Panda Cory And Algae/biofilm

Hello.

So I've read everywhere that panda cory are omnivores. A lot of people on here disagree with that.

One of my pandas is swimming all over the tower decoration sucking on it in various places. What is it doing?

There is no buildup of algae in the tank except for a few diatoms mixed in with the gravel.

Also, I can't get the cory to eat shrimp wafers but they do go nuts over fish flakes sinking to the bottom. Could it be finding little leftover flakes?

 

My cories always didn't touch their shrimp pellets when I fed them. It took them most of the day to get to them; that caused some issues with my black neon tetras eating their pellets. But that's another story. Make sure you still feed them their shrimp wafers; they will get to them or maybe switch to another brand.

 

I feed our panda cories Omega One shrimp pellets at night.

Our pandas are also all over the decorations, stones, etc.

 

Well two of the three went for a wafer tonight. Then my betta that already ate twice today and didn't act hungry decided HE wanted it. They still got a little though. Might have to switch to pellets. I hate all this food just sitting on the bottom. Ammonia central is what will cause.

 

Try feeding the cories at night when it's dark. They will smell their food and be able to eat it without the betta or other fish eating their food.

 

What tank size and tank mates if you don't mind me asking. I'm always curious when people successfully keep Bettas with other fish.

 

Cories are mostly carnivorous, but will forage around the tank and eat whatever they find including some algae. The fish is picking up tiny bits off the decor that you can't see. Mine go crazy when I feed flakes, it's raining fooooooood!!! But yes, find a better shrimp pellet for them. They do need to be fed a carnivorous diet to stay healthy.

 

Has anyone ever tried these? They're supposed to not make the water as dirty supposedly. And they're labeled for catfish, plecos, and loaches.

 

That's what I use - it's cheap, and my big cats eat a lot. I've been using it as long as I've had fish, long enough to go through two of the big cans ($5 at Walmart) and haven't had issues. My bottom feeders do get plenty of other stuff too though - frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp, every flake that hits the bottom, blanched greens, and fresh earthworms spring through autumn - so they're not surviving on just cheap shrimp pellets. I don't think it's terrible stuff though. I also raised my baby red eared slider on it when she was too small and picky to eat turtle pellets and she grew a nice healthy shell.

 

Raw shrimp/tilapia is cheaper and probably better than any commercial food in terms of protein and fats.
Corydoras are mostly carnivores/insectivores, they look with their barbels for food, so it is common for them to be swimming around everywhere.
Anyways, I feed mine raw shrimp and tilapia from walmart, they grow well and never get sick, sometimes I give them my food for omnivores which has some vegetable matter and they eat it too but I don't know how good that is. I was lurking around onplanet catfish and I think some expert said veggies do nothing for corydoras as they can't digest them, Ill look for the thread later.
And food on the ground does not cause ammonia, it must stay there for a few hours before it starts decomposing, if no fish eats it then you are probably overfeeding, food HAS to hit the ground for corys to be able to eat it.

 

Yeah. It's just the shrimp wafers I currently have crumble apart VERY easy. Especially since the ghost shrimp attack them before the cories find them.

 

I have 13 pandas in a 36 gallon tank with sand substrate. I don't keep anything else but Cory's in this tank. There's no plants in it, just hiding spaces and there is no growing algae on anything.

I feed mine the HikarI Sinking Wafers and also the HikarI Algae Wafers. About 3 of the sinking wafers and maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of an algae wafer every feeding.

The pandas go for the sinking wafers first and kind of casually munch the algae wafer bits - but they do clean them up once they have cleared the sinking wafers from the tank.

If I only feed them algae - they will attack and clear the algae.

I have also fed them the Marine Land shrimp wafers - it's not their first choice and they tend to treat them kind of like the algae wafers.

They really prefer the HikarI Sinking Wafers. My next experiment though will be with RepashI soilent green. I'm really interested in foods that don't cloud the water ... right now I have to feed them incredibly small amounts to keep the water from clouding.

 

I have 13 pandas in a 36 gallon tank with sand substrate. I don't keep anything else but Cory's in this tank. There's no plants in it, just hiding spaces and there is no growing algae on anything.

I feed mine the HikarI Sinking Wafers and also the HikarI Algae Wafers. About 3 of the sinking wafers and maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of an algae wafer every feeding.

The pandas go for the sinking wafers first and kind of casually munch the algae wafer bits - but they do clean them up once they have cleared the sinking wafers from the tank.

If I only feed them algae - they will attack and clear the algae.

I have also fed them the Marine Land shrimp wafers - it's not their first choice and they tend to treat them kind of like the algae wafers.

They really prefer the HikarI Sinking Wafers. My next experiment though will be with RepashI soilent green. I'm really interested in foods that don't cloud the water ... right now I have to feed them incredibly small amounts to keep the water from clouding.

Corys are mainly carnivores and definitely not algae-eaters. They might try to eat the biofilm in the algae and therefor remove it.

 

Corys are mainly carnivores and definitely not algae-eaters. They might try to eat the biofilm in the algae and therefor remove it.

I take no side in the debate, my friend. I give them both protein wafers and algae wafers - they eat both. They are definitely more enthusiastic about the protein wafers though. That's why I feed them mostly the protein wafers.

 

I know you won'T and not asking to. Only trying to explain the possible reason for the algaeremoval.

 

Corys and vegtables - planet catfish
"Contrary to some comments Corys are NOT vegetable eaters, and should not be offered them. They graze amongst the Bio-film that form on just about every underwater surface and in the surface layers of the substrate, where they filter out micro organisms, worms and insect larvae. The so called catfish wafers are aimed at Ancistrine catfishes and are not suitable for Corys.

Ian"

I guess this also applies to algae.

 

I had a feeling that expert would be Ian (Fuller), he gets very cross when algae or veggies appear in the same sentence as corys

Yes it does apply to algae, they aren't algae eaters, another quote from Ian, posted with his permission
"Corydoradine fishes are basically filter feeders and may graze over living algae growths searching for the microscopic life that breeds and grows in it, but they are not equipped with teeth for scraping and removing algae, their gut are also not equipped to digest it. So algae based foods will be absolutely useless, even if people think their Corys are eating it they are not. If there is nothing else they will mouth it and may get a little something from the binding aged, but that is all".

 

I had also read that but couldnt find it. He does seem to get a little bit sensitive when corys are given algae or veggies haha. I think I like the guy tho... even if I don't know him lol.

 

As strong as Ian puts it I won't hahaha.
See them nibble now and then of the BN-veggies.

But he is the Cory-guru and states Corys only nibble on algaewafers to get to the "real" food.

 

I don't think this is a debate at all - the fish have been studied and determined to be carnivorous, do not benefit from vegetable matter/algae whatsoever, possibly don't even digest it and just pass it through. Therefore what is the point in feeding them algae wafers? Especially on the regular? That's just encouraging algae growth in your tank, and probably frustrating the cories as they sift through the dissolving wafers looking for something nutritious. No one has to "take sides" - google the fish. Read about them from reputable sources, not just random forums and blogs, and feed them what they're supposed to eat.

Also just to put it out there, if for some reason they are eating them (not getting enough high protein foods and still hungry) it isn't helping, just taking up space in their bellies with useless matter that has no nutrients for them which in turn leaves less space for the healthy stuff that they need. Same reason I don't feed my daughter popcorn with dinner every night. This may be why Ian feels so strongly about the matter, and I agree.