What Do I Feed My Panda Cories?

Can I use those products instead of wc

 

No, those products will not replace the need for water changes. They will certainly help in lowering the nitrates esp since you are starting off with high nitrates out of your tap but the waste and toxins still need to be removed and minerals need to be added back in for your fish and BB. The added filtration will help in providing more surface area for the bacteria to grow and process the ammonia/nitrite.

 

What I mean is that can I use that product to lower nitrates instead of doing wc to lower it

 

What I mean is that can I use that product to lower nitrates instead of doing wc to lower it

You can use things to help lower nitrates BETWEEN regular water changes. But if your nitrates are 40 out of the tap, you pretty much can't get it under 40 with water changes without the help of Matrix or plants or whatever. So if they are getting up over 40, you'll need to do water changes. Make sense?

 

Yes

 

As far as feeding the cories, I don't like omega one shrimp pellets whole because for me, they never seem to get soft so I run them through my smoothie blender and make them into crumble. I then sprinkle a good amount in and the cories tend to forage for all of the little bits. There usually isn't anything left between the cories, amanos and the mystery snails. Whatever you try, just make sure it has a good meaty content since they aren't algae eaters.

 

How much do I need to sprinkle the food?

Also, I grounded the food to little bits. It was a few minutes until they came over. They put their mouths to it. Did not know if they were eating it. Then they will go away. My cories won't come over to eat the food that often. My mollies and tetras will come over to eat them. How do I stop that?

 

If you ground/crushed the pellets or wafers and sprinkled them around the tank, the cory should be able to find them. The mollies and tetras can't get to all the food at once. You could also try dropping them in after lights out when the top/mid dwellers are resting.

 

When I crushed them to little small bits, some just floats at the top

 

As long as most make their way to the bottom, it should be ok. Your mollies could eat the ones that float at the top.

 

My cories are weird. They like to be at the gravel side not on the sand side. Do cories like sand? If I sprinkled them around the tank, and the cories don't eat it, isn't that over feeding?

 

Corys do prefer sand. Is it possible the gravel side has more cover like plants, decor, etc?

If you find uneaten food, it's best to do a gravel vac or pick it up with a turkey baster. It's overfeeding if you drop too much food in and the fish actually eat all of it.

 

Just rocks on gravel side.

All the hiding places are actually on the sand side

 

I wouldn't worry so much about the substrate as long as it's kept clean. I'd concentrate on water quality and diet.

 

I know, it's just weird. Also my mollies are sick. So I'll get API general cure. I'm already using API nirazorb. Will those two effect each other?

 

I don't think so. What exactly is wrong with your mollies?

 

It keeps rubbing itself. It was mentioned in my other posted thread.

Is this grinded enough?

 

But my 5 mollies will find out and finish it before the cories come by. What should I do

You can smash pellets into small bits and feed your corys at night when all ur fish asleep. Your mollies have to sleep sometimes. They can't catch all the tiny pieces of food.

 

Is this grinded enough?

The wafers don't really look crushed to me. I grind my shrimp pellets pretty fine. It's not necessary but I know the cories and snails and shrimp can find the tiny pieces better than the other fish. (I have a male betta and some CPD in the same tank) My cories will constantly move around sifting through the sand for tidbits of food. I also throw in several wafers at a time, usually at night ... but I have 7 adult cories (breeding), about 7 adult Amano shrimp, about 12 adult snails and a bunch of smaller ramshorns and MTS ... so I "over feed" the tank on purpose so that everyone gets some food. I use finely crushed flakes for my Cory fry and betta pellets for him even though I know he munches on the other food here and there.

My cories also like the omega one minI color pellets. They are like little granules. Not sure if they are a proper full time diet but mine get some now and then. I also throw in the veggie ones too for the snails.

