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If you can, increase the output from your powerhead or power filter (if you're using one). Pandas,I have discovered, like good currents to swim against in the aquarium, courtesy of the fact that in the wild, they live in fairly briskly flowing waters. Fry in the wild are carried downstream a distance, then swim back upstream as they grow. You'll find that if you provide a decent current from a powerhead, they'll start surfing the powerhead bubbles in a truly mad fashion. The increased current will also aid aeration, and make life a bit easier for them while they're at elevated temperatures during treatment. The sad part is, if they start suffering from heat stress, they don't show any obvious external symptoms, they just keel over and expire.

Oh, and one sign to watch out for is them suddenly shedding off-white mucus strands. If they start doing that, an emergency water change and gravel vac is critical - quite literally minutes count. A pH crash in the aquarium will see them off in a matter of hours, and that's the danger sign. In that respect, they make very good 'aquarium mine canaries'.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

you should always hold off on getting more fish until you can fix the ich outbreak in your tank. and anything else that could be going on in there.

In the case of Protozin, the manufacturers themselves advise that it should not be mixed with other meds. They also stipulate a mimumum of 4 days between use of Protozin and another medication in the same aquarium. I assume they have good safety reasons for stipulating this.

As for some other meds, these WILL work in combination, but since it's a matter of trial and error determining which meds can be safely used simultaneously, I'd check to see if other people have had success with paired meds of varying types before launching into experiments of your own, particularly with prized stock.

And yes, I would hold off adding more Pandas until the White Spot is dealt with. Once that's out of the way though, get more by all means, and watch the sparks fly - once my new Pandas have been settled in and are ready to join the frolics in the Panda Fun Palace™, then it should be non stop comedy mayhem all the way!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I do love them. My other cories are so boring and lazy. They just sit there. Every now and then they will come out and swim around. My pandas are always exploring. Two of them have become best buddies. They swim around together. I need to get more so that the one won't get left out. I really hope the store has more....I would be very disappointed if they didn't.
I may be on a panda hunt this weekend if they don't have any left. The three remaining ones seem like they are going to make it. I don't want to speak too soon though. I am making sure the tank is clean (gravel vacuuming every other day) and I did a water change today. I am also still keeping the lights out during the day. Hopefully I can make them pull through.

Cali-in another post in the hospital forum you told someone not to mix Protozin with other meds. I am not sure if you responded to my post yet on that thread (checked a lil while ago and you hadn't yet). Is that just for Protozin or does it apply to other meds as well? I am using Ich Attack for my ich outbreak and also have been using Melafix for my angel. All my fish seem to be fine now but I did find a rummy dead this morning. I am going to finish the melafix treatment tonight (would make 4).
I just did a water change so maybe I should just stop the melafix. Anyways...dosing 2 meds wouldn't be hurting my fish would it?:%)

And should I wait until the ich is gone to get more pandas? I could keep them in another tank before putting them in the affected tank. Is a 10g ok for a temporary tank for maybe 5-6 small pandas, or is that too small? I am just afraid that if the store has them now...they won't after a few weeks. That is the only place I have seen them ever.

Last edited by GirlieGirl8519 at 15-Dec-2005 22:32

*Kristin*

Salt?

I'd NEVER use salt with Corys. Too much scope for disaster.

Protozin has worked fine for me - I've tested it and found it to be Panda Cory safe.

Meanwhile, in other news ... I bought four new Pandas today, and they're being settled in the previously empty breeding aquarium (which will be in effect their quarantine aquarium for the duration) until they're grown a bit and ready to join the gang in the Panda Fun Palace™. Oh what frolics there will be when there's 12 Pandas in there

At the moment, the smallest of them looks a tad sedate, but the others are starting to swim around. I suspect they're still getting over the shock of finding themselves in a big aquarium all to themselves with lots of bogwood and Java Moss to explore!

Pandas. Ah, don't you just them?


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I have 2 baby panda cories in my tank ( i have 3 false juli cories and they all hang out together) recently one of my swordtails got ich, I treated with Rid ich plus and the cories did fine, no signs of stress whatsoever.

Id say they are the happiest little fish I have ever seen.

I am using Kordon's Ich Attack, which doesn't say it contains malachite. It is supposed to be all natural and safe for cories and loaches. I made sure I didn't get anything with that in it. Someone recommended Rid Ich plus before, but when I read the ingredients it contained malachite and something else that is bad for cories. Everything seems to going ok now. I have been keeping the lights off during the day, and my room is dark so maybe that will keep the stress down. I have the temp at 82F now, hopefully it will stay that temp.

*Kristin*

I have found pandas to be particularly sensitive to malachite; I've lost pandas only days after treating ich with conventional meds. Now I only use salt.

