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Jason, it's a pity you're in Malta where your fish are parboiled - if at some point you can get a cooling system, then I'd highly recommend you try Pandas, because with the fish you've kept already, you'll be well placed to look after them.

And if ever you DO branch out into Panda Corys, believe me, you'll NEVER need a television set ever again!

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I started with 4. Then made it 8. Plus 4 babies from last year, and now I'm acquiring a second generation of babies from the first lot. Treat them right, you'll soon have more

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

wow nice article very informative. i have 6 of these and kinda want to get more lol]]

Great article! Lots to look forward to with these wonderful lil guys, n gals. Thanks!

Very interesting and informative article Calilasseia
Thank you

Rock and roll, RM!

Oh, I've got another one too ... hoping this one survives now I've got Hornwort in the nursery aquareium

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Update: I ended up having SIX Panda fry in all! they are so precious. I think more may be on the way. A female is huddling, occasionally with a male, under the rocks where the first fry were beget. I am wondering if there are some very small ones under there? The parents seem very very nurturing and protective, not like swords or platys who eat their young.

Congratulations RM.

Sadly, mine expired last night, despite my best efforts to save them. Cause unknown. Sigh.

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

WOW!! I have now counted FOUR of the little baby darlings in my tank. And you are right, have Pandas? No need for TV! I love them. I watch my babies now for a good hour every evening. They are growing and growing. They have their little black patches now. I can't believe I had four babies and never noticed them til last week.

NOTE : This post is BIG. Panda keepers might consider the copy, paste & read at leisure routine

The Panda Catfish, Corydoras Panda, is one of the most delightful members of a Genus already well-known and well-loved for its droll, comical and expressive fish species, and one that deservedly attracts a number of devoted fans among fishkeepers specialising in Corydoras Catfishes. This article is devoted to their care and breeding, and also contains a few other pieces of information for the aquarist intent upon acquiring this species as part of a collection.

First, I shall devote some space to taxonomic and geographical information. The Panda Catfish is fully classified as Corydoras panda, Nijssen & Isbrcker 1971, and was first collected by one H. Richards in 1968. The species is native to Peru, particularly the Huanaco district, and is found in the Rio Aquas, Rio Amarillas (tributary of Rio Pachitea), and the Rio Ucayali river system. The maximum SL for this species is cited in most reference sources as 55 mm.

The Panda Catfish hails from waters that are fed directly from Andean meltwaters, as well as the extremely heavy rains that fall to the east of the Andes Mountain Range, and consequently prefers the cooler regions of the tropical temperature spectrum. The temperature range according to my maintenance experience lies between a low of 16C and a high of 26C, although adults will survive temperatures as high as 28C for short periods. However, the Panda Catfish is a species that very definitely does NOT like being 'cooked', and consequently is incompatible with warm-water fishes such as Venezuelan Rams (Papilochromis ramirezi). Fry and young juveniles are even more heat sensitive, and temperatures above 26C will kill them in fairly short order, as I discovered to my great dismay during the heatwave that hit Britain in August 2003, when daytime temperatures reached as high as 38C. Consequently, I shall recommend that they be maintained at temperatures of around 22C-23C ideally, and that they be housed with fish species that are comfortable in that temperature range. Their home waters have very low mineral content, and one should aim for a pH of around 6.8, with a hardness not exceeding 8 dH, and preferably some way below this. The pH tolerance of this species ranges from around pH 6.4 to pH 7.4 in my experience, although some aquarium-bred individuals may live in waters beyond this range. However, excess acidity is defintely NOT to their liking, and a pH below 6.0 is NOT recommended, as this could prove catastrophically fatal.

