How To Breed Corydoras Panda?

[ant0]

I've been searching around on the internet for how to do this and i've read the temp should be around 23 degrees and to start them spawning i should change some water and feed them at the same time because this is what happens in the wild with colder waters triggering spawning. Thing is though, i did have 5 of them. I've lost 1 due to a phantom disease and have been treating for whitespot recently so have had to raise the temp to 26+ so lost another It's back around 24 degrees now and i'm feeding them a high variety of foods as usual and they're perking up again

My tank is as follows: 15 gallon with 1Xguppy, 3X honey gourami, 8X neon tetra, 3X panda cory and 1X oto. The PH of my tap water is around 7.6-7.8 and hardness about 12. There is a 50/50 sand-fine gravel substrate and a number of areas the corys like digging (at the front of the tank)

Is it possible to spawn them? I'm thinking i should maybe introduce a sandy area at the back of the tank too? Can anyone give me some tips, or isnt it possible given my other fish and water conditions not exactly on the mark for it...? Also if it is possible then where should the eggs be hatched? i've got a spare 10 gallon tank not in use that i use for emergencies and so on. Thanks for any advice

edit: and regarding sexing them... to my knowledge the females look wider and the males? anyone got a male and female side by side? I'm finding it hard to tell by looking at them

 

[NEONCORY]

Yes, most definately. You can spawn Panda corys. But if you are serious about it, I would give them their own tank if I were you. It does not have to be big. 10 G should do. I done that with 5G tank for months. So you mentioned that you have 10 G. You might want to set up that tank for them. And 3 can be possible if there are female(s) and male(s). I would increase the group to 6 or so. You can read my link here for detail.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=172821

It is like my Panda breeding record.

I found that they do better with cooler temperature high 60'sF to low 70's. With good water current. They prefer clean high oxygenated water so frequent water change is good. Once or twice a week. They are not big Cory so they don't lay eggs in 100's like some big Cory. They lay about 10~20 but often. I get eggs about every 4~5 days.
Just feed them well with variety of food. High quality flakes, pellets to some meaty food. Especially some kind of worms.
And soon enough, you'll see the difference of female from the male. Her stomech would be so stick out that she have to stand her vental fin to hold her own body weight. Then you will have the egg laying mom.
Also your ph seems high although I don't know if that stop them from breeding since I never kept mine in that kind of water. I keep mine in near nuetural to acid side. 6.8~7.2 or so.
Anyway, I would use smooth sand for substrate and put few bog wood and some plants. Especially some kind of Moss like Java or X'mas since they sometime use them to lay eggs. I also get eggs on the glass and spawning mop.
Good luck breeding them . I personally think they are pretty easy to obtain the eggs but raising maybe little more challenge. Since they are more delicate specie than some Aeneus or Pepper so I hear. Which I never kept them so I can't compare.

 

[ant0]

thanks for the advice! I was planning on settingup the 10gallon with the DIY fishfood cylinder filter Will let you know how i get on, love the little critters!

 

[ant0]

i've read your thread and its very interesting, just got one question though. When you collect the eggs what did you put them in? Also what did you feed the fry?

 

[NEONCORY]

Let's see how many one more question I can answer.
I usually collect in the morning after they lay eggs. My Pandas usually make eggs at night. It can be late and sometime it can be long. I cannot wait them to finish sometime. ASometime it happens even after the light out. Beside you cannot really collect the eggs until few hours after they are laid. The eggs need few hours to harden the shell. I tried to collect immediately after it was laid. It was just too soft and the egg burst in the thin water. So I learned.
I know some people use some tapperware or ice cream container or breeding net. But I usually use the plastic cup and stick the air hose from the air pump and let it float in some tank with temperature around 75~78F. I use the clothpin to hold so the cup won't flip over. Since the parents tank is little too cool and takes longer to hatch. I also change water in the cup with parents tank water as I see it need.
I usually start feed the frys around the time they lose their egg sack. I use walterworms(microworms) or vinegar eels. Since it is easy to maintain and no need to hatch(baby brine shrimp).
I let them out of the captivity when they are week or 2 old and let them join with the parents. Since adult Panda seem does not eat young, well at least mine doesn't. Eggs yes frys no. Also they seem grow better. Maybe because there are more food choice. They can find some micro organism in the moss and sponge filter on the powerhead intake as well as flakes and pellets and walterworms I feed to the breeding adults. Also less worry for me. I have to worry about the amount and frequency of food and water quality if I keep them in the smaller container. And I can't be there all the time to care for.
This is how I do it but you can always find the way it works for you. I just can't mention enough that Panda do well in cool high oxygenated clean water with some water current. So you can have them long time and many generations.
more

