New Pandas

[ghent_3rd]

Well, I travelled all the way to Maidenhead Peterborough, approx. 1 hr 15 mins, and it was well worth it!!! I was in Corydoras heaven. There was some splendid displays of Adolfoi and some great Brochis aswell as all the more usual species. I was so tempted by the Adolfoi but they were just slightly out of my price range so it was between Panda or Zygatus and the Pandas just won the day!! I know they aren't all that unusual but we don't really get them that often at my stores in Leicester and they are usually highly priced when I do see them.

I got 8 for £24.00 which I thought was really good and Tim who works there frequents this forum and I have been assured that he will sort me out with a rare type of Cory next time I go, hopefully in about 2 months or so. I hope I made the right decision but from what I have read on here the Pandas are great in big numbers and I have done the right thing not having just 4 of them and 4 Zygatus at this time. I can always get Zygatus next time or one of the other approx. 20 species of cory that they had there!!! All in all a great day out, thanks Tim.

 

[NEONCORY]

Good choice.
Pandas are great. I love them. Just keep them in cooler clean water with nice water movement and they will be happy. Of course, no tankmates or only small peaceful tankmate. And keep up the water maintenance and they probably give you some eggs if there are mature both sex is kept together. It may happen sooner than you think.

 

[Inchworm]

Great choice, ghent_3rd!

I've always been especially fond of pandas. There's just something sophisticated and perky about their attitude that many of the larger corys don't seem to have. And yes, I agree it's better to have more of them than just a few with some of another species.

It sounds like you live fairly close to a really fine lfs. Lucky, lucky you.

 

[timmystood]

LOL! I managed to get you to take my favourite corydoras! LOL! See you in there soon mate.

 

[ghent_3rd]

Aaaahhhhhhhhh, Tim, Tim, Tim...... awesome advice from your good self about the Pandas. They are ssooooo much more active than my Aeneus and I thought they were good to watch! Glad I bought the 8 though now and didn't go for just the 4 and 4 of A.N.Other because they look amazing all flying round the front of the tank. Get your advice head on for my next visit, another plec and some more corys will be coming home with John boy.

 

[ghent_3rd]

One of my pandas looked really ill this morning. It was laying on it's side clown loach style although it did right itself fairly quickly. It now seems a bit better and is swimming a little bit although not like the other pandas in the tank. Did a water test straight away, no ammonia or nitrites and just a touch of nitrates, a fair amount of java fern and amazon frogbit usually dispose of nitrate fairly quickly.

I'm going to study it closely when I feed tonight, it will be easy enough to spot if he isn't feeding, and then I thought about running my airpump for a couple of hours or so. Any other thoughts?? I don't really want to treat the tank for the sake of it because I always think that it does more harm than good. I'm hoping it was just feeling a little under the weather this morning and may pick up. It happens to humans so why not fish?

 

[PC1963]

Hi ghent_3rd

Sorry about your panda ill, that usually happened with panda. In first one or two days after bought from LFS they looking happy and before you know it dosen't move as much, and color pale. That has happend with my pandas too. I lost a few last week but I think panda a little sensitive of environment change, eg pH, temperature most important. I don't have much advice for you because no matter how much I try Panda still hard to keep. I don't have problem with other cory but Panda. Please check your pH and temperature requirement for panda. If your nitrites and ammonia ok the issues may be the pH and temperature.

Most LFS pH around 7.00 and at home fish tank pH a little lower and may cause your cory stress, low body immune, weak your fish and they get ill.

 

[ghent_3rd]

OK so even with the air pump having been on I eventually lost the poorly panda

Such sensitive little creatures, I described my syptons to my Cory expert at my LFS before the fish died and he put me onto a possible gill problem. Well when I took the dead fish out the gills were bright red so I'm guessing he was correct in his diagnosis. I am now treating the tank with Sterazin and will be studying intently over the next 10 days to see if any more pop up with ill-effects.

I hate it when my fish get ill and all water params read fine, if there was an obvious problem then at least I could do something about it!