 

How did you grind them？ used my hands, tools from the kitchen, even my test tubes. I saw my cories coming over to the wafers, sniffed some but didnt eat it

 

How did you grind them？ used my hands, tools from the kitchen, even my test tubes. I saw my cories coming over to the wafers, sniffed some but didnt eat it

I used my wife's mortar and pestle at first but found that quite labor intensive and then remembered we had a smoothie mixer with a grinding blade. It made very quick work of it! You could probably put some in a bag maybe between some newspaper and smash it with a big rock or something..

 

Good idea

I accidentally grind it to sand. What should I do？




The sandy food just floats

Thanks for that. Will get the TSS+ first thing tomorrow.
One thing though, without adding any more ammonia I just wonder why I had the ammonia go so high. And the presence of nitrate and nitrites show the cycle has def started right?

HI CindiL. Thanks for your reply.
From the tap ph- 7.6, ammonia-. 25, nitrite- 0, nitrate - 0.

 

Take a strainer through it so you're left with most of the larger pieces.

 

I fed them grinded up food of HikarI Sinking Wafers and Aqueon Shrimp Pellets. They don't seem to touch it. I bought Marineland Shrimp Wafers. I didn't grind them but when I put them in there was a crowd of tetras and mollies fighting to get the food. I saw some cories trying to get to the center of the crowd but couldn't. When the crowd was over and the food fell to the sand. The cories didn't seem to come over. What should I do? el337

 

Have you tried dropping the food in after lights out?

 

Yes, they don't seem to touch it

 

Give them some time. I'd still crush the pellets and spread them around to give them a better chance at them.

 

How long does it takes for cories to die from malnutrition? el337

 

I don't know the answer to that. But if they're looking thin, you know they're not eating enough.

 

I'll look for that

 

Good idea

I accidentally grind it to sand. What should I do？




The sandy food just floats

Thanks for that. Will get the TSS+ first thing tomorrow.
One thing though, without adding any more ammonia I just wonder why I had the ammonia go so high. And the presence of nitrate and nitrites show the cycle has def started right?

HI CindiL. Thanks for your reply.
From the tap ph- 7.6, ammonia-. 25, nitrite- 0, nitrate - 0.

I actually like the small bits. Just release them under water. You can also feed to another tank with smaller fish if you want.

I'd also use Seachem stability instead of TSS if you have fish in. This allows you to still do water changes and dose with Prime to protect fish from ammonia and nitrites during the cycle.

 

I've already bought TSS+. Is it still ok to use it?

 

I've already bought TSS+. Is it still ok to use it?

My understanding is that you cannot do any water changes or use Prime while cycling with that bacteria. I haven't used it personally though so I could be wrong. Can you return t for stability?

 

My understanding is that you cannot do any water changes or use Prime while cycling with that bacteria. I haven't used it personally though so I could be wrong. Can you return t for stability?

My LFS doesn't have Seachem Stability.


Today morning, I dropped in Marineland Shrimp Wafers (ungrinded) mollies and tetras came over. But they accidentally stuck the wafer under the plant. That was when I saw two cories come over and taking a bite. So I got wafer out, cories got scared and ran away. Then my mollies got the wafer. And I saw some of my cories heading towards the molly with the wafer, taking a bite. I have some hope. el337, LJC6780

 

That's a good sign that they seem to be eating.

 

They love bloodworms. Also how do I ask a question on this website? First time using it.

 

They love bloodworms. Also how do I ask a question on this website? First time using it.

At the top of the main forum page on the right hand side there is a "Post New Thread" button. Just click on that and I screen will appear where you can write your message and post it.

 

thank you

 

They love bloodworms. Also how do I ask a question on this website? First time using it.

A minI question in my thread.

 

Glad to see some interest in the food finally! As I was feeding my Cory tank earlier I was thinking of you. I poured some crushed shrimp pellets in and noticed how they float on the surface. It's time to clean my prefilter so my pump flow is diminished and I noticed it. I guess it usually just gets pushed down in the current so I just flicked my fingers in the water some and it all started sinking. I also was thinking that I like the tiny bits because the cories love to forage for food and they will get the tiny bits that the other fish just can't or won't go after. My big mysteries also come up and skI'm the surface! lol that's pretty funny to watch.