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My guess would be the pandas arent getting enough to eat, or perhaps the genetics of this bunch of young'uns might not be the best- who knows. I would try adding a couple more wafers per day and see if the problem disipates.
I wouldnt suspect the pleco unless youve seen him killing them. Plecos will often eat dead or dying fish, so it would be hard to judge if he was eating them or not.
Perhaps try adding another supplement to their diets- a slice of zuchinni, some melon, some bottom feeder tabs for bottom feeders (more meaty than algae)- which corys really need anyway.
If you vary the diet, and feed a little more, I suspect the deaths will stop.
Example, for my bottom feeders in my 90g tank (1 polka dot loach, 1 queen loach, 3 weather loaches, 2 USD Cats, 1 Inspector Pleco, 2 ottos, 1 twig cat, 2 bolivian rams, 9 cory cats) I feed this every night: 6 Algae Wafers, 6 Bottom Feeder Tablets (meaty food), 1 tablespoon of sinking crumbles, and some frog food for the 4 ADF's I have.
Then, every 2nd day I feed fresh veggies or frozen bloodworms.
I sure hope you dont lose any more pandas! They are so cute!

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ALSO, as for buckets, I witnessed something not too long ago that freaked me out. I was moving an angel fish from one tank to the other and put him into a container which he could not see out of. He immediately began swimming on his SIDE. I felt so sorry for him. Am I just a sucker ???

Well, I haven given him up yet (Rhino Plec). I really like him and he does a great job keeping the tank clean. And, admittedly, I probably jumped to conclusions after hearing one person say their plec ate their pandas. I do put a large algae disc by the plec, and he eats it right away. Likewise, I put smaller pieces of algae and shrimp pellets all around for the pandas. I am totally baffled here. But will keep an eye on thing. BTW, PuddleCat, you have to go NINETY MILES to LFS??? I feel for you dear. Mine LFS is less than two miles, around the corner. And they are great.

My suggestion for what it's worth, having kept (and bred) Pandas, but without a big Plec in the tank. However, mine DO share their home with 7 Otocinclus ...

Put a whole tablet of food near your Rhino Plec so he doesn't have to move far to start gorging. Then, break up other tablets into little pieces and scatter liberally, so that the Pandas get to find them in corners away from the attentions of the Rhino Plecs & other big guys.

I have to do this in my aquarium, not to protect the Pandas, but to stop them pilfering all the algae wafers from the Otocinclus !!!



Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I have never had such a problem in my experience of keeping huge plecs with small cories, even chocolates. IMO, having one person tell you that their plec would thrash around to get food has nothing to do with your choco feasting on live cories, and does not confirm anything, other than, that like all other fish, plecs can be possessive of their food. Even the clown loaches would be less reluctant suspects, as there have been confirmed reports of piscivorous clownies.

Make sure your lfs will take him back. The owner at mine said no way.
I would probably use a bag to move it. How far do you have to go and how long will it take you to get there? Just keeping in mind the temp. and trying to keep it the same. Its winter where I live and I have a 90 mile drive one way to get to my lfs. Maybe a bag in a bucket! LOL Good luck

there's absolutely no problem using a bucket. do you think a glass environment where the fish can see out is natural? hehehe. alternatively, if it's no problem, just go to the lfs first and ask them for a fishbag.

Thanks PuddleCat...(I love your name). That kind of confirms what I was thinking. I just never knew a bottom feeder to actually eat other fish. Weird. SOmetimes the babies swim right under him and he doesn't bother them. Other times he chases them. Now, my next problem. What to put that plec in to take him back to LFS. I don't like using buckets (do they think they are blind or something when they cannot see around them? I know, I am a softie).

I have a chocolate albino plec and had to remove him from tanks with cories in them. He became agressive as in "all the food is mine" way. No matter how much or what kind of food went in he would chase the cories away using a whip lash tecnique. I removed him and haven't had a mystery fish loss since. Good luck

jan

Well, I have a big ol' Rhino Plec and a rubber plec and three clown loaches to feed as well. Do you still think too much food? I feed once a day. I am so puzzled. My fish have been doing so well, the water tests well, I just can't figure it out. I have seen the Rhino chase the pandas, but never really try to eat them or attack them. I am totally puzzled.

Actually, that might be too much food. I think half a pellet or 1/4 a wafer per catfish is enough twice a day. Of course, you might need to adjust if other fishes are getting them first, but I think it's safe to say that you are not underfeeding.

Last edited by Corydoran at 08-Jan-2005 15:26

I got the first batch of Pandas (adults) about 8 mos. ago or so. There were 7 to begin with. I now have adults, what I call "teenagers" "toddlers" and "infants." It seems to be the "teenagers" that are dying. I cannot think of anything else that may be killing them. Do you not think 10 shrimp pellets and four algae tabs along with flakes is enough food? HELP

I dunno, rhino plecs usually don't bother Corydoras catfish. I don't think that any of your fish would be eating your cories, especially since they are all peaceful. Are you sure that the pandas are getting enough grub? Clown loaches are pretty boisterous, and are better than cories at competing for food. Maybe your cories are starving? Or, maybe it is just old age. How long have you had these catfish?

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