Panda's Breeding Too Much

[Sparkle]

My Panda's wont stop breeding. I've already 12 fry, and I currently don't wont any more. The 6 adult Panda's lay about 30 eggs per week, and to keep population in control I am unfortunately destroying eggs.

I've tried talking to them, but for some reason they just stare at me. OK, completely ineffective as they can't understand me.

I know that Cory's tend to breed after a water change. When I do the water change, I heat the new water with a spare heater to prevent drop in temperature. Sometimes the excessive egg laying occurs many days after a water change. They've have always laid their eggs on the glass, but last night they tried to hide their eggs on a piece of plant that was floating around the top of the tank (Platy's vandalise my plants, and pull them out).

My water temperature is 23.5 Celsius (74.3 F), which is a suitable temperature for Panda's, Platy's and Celebes Rainbow's. If I raise the temperature, would that stop the breeding? The only problem with that is that the Panda's and Platy's might not like a higher temperature.

I’ve been keeping fish for only 6 months. I thought Panda’s were suppose to be hard to breed, and have a low birth rate. This is why I chose them to lower the change of population problems.

270 litre tank
- 6 adult Panda's
- 11 female adult/juvenile Platy's
- 5 Celebes Rainbow's

50 litre tank
- 12 Panda fry about 10 days old. When big enough not to be eaten, they will be transferred to the main tank. When they are nearly adult’s they will be sold. I’ve already sold a batch previously.

 

[OldMan47]

I'd like to help Sparkle but I've never had cories take it into their heads to breed in my tanks. The only thing I can suggest is to send them to me. I'd be happy to look after a group of 6 breeding cories.
On a slightly more serious note, you might try raising the temperature to 25 and ease up a bit on the water changes. Don't stop changing water but do it a little less often so it's not quite as stimulating. From what I have read, once a group of cories start breeding it becomes almost habitual. The only way I have seen to actually stop it is to separate the sexes.

 

[lljdma06]

I'd like to help Sparkle but I've never had cories take it into their heads to breed in my tanks. The only thing I can suggest is to send them to me. I'd be happy to look after a group of 6 breeding cories.
On a slightly more serious note, you might try raising the temperature to 25 and ease up a bit on the water changes. Don't stop changing water but do it a little less often so it's not quite as stimulating. From what I have read, once a group of cories start breeding it becomes almost habitual. The only way I have seen to actually stop it is to separate the sexes.

Or, let sleeping dogs lie and have your platies and rainbows dispatch the eggs for you. I'm surprised they don't already eat them. Most small fry won't survive in a community tank and your other fish will benefit from the extra live food. A little gruesome, but it's definitely population control. My platies adored catfish eggs and would follow them around just to eat the eggs after the catfish bred. This is what I do when I have unwanted breeding in my tanks. I don't stop the behavior, I just don't go out of my way to ensure survival of the fry. No saving eggs, no extra feedings, no extra water changes. If one or two happen to make it, they're usually fish you'd want to keep anyway, as they are very strong and hardy.

 

[Sparkle]

Thanks for the replies.

OldMan47 I wish I could sent some to you. I'm only a newbie, so I didn't expect breedoholics. I'm glad I've got Panda's though, as other cories lay even more eggs. I'll raise temperature so that fewer eggs might get laid. It's winter here, and maybe there has been a slight temperature drop during the night.

lljdma06 when there are eggs, I'll let the other fish have a snack. In the past they do not eat the eggs until they are at least 3 days old, and they only eat a few of them. Maybe when the eggs are 3 days old, I'll not feed the fish for a day. I've only fed live food once, and I got whitespot. So maybe the Panda's can supply the live food. They used to lay eggs every 2-3 weeks, but recently it's become weekly. Tonight they are really frisky. Sydney has been getting more rain recently.

I have 12 separated into another tank, as I do want to raise the population a little bit. The Panda's seem to be merrier when there is more of them. Some are growing faster than the others. When I think the larger ones are almost big enough, I'll transfer all the fry to the main tank. The strong will survive, the others will be eaten.

Funnily enough my Platy's haven't been a problem. I have 5 original females (purchased 6 months ago) who have had only 6 fry survive. All the fry for some reason are all females. If I found a male, it would be sold.