Because their home waters tend to be clean, and the substrates of their home rivers are likewise clean, Panda Catfishes will NOT tolerate gunk-filled gravel beds, which again will prove catastrophically fatal. Pandas are much more fussy in this regard than many other Corydoras species, and the aquarist intent upon maintaining these fishes should pay scrupulous attention to water changes and gravel vac operations. However, this scrupulous attention will be handsomely rewarded, as I shall reveal in due course! Furthermore, a little extra care and attention acclimatising new arrivals is welcome, as juvenile Pandas in particular seem to be somewhat e to shock if suddenly transferred to water whose chemistry differs significantly from the water in which they were raised. Time spent performing this operation carefully will again reap handsome rewards in the future, as I shall reveal ...

Because Panda Catfishes are expressive, lively fishes, a stimulating environment is de rigeur for them. Natural plants, bogwood decorations with abundant lush growths of Java Moss and Java Ferns, providing caves and other nooks and crannies to inspire their inquisitive natures, are ideal, and if given an environment of this kind, they will prosper. Furthermore, Panda Catfishes share with the smaller Corydoras species such as pygmaeus a tendency to be more avowedly social than the larger members of the Genus, and seem to need the psychological security afforded by numbers. Four should be considered a bare minimum number, and if one can gather together a group of 8 or more, then they will reward the aquarist's generosity handsomely. Given an aquarium environment rich in stimuli, subject to scrupulous attention to cleanliness, these delightful little fishes come alive spectacularly, and offer the aquarist some truly hilarious Corydoras 'comedy moments' during their bustling activity around the aquarium. Indeed, these fishes exude an almost mammalian degree of cuteness that is not normally associated with fishes, and with the combination of the Panda eye patches, long barbels and scurrying activity over the substrate, resemble hamsters more than fish! In my experience, Pandas also appreciate being given an undulating substrate with 'hills' and 'craters' to explore, so when I perform gravel vac operations, I try to ensure that the gravel bed is suitably interesting for them: they seem to know that this is being done for their benefit, and will cause a few headaches with respect to gravel vac operations by following the gravel vac around, waiting for tasty titbits to be brought into 'sniffing range', as it were! Oh, and take care with substrate choices in the Panda aquarium - rounded gravel and sand particles to avoid barbel irritation and barbel loss are the order of the day.

Once settled into their home, they will explore their environment with a level of curiosity that is fascinating to watch. My Pandas regularly perform tricks such as swimming upside down, Synodontis style, under the bogwood arch in their aquarium, surfing the powerhead bubbles and sitting on plant leaves swaying in the current, almost like budgies on swings! They will also play 'tag' with certain other fishes in the aquarium: this is harmless fun on their part, and Pandas seem to be especially endowed with a sense of humour to match their expressive faces.

If kept in a community aquarium, a little thought with respect to their companions is due. Ideal companions include other Corydoras Catfishes (they would probably perform even more mirthful antics if kept with pygmaeus), various small Characins such as Cardinals and Lemons (both of which share my Pandas' home), and Otocinclus sucking catfishes, with which the Pandas will sometimes play 'tag'. My Pandas also share their home with Beckford's Pencil Fishes, which led to an interesting moment demonstrating their intelligence. During a live food banquet, one of my Pandas was happily munching upon a Bloodworm, the 'red spaghetti' darting back and forth in and out of its mouth as it chewed away, when a male Pencil Fish stole the Bloodworm right out of its mouth. The expression on the Panda's face was a picture to behold - it was tempting to mentally insert the words "Hey! Where did that go?" at this point. Soon afterwards, the 'mugging victim' took to sitting upon his Bloodworm to prevent future thefts! Not only this, but somehow, he communicated this to the other Pandas, and now, they all sit upon their Bloodworm as if taking no chances!

This brings me nicely on to feeding. Variety is the spice of life with all fishes, but with Pandas, it seems to reap special rewards. Interspersing feedings of live foods with high-quality flake, and moreover, different varieties of flake, brings them into peak condition in pretty short order. My own approach is to feed Daphnia, Brine Shrimp and Bloodworm all mixed together, so that the Pandas can pick and choose their favourite morsels from a sort of fish smorgasbord, and they will partake of all three with relish. Frozen Bloodworm will, in all probability, be appreciated too, a relief for those aquarists unable to obtain the live variety, but if live food can be obtained, then do so, as Pandas will become even more perky and active than usual if given such treats.