 

[ant0]

I've got a 7.5 gallon 12*12*24 tank set up with the DIY filter as shown here its been bubbling away from a day now and creating a nice current in the tank. I've got it at 23 degrees with 5-10mm sand and some driftwood and a floating plant or two. I put gravel, carbon and sponge in the filter from my main tank. How long before the corries can be put in there? also will they feel more secure with a backdrop in the tank?

edit: will the eggs be okay in a breeder net?

 

[NEONCORY]

I'm sorry but I can't say how long you need to wait before putting Cories to the new tank since I don't have much experience of that.
But here is what I usually do when I decide to set the new tank or split the tank or move to bigger tank. I usually set up the extra HOB, canister, sponge or powerfilter with sponge in the similar tank weeks in advance. As a matter fact, I usually have 2 filters running in some of the tank.
Anyway, I take such extra filter(which is running for week or more) and put in the new tank and run it for a day or 2 when I use the new substrate(sand, gravel whatever) to clear the water. I usually start the new set up with 50/50, 50 new tap and 50 old water. I usually do the water change on the tank they are kept and save those water, let it set for few minutes so all the stuff settle and take the cleaner top part and fill the new tank with it till 50% of the tank capacity. And fill them up with decholarinated tap for the rest. Of course, you need to adjust the water parameter(temperature, ph and gh) for the similar to the water parameter the fish was kept.
These things can be done while you are keeping the new fish in the quarantine tank. I usually don't hurry since I like to be safe than be sorry. And I would like to make the moving as stress free as possible.

Although I never made the DIY filter on the thread, it may not be enough to handle the capacity of your tank. Of course, I suppose everything depends on the number and size of the fish and size of the filter also. And if you are talking about the Pandas, they will be much happier with stronger current than the most air pumped filter can create. Like little river or stream like more horizental not much vertical water movement. So I usually keep them with powerhead with sponge or HOB powerfilter. I'm sure the canister would be fine but I don't have any that I can't afford beside my Panda tank are small.
So if you can find more stronger filter, I think it would be better. I don't think you can never over filter the tank. And I believe Pandas need more oxygen and clean water than many other Corys to do well. Especially in the long run.

I'm sorry I can't give you definate answer but I like to do it cautiously than regret later. Maybe you can post your question on as setting new tank and someone with more experience can give you more clear answer.

 

[ant0]

put them in the tank early on todayand they settled down quick. Been out tonight, fed them a bit of wafer when i got back and now they're all zooming up and down, back and forth in the tank, mostly in the high current near the filter. A good sign?

 

[NEONCORY]

The Pandas are usually pretty active at evening although you have to tell us more info before we can tell it is a good excitement or bad panic.

How many did you get? And how big are they?
Are there any other fish?
What is the water parameter(temperature, ph, gh)?
I assume you have some filter create high water movement. But what kind is it?
I assume you have 7.5 G. Is it correct?
What is the set up like substrate, plants and decorations?

I hope it is a good kind of their excitement. Which usually happen when there are good number of group that is close to be adults or young adults in right condition.

 

[ant0]

The Pandas are usually pretty active at evening although you have to tell us more info before we can tell it is a good excitement or bad panic.

How many did you get? And how big are they?
Are there any other fish?
What is the water parameter(temperature, ph, gh)?
I assume you have some filter create high water movement. But what kind is it?
I assume you have 7.5 G. Is it correct?
What is the set up like substrate, plants and decorations?

