Panda Cory is one of the most prominent names in the family because of its cute looks, sweet disposition, and durable health. Their tiny size makes many beginners wonder about the panda cory lifespan.
Having a thorough understanding of each type of fish in your tank will help you better plan your care, especially in hybrid aquariums. Healthy fish both revive your tank and satisfy those who keep them with all effort. That’s why you possibly kick off proper care solutions for your panda cories.
Contents
Panda Cory: Species Overview
In the wild, panda cory usually resides in tributaries in Central and South America or the upper reaches of the Amazon forest.
Although they are inherently schooling freshwater fish, they can survive in other conditions like muddy river bottoms, sandy riverbeds, or even swift and meltwater streams. This profile can prove their impressive endurance and adaptability, totally opposite to their 2-3 inch length.
Their body is usually only two colors, yellow and black. The most catchable attributes are the black streaks on the eyes, near the tail, and also on the dorsal fin. This panda-like feature explains its name.
Similar to their fellows, panda cories are bottom dwellers and mischievous members. This lively and friendly fish deserves to be welcomed in your home aquarium.
What Is The Panda Cory Lifespan?
Panda Cory can sustain life for almost 5 years in the natural environment. For aquarium fish, life expectancy can fluctuate depending on different circumstances, on average about 3-4 years.
If fish sellers have been importing cories into on-sale tanks for a long time (such as 1 year), you can witness a shorter lifespan of panda cory in your in-home marine. So, should you want panda cory to be with you for as long as possible, make sure the new fish is less than 3 months old from reputable sellers.
More importantly, the tank quality and your care plan also contribute to the short/long lifespan of the fish. Once living in a clean environment, these pets even reach their maximum lifespan.
Panda Cory: Diet and Tank Requirements
Diet
You can save an amount of time if you keep any omnivorous fish like the Panda Cory. These fish can eat any edible food that you drop into the water. In particular, the most outstanding feature in the eating activities of these dwellers is their ability to find food on their own.
You will often see your fish rummaging, even digging through the bottom of the tank and consuming whatever they find. Don’t worry if your panda cories eat fish droppings, tiny insects/larvae, algae, or food residue!
They are performing their natural survival mechanism. Your panda cories will spit their food. Regardless of this advantage, do not forget to feed your pets.
The menu for panda cories can include almost all popular fish pellets on the market. However, you are highly recommended to prioritize more plant-based food to ease their digestive system.
You can be more thoughtful by considering the sink wafer. This specialized food immediately sinks to the bottom to serve the inhabitants of this space. Your fish gains nutrition while limiting food scrambling.
Feeding frequency is also something to keep in mind. Honestly, panda cories eat quite quickly, leading to the misunderstanding that they need more food. Only feed them 2 times per day with a moderate quantity (1-2 sprinkles) depending on the amount of fish in the school.
Tank Requirements
Panda Cories can live comfortably in a tank of about 10 gallons of water. If you are bound to keep them with other species, especially the fighting ones, let’s prepare a deeper tank. This way, your fish can avoid unexpected conflicts or attacks from others.
Although cories can survive in cold water of about 18-20 degrees C, you can still maintain an average temperature of 27 degrees C in the tank. Requirements for the pH content could be higher than others, ranging from 6-7.
Surprisingly, panda cory can’t suffer from the low oxygen in the tank, so please take note of the oxygen amount besides the temperature and the pH level.
This feature facilitates you in decoration ideas. Arranging dense plants is a simple and effective way. This layout not only creates a similar sense to the Amazon in the wild but also intends to add more oxygen to the bottom.
Difficulties In Keeping Panda Cories
The only warning point is the self-poisonous nature of panda cories, like other species in the Corys line. When they fall into extreme depression or panic, they will kill themselves with their own poison.
The poison released from their gills can be a threat to other bottom dwellers. They can also contaminate the tank water or cause mild allergic reactions in the fingers when aquarists change the water.
FAQ
How Many Panda Cory Can I Put Together?
Please don’t ever think of keeping a single panda cory. This species is famous for its schooling lifestyle, so at least 6-7 per school is the correct number.
You should keep around 10 residents per school in a standard tank (10 gallons of water) and reduce the amount depending on the tank size.
Crowded or scattered populations lead to common mental illnesses in fish, such as depression, anxiety, or loneliness.
What Fish Can I Keep With Panda Cories?
You have various choices when choosing tankmates for panda cories. Besides other cories fellows, you can refer to guppy, platy, honey gourami, dwarf gourami, or tetra.
They all share quite the same traits in gentle personalities and fast movement in the water. You can even combine panda cories with another popular territorial fish like bettas.
Some extremely aggressive fishes like oscar or green terror are not a wise choice as they can kill your fish.
Do Panda Cories Breed Easily?
Panda cories hardly have difficulty reproducing in home aquariums. The spawning process usually takes place early in the morning quite quickly and “secretly.” Female fish usually lay about 12 eggs under the foliage of aquatic plants.
When fish eggs are detected, experienced aquarists will carefully separate them into another small tank to avoid the threat of external factors.
Conclusion
You can breathe a sigh of relief after learning the panda cory lifespan, which lasts about 3-5 years. These catfish are tiny, but they are hardy, easygoing fish that can easily adapt to many changes in the environment. They possess several benefits to attract fish adopters, especially newbies.
You just need to focus on maintaining optimistic and happy mental health for your panda cory. In addition, you also need to ensure a safe and comfortable living space for your little pets. As such, they can become lifelong companions in the community.
