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I have 6 panda cories in my 29g tank. A couple of them have pelvic fins that are a little short...not the normal size. I'm wondering if its my gravel? It is ~3mm in size and pretty round.

They seem fine, not sick, breathing heavy or anything. I just noticed it and was worried.

Is it anything to worry about? What should I do?

I will be setting up another 55g soon and it will have Eco-Complete as substrate. Is that any better for them? If so, I can always move them to the new tank. I plan on having a shoal of albino cories as well.

*Kristin*

This one puzzles me.

You say their pelvic fins look 'short'. Some clarification is needed here.

Are the fins intact, with a healthy membrane, no signs of fraying or tissue degradation of the kind associated with fin rot?

If this is so, then what you describe seems odd to me.

If you can capture this with a camera and post it somewhere so I can take a look, this would be very helpful.

Meanwhile, here are some images of my own Pandas for comparison ...

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3 (Spawning)

Image 4 (Spawning)

Image 5 (Spawning)

Image 6

Given that these are individuals that have spawned frequently, you can take it as read that they are healthy!

As for gravel being a problem, well, as you can see in those shots, mine have lived on gravel quite happily for some time ...


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

In some species of Corydoras, the males have pelvic fins which are pointed and therefore slightly longer than those of the females. I've never checked to see if this is true for the pandas, but it might be worth looking into since you're concerned about these fish. Either way, I wouldn't be worried unless it looks like they may have fin rot.

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Ah, the old Innes book method of separating the genders of Corydoras. Not sure how reliable it is though across the entire Genus. Might work well for some species, and not so well for others.

In any case, the size difference between my male and female Pandas is very noticeable, so i know which ones are which - plus I've seen them spawn goodness knows how many times and had plenty of opportunities to see which is the male and which is the female - not much doubt once you've seen them in the T position


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Well, its hard to describe really. And my Pandas are shy, so I can't get a picture, but I'll keep trying. A couple of them have kind of frayed pelvic fins, but its only one fin. It isn't like they just have shorter ones, one is definitely different. Does that sound like finrot? What causes it? I have some Melafix on hand, should I use it?

My tank is pretty heavily planted, especially in the back, so I can only gravel vac the front and one side. I'm afraid I have some buildup in the back and I hope it didn't make my pandas have finrot.

Should I treat with Melafix?

I have 6, by the way. And my last water parameters (about a week ago, were 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 10ppm nitrate). I'll do some tests in a little while, I have to study some right now.

Your pandas have very long barbels, Cali. Mine don't! My guys have pretty short ones.

*Kristin*

Might be a good idea to treat them.

Oh, and I've used Melafix with my Pandas when I had a case of fin rot after the October Disaster - you can use the full dosage and the Pandas should be OK. Mine tolerated the full dosage quite happily, and all but one cleared up and returned to normal in around 8 days or so. I've still got one Panda with a dicky tail fin because he'd gotten a bad case of tail rot, a lot worse than the others, but it doesn't seem to slow him down when he's chasing a female during spawning!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Doesn't bad water quality cause fin rot? My water isn't that bad though. Parameters come up fine. I add plant ferts atleast once a week, sometimes twice.

I'll try to vac the heavily planted areas, just for my pandas though. I'd hate for something to happen to them.

I have another question about Melafix. I'm going out of town Thurs., so I'll only be able to get in 2 doses before I leave. I'm coming back Sunday. Should I go ahead and do the 2 doses, or wait until I get back. How long should I treat for?

*Kristin*

I'd hold off until you get back, so that the treatment can be continuous. Before leaving, implement a 50% water change and gravel vac to make sure everything is pristine, so that when you return, there should be no worries.

Sometimes, Pandas will come down with illnesses even in pristine water. One of those facts of life you have to live with.

By the way, here's something that might make your gravel vac'in a tad easier in a planted tank, if you're using a DIY gravel vac like me. Get a piece of undergravel filter uplift tube, cut it to a length of about 8 inches, and attach to one end a piece of siphon tube with a watertight seal. Use that to vac between some of your plants.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Sometimes, Pandas will come down with illnesses even in pristine water

That makes me feel better. I keep to my schedule of weekly 40-50% water changes and vac'ing. I am sometimes a couple days late, but never more than that. My nitrates are never more than 15ppm in this tank, so I didn't think it could be my water.

Thanks for the tip on vaccuuming. I use a Python for my gravel vac'ing so I'm not sure if that will work. I guess I could always rig me up something.

*Kristin*