I hope it is a good kind of their excitement. Which usually happen when there are good number of group that is close to be adults or young adults in right condition.

i've only got 3 at the minute, i suspect 2 females and 1 male although im not 100% on that. They're between 4-5cm I had 2 older ones but they died several weeks ago

There are no other fish in the breeding tank

Water parameters: 24 degrees, PH7.6, GH 12
Filter: DIY one as discussed earlier. It has sponge, gravel and carbon from my old tank
7.5G is correct yes. There is a large peice of driftwood with 5-10mm of sand all over. I haven't installed a backdrop yet or any plants- should i do this to make them feel more secure? When I get close to the tank they occasionally get spooked and run off fast and hide

 

[NEONCORY]

Sounds ok except I still worry about the DIY filter and alkaline ph. And yes, you should put the backdrop and more plants to help them feel more secure. I don't know how big is the DIY filter and how much workload it can handle. It wouldn't hurt to get another filter or powerhead to create better water movement. I know my Pandas enjoy the river like water movement. And of course, if the filter situation become better and well established, it would be nice to have few more friends for them.
And to me, 4~5 cm is pretty big for Pandas. And I'm sure they are capable of make some eggs. Feed them well with variety of food and do the water change often and keep up the water quality up. I'm sure you'll see the female(s) become rounder. And they'll lay some eggs for you.
And usually they go all over the tank swimming together and not go up to the surface for the gulp of air, it is a good sign. And they are almost ready to spawn. And usually the male(s) start to chase the female or try to place himself in front of the female to form T position.
So good luck with them.
I don't know that is your tap water or what but the ph is pretty high. I hope it is close to the store ph that they were kept. You might want to check that. If they are kept and raised in more nuetral or acid side of the water, you might want to lower your ph slowly. However the Pandas don't do well with sudden change. And some people claim that messing with water parameter is worse than having not so optimal water but steady. So you might want to get many opinions before do any adjustment. Because I can only tell you from my experience and I am not a scientist nor Corydoras expert with 40~50 years of experience.

 

[ant0]

I don't know that is your tap water or what but the ph is pretty high. I hope it is close to the store ph that they were kept. You might want to check that. If they are kept and raised in more nuetral or acid side of the water, you might want to lower your ph slowly. However the Pandas don't do well with sudden change. And some people claim that messing with water parameter is worse than having not so optimal water but steady. So you might want to get many opinions before do any adjustment. Because I can only tell you from my experience and I am not a scientist nor Corydoras expert with 40~50 years of experience.

i'm wary of getting change ph chemicals, they seem healthy and like scurying around the tank, plus the shop i got them from leicester, which afaik is the same as my tap water - ph7.6ish medium hard water. I'm feeding them 3-4 times a day as i read a lot of food in variety is ideal. Also daily water changes - around 25% at 10-15 degrees lower or so. ill rig up the background and some plants. I could put the filter from my main tank in there, how long could i take it out of my main tank with the diy filter in there?

 

[NEONCORY]

Although 7.6 is generally high for the Pandas. If they came from the store that kept them in the similar water parameter for a long time, it should be ok. Although I don't know about the long term since I never kept any Corys in such a alkaline water. I'm sure some cory out there may prefer that type of water but I don't think Panda is one of them in general.
But probably good idea to ask the store where they came from(breeder's location or Country) and also how long they were in the store.
I don't use the chemical to adjust the ph either. I do use small peat bag in the HOB filter if I have only acid loving fish in the tank. Which most of my Tetras are.
And about your filter situation. I don't know how big and what is in your main tank but I wouldn't swap it. If you do, now the main tank have some inadaquate filter. I imagine the main tank must be bigger than 7 1/2 tank. It would be nice if you can obtain some other filter like sponge since it is easy enough to split the air supply and run it with your DIY filter. Or you can make another DIY, ideally bigger so have more capacity to filter water. Although it would be even better if you can get the filter that can create stronger current like powerhead, high rated HOB or canister filter.
But I understand not everyone can afford all the aquarium supply in short notice. I am self is cheapaskate and I do many DIY but I believe the DIY filter you post in the thread is really strong enough for the tank but more like breeding tank, spawning tank or fry container IMO. I suppose it can be use in the smaller tank if the DIY filter size is big. But regular fishfood container is pretty small.
I can be wrong and I hope someone else could give you advice. But one thing is sure that almost never hurt to overfilter I think. After all the Nature has a giant filter.