Once a group of juveniles has been acquired, and settled into a new home, the aquarist may notice that they begin swimming up and down the aquarium glass in groups, alternating this with 'powerhead surfing', seeming to take a delight in swimming against the current. These behaviours all have sound underlying reasons: firstly, swimming against the current is an instinct they acquired in their native home, where fry are carried downstream by some of the rapid currents that can occur in their home waters. Swimming upstream to return to their birthplace is a fairly strong instinct in Pandas, and they are likely to surf powerhead bubbles much more than other Corydoras species, other than hillstream natives. The 'glass swimming' will, if watched closely, be accompanied by 'cleaning' activity, where males in particular seem to spend time removing unseen bits of detritus from the glass. This is, along with the current swimming, preparation for maturity and impending parenthood! Moreover, males will be observed engaging in ceaseless 'cleaning activity' almost in competition with each other up and down the glass, watched by attentive females: this seems to be the means by which females judge the fitness of males for breeding, and the Panda male that most diligently performs the 'New Man' role of cleaning the glass is likely to be high on the list of desirable suitors when the females are ready to mate.

Well-fed, well-conditioned adults in a clean, verdant environment will spawn readily, and my Pandas spawn in the community aquarium at a prodigious rate. This probably reflects the fact that they are regularly fed live foods, at least three times per week, and receive substantial water changes and gravel vacs around once every three days. As I said, scrupulous attention to such matters is rewarded handsomely, usually with the patter of tiny fins! Adults are, in my experience, sexually mature at around 9 months, and begin spawning soon after reaching this point in their lives if well-fed and happy. Water changes usually trigger spawning activity, and I have discovered that although they respond to a water change that creates a temperature drop, this is not absolutely necessary, and on occasions have spawned after a water change followed by a 1C temperature rise. The influx of new water appears to be the most important stimulus, with temperature a secondary stimulus, and spawning can take place at any temperature from 20C to 24C if the parents are happy in their surroundings, though 21C is probably the optimum.

Panda spawning deviates mildly from the 'standard' Corydoras model, in that the majority of couplings take place in midwater, and early couplings can be spectacularly acrobatic. The species adopts the 'T' position of the standard Corydoras model, but in midwater, both partners trembling during the coupling with a vigour that looks as if it could trigger an earthquake! At the end of each coupling, which is sometimes so acrobatic that a pair can somersault during the 'T' position, the female will purse her pelvic fins, and a single egg, occasionally two, will be seen to be present. There follows a mad scramble around the aquarium as the female seeks a suitable egg deposition site, usually followed by two or three males, the spectacle resembling a rugby scrum or a running game scrimmage in American Football. Female Pandas, if given the choice, will most often choose to deposit eggs inside lush clumps of Java Moss or similar foliage, and although I have never used spawning mops because I have Java Moss to spare, chances are these will be pressed into service too. Pandas will occasionally deposit eggs on glass, but prefer foliage for the purpose, and if given the choice, will burrow into Java Moss with a fervour that few moles can match! Once egg deposition has taken place, the males will redouble their efforts to mate, although females can be fussy, and tend to couple with those males that pay particular care and attention to courtship rituals involving barbel stroking of the caudal peduncle and the region just behind the head. Males that court their females assiduosuly are much more likely to be successful than 'laddish' males that simply try to force a 'T' position without the foreplay, so to speak!

