Panda cories are in da house!

[irishspy]

So, today I went to Nature Aquarium in Santa Monica and bought five tiny Panda Cories --each less than an inch-- for the Betta Palace. I've only had c. aeneus before: these little guys have beautiful markings! :drool:

Acclimating was no problem: 15 minutes to equalize temperature, then 2 oz. of tank water every 15 minutes for an hour and a half. After that...

Jeez, they were a pain to net out! They jammed themselves into the bottom corner of the bag, and it was like pulling teeth to get one to swim into the net. :irked: I was really afraid I'd hurt one... :eek:

But, after a valiant struggle to stay in the bag, they're all in the tank. I'm keeping the lights off for now, to give them time to adjust. Four are busy looking for food, but one mostly hides among the bacopa, only occasionally rooting among the gravel. I hope he's okay.

The shrimp are, of course, outraged at the intruders -- they had that resting spot under the driftwood first, ya know! :argue: :laugh:

Anyway, a question for the experts: I have bottom-feeder tablets, one of which I've given to the shrimp each week. Now that I have five hungry cories, should I put in two at a time? (The shrimp like those tablets, and are aggressive about them.) How often should the cories get a tablet? Also, what other kinds of food can I give them? A bit of flake that could fall to the substrate? Freeze-dried bloodworms?

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow, when they've had a chance to settle down.

thanks! :hi:

[Lupin]

I'd feed twice a day. Anything provided is fine. Good luck with your new acquisitions.;)

[Fishy_Fun]

Good luck with your new cories.i feed my pygmy cory peas,algae wafers,shrimp pellets,flakes,frozen bloodworms,snail jello,freeze dried bloodworms and many more

[jbradt]

My pandas love fallen flakes, dried and frozen bloodworms, shrimp pellets, algae pellets... they just don't stop! They do a great job cleaning the tank and are a lot of fun to watch. Good luck with them!

edit: I have 4 with 2 amano shrimp, and i feed them 1-2 pellets per day. every 3rd or 4th day i skip the pellets and give frozen blood worms. I also try to make sure they get some flakes when the betta gets his.

They'll also spend time checking out the plants... I swear I've seen mine eating algae off the plants. =)

[msjinkzd]

They do really enjoy frozen bloodworms and tubifex. I feed mine predominantly bottom feeder tablets with the occasional frozen treat. The shrimp will also enjoy the occasional blood worm (its funny to see them wrestle over a bloodworm). As to them competiting with the cories for food, break the tablets into small pieces and drop them throughout the tank, it will take away some of hte perceived competition. Good luck and enjoy them!

[gmh]

Good advice from all. I would just add that extra sinking tablets are a good idea. No problems with other fish getting to them first. If the tablets become smothered with snails you'll know you are overdoing it.

[krytan]

Panda corys are so cute, can't wait to see some pic's.

[wataugachicken]

a solution to netting them in the bag is to place the net into a container, and then carefully pour the fish out of the bag into the net. trimming off most of the top of the bag makes it easier as there are less places for them to get stuck. just don't do it in the sink.

[irishspy]

As to them competiting with the cories for food, break the tablets into small pieces and drop them throughout the tank, it will take away some of hte perceived competition. Good luck and enjoy them!

Oh, that's a good idea! :idea:
I put a bottom-feeder tablet in tonight, and one of the shrimp just charged over like a desert raider and ran off with it. The cories were like "hey..." :irked:

Thanks for the advice, folks. I'm going to drop by Petco tomorrow to pick up some flake food and see what kind of frozen they have.

What about freeze-dried? Will those eventually waterlog and sink? :confused:

[Lupin]

Freeze dried tubifex can be stuck to the glass.

[Draal5]

What about freeze-dried? Will those eventually water log and sink? yes they will.

Good Luck pandas are great!. They are impossible to come by these days here in NJ

[irishspy]

yes they will.

Ah, thanks! I put 4 freeze-dried bloodworms in this evening. Fingers crossed that they'll eventually sink and be found -- and not by the shrimp! :mad2:


Good Luck pandas are great!. They are impossible to come by these days here in NJ

Thanks! I was surprised to find these: for one, because I saw them first a couple of weeks ago and I was afraid they'd be gone by the time I went back. Second by their tiny size (<1"). But they're active* and looking for food -- now to make sure they get some! :headbang2:

*(And I think their activity has made the shrimp more active. They're certainly moving around more.)