 

[Colin_T]

Why do you want them to stop breeding for anyway. Let them do their thing and simply grow the fry up and sell them to the LFS. Use the money you get from them to buy another tank. Most people would be wrapped to have panda cories breeding readily so you should just accept it and be grateful Make the most of it while you can and breed as many fish as possible.

 

[jollysue]

Pandas can be sensitive, but they are very prolific breeders. That is one reason that the fish farms have chosen to "clone" them. (High densitity breed them with hormones, etc.) The other reason is the cutness factor.

I am with those that say let them stay in the tank. I would though put some floating things in the tank. Pandas are mop spawners and will gladly spawn elsewhere than the glass. Not many will survive, as lljdma said. Of those that hatch, most won't manage the rough and tumble of tank life.

I would say though to keep a fresh tank. Pandas will not tolerate mediocre water quality usually.

Be careful raising the temp over 25C (75/77F) with pandas. They can be sensitive to tank changes. That is the upper end of their range and it may stress them. I find that fish at the extreme end of their temp range tend not to do well.

 

[Juice]

You should just let them breed, not all the fry will survive. When you have too many grown up fry then give them away or sell them to your lfs. I wouldnt mind having pandas that laid eggs that much.

Another solution is to find a fish like a barb that will eat the eggs off the glass. I used to have tiger barbs and tinfoil barbs that would peck baby snails off the glass as a snack. I'm sure they will eat most of the panda eggs, which will control the birth rate (there will be some hidden eggs so youll only have 2 or 3 survivors every month)

 

[emmag21]

Im trying to breed Corys atm but not yet been successful, id say you were lucky to have them spawning so easily!! If you dont want to bring them up and sell them/give them away, i think you need to get a fish that will eat the eggs for you, like previously mentioned barbs. xx

 

[Sparkle]

I don't want them to completely stop breeding, it's just become excessive lately. I'm concerned that if I continue as I am and let nature takes its course that too many would survive. I think if the platies & rainbow's miss a meal when the eggs are 3 days old, they are more likely eat a few more. The platies are the dominate species in the tank, but rainbows are likely to eat some eggs as the eggs tend to be laid in the upper region of the tank. I've never seen the rainbows eat eggs, but the they are reputed to eat their own eggs.

I've only raised the temperature to only 24 C (75.2 F). This the temperature during the day, it is probably lower at night after the heater is turned off (not the tank heater, external room heater).

When the juvenile/adult panda population is over 10, I'll sell some. I've sold 6 a three months ago. Soon after I purchased live food, I had whitespot and lost 3 panda's.

I've already on order 4 additional female celebes rainbows, as the male/female ratio balance is wrong (3 males, 2 females). I originally got 6 juveniles, and one that was supposed to be female grew into a beautiful male. A female had to be put down (internal tumour).

The panda fry in the other tank have a filter. The filter was originally a second filter in the main tank, so it cycled. There's no trace of ammonia or nitrite in either tank. I'll probably transfer the fry to the main tank in another 1.5 weeks.

I think with these slight modifications, hopefully population growth doesn't get out of controI. I'll think about some barbs, if I find that too many Panda's survive.

I think my Panda's are spawning easily because my water quality is good (15% weekly water change, nitrAte is very low), 1/3 heavily planted, the tank is large (270 litres / 71 US gallons), and currently not over populated. I'm not sure why some people have trouble breeding them, as mine breed even without me trying and I avoid any drop in temperature when I change the water. The celebes rainbows are also water sensitive and that's why I do regular small water changes.

 

[jollysue]

There are three primary sources of pandas:

Wild Caught--can be hard to get started, but excellent and constant breeders once started.
Aquarium bred--usually easy to get started breeding and constant breeders after.

(Included in both these groups would be a breeding group purchased from a breeder. Of course they are easy to get started.)

The third I mentioned before. The infamous farm bred which I don't recommend for breeding.

Your good care and maintenance has undoubtedly encouraged your pandas. But quality pandas are one of the more easily bred and prolific Corys.

Again, the eggs and fry will not easily survive a busy community tank. Of those that hatch one or two may survive. But I have a very busy Cory community tank with pandas who are busy breeders. When I do not harvest the eggs I have not seen any make it to adults. In the lf panda tank the Cory community is all smaller fish and 1 or 2 have made it, although I have seen dozens darting around. They just can't compete, and they get run over.

Let me know if I am incorrect.

If barbs are aggressive, please don't put them with pandas.