After observing numerous spawnings, I have concluded that Pandas can sometimes eat their own eggs, and originally considered this to be a problem. However, more recent observations suggest that I have unduly maligned the Panda Catfish with respect to this, and that it may be far less guilty in this respect than notorious egg-eaters such as Corydoras sychri. My second-generation breeders have recently laid eight eggs on glass, in clusters, which would not have occurred if egg-eating were a significant problem. The earlier incidents of egg-eating that I witnessed may have been more accidental than deliberate, although as I have said in other posts, egg-eating is likely to be an instinct to watch for in any species of fish that engages in 'gang spawning', all the better to eliminate competition for one's own young. Consequently, I recommend that Pandas be given forests of Java Moss as a spawning medium (or a suitable subsititute in quantity), thus allowing the parents to find plenty of egg deposition sites while minimising the chance of encountering previously laid eggs. In the interest of maximising fry yields, this approach will pay dividends.

Spawning is not only energetic, but prolonged in the Panda Catfish - expect a fit female to continue spawning with eager males for up to five hours. The aquarist who wants to film this activity will discover, as I have, that Pandas are not in the least bit shy about being photographed during spawning, and frequently are so intent upon reproducing that they seem oblivious to the outside world. Comedy moments involving collisions with Lemon Tetras during spawning chases in the community aquarium have reinforced this view!

Once spawning is over, the aquarist would do well to have some live food handy. Dropping a big batch of Bloodworm or Daphnia in with the parents once spawning is finished will likewise ensure that any egg eating propensities that the parents may possess are minimised. In any case, the now ravenous parents will most certainly appreciate a post-coital banquet! Let them settle and feed for a while, then carefully transfer them from the breeding aquarium back to their usual home.

Now the business of egg and fry rearing begins. Eggs will take around 4 days to hatch at 22C, during which time the aquarist would be advised to fire up some infusoria cultures ready for the fry. Also, a judicious use of an antifungal agent is recommended - Tetra now market a product called FungiStop which is claimed to be specially formulated for egg protection, and in my experience works well.

Once the eggs have hatched, it will be another 3-4 days minimum before the fry are free-swimming and ready to start eating whatever foods the aquarist supplies. The best approach, recommended by Lambourne in his highly readable Corydoras handbook, and which tallies with my own experience, is to intersperse feedings of infusoria with liquid fry food. This certainly helps the fry grow, and the babies grow from being 3 to 4 mm slivers of glass to quite chunky 10 mm junior Catfishes in relatively short order - around 5 weeks. At 10 mm long, Panda babies are able to take Daphnia, and will do so with surprising ease!

Even from the moment that they are first free-swimming, Pandas have noticeable barbels. In fact, a 4 mm baby Panda Catfish can have a face like a walrus! Against natural gravel, the babies are superbly camouflaged, and chances are the aquarist will only see them when they move. They will relish being given hiding places, appreciate care and attention during maintenance, and water changes should be administered 'trickle style' until they reach the point where they start to look like miniature versions of the adults.

At this point, be warned that the fry are VERY sensitive to overheating, and should NEVER be exposed to temperatures above 26C - this will wipe them out like the Black Death. On the other hand, it may also be wise not to let the temperature fall below 18C, although they seem to be able to cope with lower temperatures better than higher ones. ANY temperature change should be gradual, needless to say.

By the time Panda fry reach around 10 to 14 mm, they will acquire the 'Panda eye patches' and the black mark on the caudal peduncle. The rest of the body will be covered in fine black 'pepper dots', which will disappear at around 12 weeks of age, when the juveniles will be little miniature versions of their parents. Growth from this point on is steady but not spectacular, but this will be more than offset by the fact that a group of 20 or so juveniles will gambol and frolic about the aquarium with a vivacity that has to be seen to be believed! Once full adult colouration is attained, the juveniles can be given their first taste of Bloodworm - some aquarists may consider it wise to give chopped Bloodworm to juvenile Pandas, but those I have raised have always seemed able to dive in and take full-sized Bloodworm almost from the word 'go'. And, they certainly enjoy the experience of munching the 'red spaghetti'! Live feedings interspersed with flakes will result in bouncing healthy juveniles that are a delight to behold, and all the more so because you helped bring them into the world.