I have lost another panda today. I will increase the output on the filter and see if that helps. I keep checking on the remaining 3 to make sure they are still alive. Today I only turned the lights on for a few hours. I am hoping to reduce stress, if possible. Also I lowered the temp to right at 82F. I am hoping the last 3 make it. I don't know when I would be able to get more, even though I know I should. I wouldn't want the survivors to die of loneliness. Hopefully the ich will go away soon so I can lower the temp and know that everyone is happy and safe. :%)

*Kristin*

I got some new Pandas tonight. I wasn't planning on buying anymore fish for my 55g. I have always wanted bandit cories and since I am not an expert on cories, I thought these were bandits, just because of the black over their eyes. But when I got home to make sure I knew what kind they were, I found out I was wrong and they are Pandas.
Of all places I got these guys at Walmart. I have never seen Pandas anywhere (or Bandits...that's why I got them). I got 5. I already have 8 sodalis/trilineatus. Will they be ok together? My pandas are so tiny..like 1 inch and so very cute.
Here is a picture:


Here is another...that is Tater, my biggest cory (sodalis) to the right. He is so much bigger than the pandas. :%)
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*Kristin*

Congratulations for the new Bandit Corydoras that you bought oh, Sorry they are Panda's & they are very very beautiful.

Sorry for your lost Panda & i hope that the others will be fine.


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Last edited by jasonpisani at 13-Dec-2005 02:40

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Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
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Thanks. I am using Ich Attach because last time I had ich it was the only one I could find of the suggestions I got for meds safe for cories and loaches. I just bought a new bottle so I guess I'll use it. It got rid of it in a week last time.
I just posted in the hospital section that I lost one panda today. The others are swimming around and don't seem stressed, although I don't really know what signs of stress are except for maybe just staying in one place or hiding alot. I have increased aeration in the tank, so maybe that will help. I am not going to raise the temp anymore. It is 83.5 now. Thanks for the help. I am hoping my little guys will pull through.

*Kristin*

My advice at the moment is this. Keep a watch on them to make sure they don't show signs of distress at 83°F. There's a possibility they'll live with this during your treatment régime, but if they start to look stressed, then I'd lower the temp to around 78°F while treating your white spot.

Oh, and if you can get it, Protozin is safe to use with Pandas. I've used it in my Panda Fun Palace™ in the past, and they've been quite happy with it. Protozin will also wipe out your white spot in fairly short order. Of course, if you can quarantine the affected fishes and treat them without having to treat the main aquarium, so much the better, but if you can't, then Protozin is tested by yours truly as safe for Pandas.


Last edited by Calilasseia at 12-Dec-2005 05:38

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I actually thought they were bandits. The price was for all the cories though (assorted). They were about $3.50 (US) each. I would have bought more, but I have bought so many fish this week, and fish stuff that I'm waiting on another pay check before I can buy anything else. I may try to go to that Walmart this weekend and get a few more. They come out of hiding way more than my other cories. I actually get to see them swim around.
I have lots of plants, a huge piece of DW that all the bottom feeders like to hide behind, some hiding places with rocks, and another smaller piece of DW, so hopefully they have good places to hide. They immediately hid under a slate rock I have lying on the big DW, where the yoyo's usually hide. They are just so cute.

edit: Question...I just discovered that a couple of the fish in my aquarium have ich, again. I am slowly raising the temp. It is at 83 F now. I read in your article that they can tolerate up to 82 F (26C). Should I leave the temp at 83, lower it, or continue to raise it to speed up the ich process. I raised it up to 85-86 last time I had ich and it didn't bother my other cories, but they may be different than pandas, in terms of temp. What should I do?

Last edited by GirlieGirl8519 at 11-Dec-2005 18:24

*Kristin*

I love to watch my pandas.

Item one: you got Pandas for the price of Bandits? Wow. Bargain central. You did VERY well!

Item two: if you can get more, build up the Panda group to 8. The resulting entertainment they'll provide will be awesome to watch.

Item three: go here (yes, shameless plug I know, but I've had Pandas for two years now and know their little foibles ) and have a good long read. If your aquarium is already set up with lots of hiding places and plant thickets, then they will love you for pulling them out of that Walmart dealer aquarium and putting them in yours. Only thing is, you'll need to be more than usually diligent with gravel vacs because they do NOT like gunky gravel beds. Also, make sure that your pH doesn't swing too wildly, because that will not make them happy either. Even if you think your current pH is 'wrong', better to change it gradually than suddenly, as sudden big pH swings will see them off quicker than most other fishes.

Item four: congratulations on joining the Panda Club!


Last edited by Calilasseia at 11-Dec-2005 05:10

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

I hope they stay healthy. They are swimming around and hanging out in the usual bottom feeder hang out in my 55g. I really shouldn't have bought them. For one it is Walmart and the tanks aren't that great looking, and another reason is that there were a couple dead fish in there (not cories though). I just couldn't help myself. I have always wanted bandits and since I thought these were bandits, I got them despite the uncleanliness.
If I ever see them anywhere again...hopefully I will, then I will get atleast one more. I have 8 other cories and 3 yoyo's in the tank and thought the bottom was pretty full. I wanted them to be happy though so I got 5.
I'm not disappointed that they are pandas though...they were on my wish list too.

*Kristin*

They actually look pretty healthy, you mayb have gotten lucky and got 'em maybe a day after they got 'em in. They should be fine, and 5 of them is sufficient enough for a school though 6 would be better, and eventually once they are comfortable they may school with the other cory's.

I saw pandas today at walmart too and they were only half an inch long

By the way the second picture isn't that bad

Last edited by Tetra Fan at 10-Dec-2005 23:20