corys to be shipped are put into a bucket of clean water. Then the bucket is given a kick to startle the fish. This is repeated several times at intervals. The fish let out the chemical in the bucket. They are then bagged in clean water and shipped.

I doubt if liveaquaria.com uses this trick.

That.... sounds like total BS to me. But where did you hear it?


jollysue, I live in SE pennsylvania.

 

[jollysue]

It is true, I am told by Cory shippers, that Corys or some Corys do sometimes release a toxin that can kill them if they are in a bag. But usually when shipping, after the fish is caught it goes into a holding container, then to the bag when it is ready. This process of catching, releasing to holding, and recatching to put in the bags does generally take care of that problem if any Cory is inclined to be suicidal.

I have recieved hundreds of Corys from a variety of shippers. Usually they do fine. But occasionally they are not well prepared, bagged and packaged. If there is a delay and they have not been prepared well, one dies, and then the whole bag can go quickly. I have recieved my share of horrors. Often many who do arrive alive after that will not survive. I am inclined to think that the pandas you recieved were of the sensitive kind. Some more sensitive fish will not acclimate well to the conditions. If you buy from a breeder with soft water and a low PH and your conditions are hard water with a high ph and the fish are sensitive, no amount of acclimating will do much good. It takes weeks and months for fish to acclimate to some new conditions. If the fish are solid, they will acclimate.

I do have about 15 panda juvies. They are about 5 months old or more. They are F1/F2 from the fish I mentioned before. If you are possibly interested in some, PM me. It is not possible for me to tell their gender yet. If they were peppers or bronze they would already be tying to breed, but pandas seem to develop more slowly. I shipped LF albino peppers to ICEEGRL and they did well, although two died much later: a very young fry failed to thrive and eventually died and an adolescent died later of unknown causes. I had sent 2 young fry extra with the package, so she has the five she wanted. She has been busy trying to get viable fry from them.

 

[n3ont3tra]

Thanks, jollysue, I might be interested in a few weeks.

 

[jollysue]

I might be ready in a few weeks.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

That.... sounds like total BS to me. But where did you hear it?

I was taught that trick by a well known cory breeder/seller out of Chicago (screen name Fishnut2). He was taught it by Eric Bodrock of All Oddball Aquatics who is also a well known cory breeder and seller out of Pittsburgh.

 

[n3ont3tra]

Okay well then I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the info.

 

[Coryman]

That.... sounds like total BS to me. But where did you hear it?

I was taught that trick by a well known cory breeder/seller out of Chicago (screen name Fishnut2). He was taught it by Eric Bodrock of All Oddball Aquatics who is also a well known cory breeder and seller out of Pittsburgh.

Removed under protest

Ian

 

[jollysue]

Hi Ian! Good advice.

 

[Coryman]

Hi Ian! Good advice.

Hi Sue,

Good to see you back, although I have also been a little scarce. The new day job has been getting in the way.

Ian

 

[Snooks1!]

Heyo, jollysue, I don't suppose you have some pygmy corys you'd be willing to sell eh? I've been looking into getting some corys for my new 5 gal hex tank I'm setting up...but I believe that pandas would be too big for it. If not, do you think that panda corys would do well in a 5gal hex?

 

[Tolak]

That.... sounds like total BS to me. But where did you hear it?

I was taught that trick by a well known cory breeder/seller out of Chicago (screen name Fishnut2). He was taught it by Eric Bodrock of All Oddball Aquatics who is also a well known cory breeder and seller out of Pittsburgh.

Rich is a member of our club, on & off. He's been getting a lot of plecs imported in the last few months, seems he is concentrating on breeding them again. Nice guy, dedicated breeder, he was doing zebra plecs a few years back. I've hung out with him & caused trouble on numerous occasions.

Since he is getting plecs imported, he got some angels in, I bought half a dozen at yesterday's auction while we hung out & made fun of each other & whoever else was nearby. Bucket kicking sounds like him.

 

[jollysue]

I would ask Ian, Snooks1, since you got him close by. I would not put a group of pandas in a 5 usg for long. But the dwarfs would be ok, probably, especially if it is well planted. But they are a little too sensitive for my taste. Maybe my water doesn't suit them. But they didn't do well in my tanks, so maybe I should not give advice on them.

Thanks for the welcome, Ian. Glad to see you too. Always glad to hear your advice. I am better, mood wise, since the move, and the fish room is a big help. I am not stumbling over hoses all over the house. My fish like it better too. I see fish I never used to see, as well as being able to see the fireplace that used to have a 125 usg African Rift tank in front of it. What new job?

Tolak, you are so baaaaad! I want some Plecs.