And with that, I shall leave the other Panda fans on this board to enjoy my latest offering!



Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Another great article by Calilasseia about Panda Corydoras. I don't have much luck with them, but i really like to read about them, especially personal experiences.





http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

I have THREE now!! I can't believe it! Where have those little buggers been hiding all this time? They seem very happy. I have not moved them to nursery as I do not have one, (I did not know I was "expecting" and they seem just fine. My other fish leave them alone pretty much. You are just a wealth of info on these little Pandas. Thanks so much!! And, I wish I was in your continent too, I love it there and visit often. Have a great weekend

Usually, water changes and gravel vacs are welcomed by fry, provided you're careful not to siphon the poor little things up

When I give my fry a water change, if they're in the main nursery aquarium, I transfer them to a holding pen first, do the gravel vac, then once the water change has taken place, let them loose. I have a little thing called a "Show Cube" which is designed for exhibiting fish at fish shows (it's a sort of 6" x 6" x 6" cube of glass with a black plastic bottom) which is PERFECT as a temporary holding pen for Panda fry when they're small.

I also have a small digital thermometer to allow me to temperature match the water changes. 1C above or below won't matter too much, so long as extremes are avoided, and on a hot summer day, a 1C temperature drop might be welcomed by the fry!

Unfortunately, you're in a different continent to me RM, otherwise I'd recommend the thermometer I use! However, if you have access to the Maplins dealer chain on your side of the Atlantic, then it's one of theirs - cost me 7.99 UK, and has been an absolute boon. I'm probably going to get a few of them when time and funds allow, so that I can constantly regulate several aquaria!

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Definitely not 5mm. Bigger than that. Certainly not 5cm - smaller than that! They are almost see-through looking with some black patches and definitely the pepper dots. They are about as long as this ____ , in my best estimate. By the way, I say "they" now, becuase I found a second one last night!

Now, some more questions. First of all, the other fry and now these Pandas seem to be thriving. I am almost afraid to do a water change and gravel vac because I do not want to upset anything. Does that sound stupid?? I don't want the water temp to change one bit. I usually get the replacement water exactly the same temp, but sometimes 1 degree off. Would that upset them?

Secondly, will my plecs eat them? Do plecs eat fry? I would think not, but I am curious.

Thanks!

5 cm? Don't you mean 5 mm?

To give you an idea, 5 mm is about this size:

--

And 5 cm is about this size (which is about the size of my big female, Mata Hari!):

--------------------

What colouration does he show if any?

In the first 4 weeks or so, Pandas are mostly translucent, becoming slightly pinkish, then they start to become covered in little black 'pepper dots' as they black eye patch and tail patch develop. The black 'pepper dots' on the flanks disappear around 10-12 weeks of age, when the fry become fully-fledged juveniles and acquire full adult colouration. Sexual maturity occurs when they are about 10 months to a year old.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

You are NOT going to believe this!!! I noticed about a month ago that I had a "nursery" in the tank while I was vaccuuming. They were platys and I have been extremely careful not to "suck 'em up" in subsequent cleanings. Yesterday I was very closely monitoring the babies. Three appear to have survived and are gradually but cautiously beginning to swim in the open areas of the tank. WELL, yesterday I noticed out of the corner of my eye a rather strangely colored platy baby. Upon further inspection I could not believe my eyes - it was a PANDA baby!!!

I have not tried to breed my Pandas, nor would I have known how to. I feed variety but no live foods. I was so shocked and THRILLED! He is a cute little bugger. Judging from his size (ab. 5cm) he has probably been around for awhile?? Is he safe from the other fish?

How many fry are usually born as a result of panda spawning? Are there maybe more in the tank?

Please let me know your thoughts. I feel like a proud mama!

that's it!!!

Panda's for my new 10 gal

Thank you for so very much fascinating information on these neat little creatures. I have seven of them. I especially got a chuckle when you said they power head surf! You got that right! Thanks again - it was very very informative.