I would move Pandas to the tank of their own if I were you. If both tanks which Pandas were in had any casuality or sick(same symptom), I don't see any reason why not combine both groups in same tank together.
The other panda died, and this one is looking normal again. Tank 1 (this one where he is ok) I've moved the clown loaches leaving the pandas and some endlers, and I've left tank 2 (where the panda died) alone except for their due water change, and everyone looks fine. Should I still mix them together?
I would use old substrate(at least half of what you are going to put in the new tank instead of new substrate. So good bacteria and stuff also move to new tank.), hopefully smooth fine sand. Even if it is bigger gravel, I just use the old substrate.(you can change it later when the fish get better) And of course, the matured filter or sponge or whatever. And I even use the water from the tank they are in to fill half up to the new tank. And rest, you can top up with new water. Yes, I think they would do better with lower temperature but lower the temperature slowly. And give some part of the tank with some water current as well as some quiet part. And give enough hiding and cover(cave, driftwood, plants).
My plan was to use tank 2, move the albinos, bronze and schwartzi out, leave the pandas, and move the other pandas up, and leave everything else the same, fine sand substrate and all - sound good? I checked and they are all at 24c at the moment, though away from the heater is 23c they have plants, pots and pipes in both tanks, but they never use them. The second tank has a "river area" as I have some hillies in it until my river tank is done, but may move them with the rest of the corys if I can catch them lol
If all the fish is not seriously sick, I just put some thing like stress coat instead of medication. If any fish is sick and you know what med to use, you can use like half dose of recommend and see how it goes. You can always up the dose if not enough but tough to lower the med if it makes fish stress IMO.
And do some small water change like 10~20% everyday for a while.
-nods- the swimbladder stuff (which I used because of the floaty back end, and bad swimming) seems to have worked at half the dose.
Hopefully, all the things make them feel more ease. I think they will feel better without Clown Loaches. Not only I hear they are pretty active and maybe too active for Pandas to be in same tank. Also they maybe were outcompeting for the food and teritory. Also I would feed well and often with variety of food since you will do water change often and they can use more energy to fight off the sickness. Of course, I would not feed so much that you see the left over in an hour.
I noticed last night one of my clowns took a worm out of the smallest panda's mouth, so they were all moved. Before that I never saw any issues, but know better now, its pandas and endlers only, and the endlers avoid the pandas like the plague lol
Who knows maybe it was just the Pandas weren't getting enough food because of the more active tankmates caused them to become weak and then sick. I know the growing fish need more nutrition than the adults. Then again, breeders need their nutrition also.
they do seem quite happy and active this morning, sans clowns.
I'm sure they would be fine with 2' or 3', just have enough filter to handle. I tend to overfilter than under when it comes to Panda tank. Also, I feed them well since they are either growing young or the adults that produce eggs. Let's see, when they were in 5G. They had 550LPH powerhead with sponge. Which comes 135GPH equal water filtered 27 times an hour. Although it is not that much since the sponge attachment must slow it down. But I don't think it would be too much for filter to process 10~15 times an hour. They just need clean water with high oxygen to do well than other fish in long run IMO. Although all the Pandas we find in store are so far from their original wild strain most had bred and raised and adjusted to the typical community environment of 75F PH7(depends on the local water, they may acclimate to even higher PH) so take your time to change the water parameter if you do. If the difference is too big, you can change in next few days or even a week instead of few hours. Since I think Pandas
I have a fluval 4+ in the 3 foot I think I am going to use and they all seem happy playing in the current side, then digging for food in the calm side. I think the other pandas will be happier up there in that tank as well.
are more delicate and fragile to sudden change than other Corys.
After all they are suppose to originate from near the base of river in higher ground. That is why I believe they do better with cooler water and cooler water have more oxygen. It probably low hardness also althopugh I don't have test for the hardness of water. And you can see from their body shape that they can cope with more water current than many other Corys. They are more slim and they are an excellent swimmer.
they do love playing in the river half of my upstairs tank. Maybe I should leave it as is until my hillies get to big and moody them move them out and leave the river half lol.
Anyway, I hope it works for you. But please remember to stop if you see them stressing with the change. And do take your time. I just don't want your fish to become more sick or die. And like I mentioned, it was one case lowering temperature didn't work well for one person. I don't know what went wrong but we think it was too sudden of a change. But she told me she lost few of the Pandas. So I can never stress enough to do the change slowly and stop if you see your fish showing some stress.
I think today my plan is to collect the other corys from the 3 foot and move them, then tomorrow take the water from tank 1 and mix it with the water in tank 2 very slowly, then slowly add the extra corys and keep them all in one matured tank. Seems like the best plan so far.
thanks so much for the help!
/www.spodbox.org/~saphphx/LittleBlue.htm
