The panda cory catfish’s adult size is two inches. Panda cory catfish are slow growers. Once the eggs hatch, the panda cory catfish fry has a four-week growth spurt which takes them to 0,394″, after which growth slows down considerably. It takes a healthy panda cory catfish eight to nine months to reach 2”.
When observed from above, female panda cory catfish are slightly bigger and appear rounder than their male counterparts. These petite, panda-patterned beauties have a lifespan of three to five years, even more when kept in optimal conditions.
How Big Do Panda Cory Catfish Grow?
After hatching from the eggs, cory catfish fry grows at a phenomenal rate reaching one inch within the first month of their lives. After that, growth slows significantly, and adult cory catfish only reach an average of two inches around eight to nine months.
Panda catfish in captivity reach a maximum of two inches in size. The average adult panda cory catfish are between one and two inches, depending on genes and sex.
Female panda cory catfish grow more significantly than males.
It is interesting to note that wild panda cory catfish grow bigger than 2″, which is believed to be due to their natural habitat being perfectly balanced to suit their needs.
Another reason for panda cory catfish growing bigger in nature could be natural selection. In the wild, only the strongest survive, and bad genes get cast aside naturally.
Panda cory catfish that are put up for sale are all bred in captivity since they are easy to breed and produce offspring regularly that are sold off to aquarium enthusiasts. Gauge the age of the panda cory catfish you purchase from suppliers by their size.
After hatching from the eggs, cory catfish fry grows at a phenomenal rate reaching one inch within the first month of their lives. After that, growth slows significantly, and adult cory catfish only reach an average of two inches around eight to nine months.
How Fast Do Panda Cory Catfish Grow
Cory catfish fry grows at a phenomenal rate reaching one inch within the first month of their lives. After that, growth slows significantly, and adult cory catfish only reach an average of two inches around eight to nine months.
Why Panda Cory Catfish Stop Growing
The main reason for panda cory catfish to stop growing is that they stop eating. A healthy panda cory catfish can survive without food for up to fourteen days, but it is crucial to get behind the reason for not eating.
Not eating deprives the panda cory catfish of vital nutrients. Malnutrition will not only lead to sickness but restricts their growth.
Seven Ways to Help Panda Cory Catfish To Grow Properly
Even though panda cory catfish are hardy, they tend to stress when something is wrong with them or their environment. They become lethargic, stop eating, and therefore stop growing.
Following are seven ways to help remedy panda cory distress and get them to eat appropriately for optimum growth.
Water Quality
Panda cory catfish flourish in good, clean, quality water. However, high ammonia and nitrate levels are toxic to panda cory catfish.
Use a filter and water pump to aid in clearing out the toxins. A weekly fifty percent partial water change will work wonders in lowering ammonia and nitrate build-up.
Panda cory catfish enjoys cooler water between sixty-eight- and seventy-degrees Fahrenheit. pH levels between six and seven will suffice with a dGH between two and twelve.
If the water quality is optimum and your panda cory fish still displays signs of stress and do not eat, you need to investigate further.
Overcrowded Tank
Panda cory catfish may stop eating if they deem the tank overcrowded. Even though panda cory catfish are shoaling fish, they need enough space to move freely.
Therefore, if the tank is overcrowded, they may experience stress and stop eating. Ensure the tank they share is big enough to host all the inhabitants comfortably.
Too Many Decorations And Plants In The Tank
Panda cory catfish enjoy swimming at the bottom of the tank with darts to the surface occasionally to ingest a gulp of fresh air. However, the panda cory catfish cannot swim freely if there are too many decorations and plants in the tank.
If you think you have too many plants and decorations in the tank. You will notice a dramatic change in their behavior once they have more space to freely swim.
Chronotopian [CC BY-SA 3.0]Your Panda Cory Catfish Could Be Lonely
Panda corydoras are very sociable schooling fish and need at least four panda friends to share their tank with. The more panda corydoras and other shoaling fish you can add to the tank, the better.
Once again, refrain from overcrowding the tank with too many fish, which may cause the panda corydoras to stress and not eat.
Panda Cory Catfish May Not Eat Due To Stress
Apart from the possible stressors mentioned earlier, there may be a more non-obvious stressor that they react to.
Fish tanks should not be knocked on since it creates sound waves that scare fish. People should refrain from knocking on the glass of aquariums. Loud music in the fish tank’s vicinity should be removed or turned very low.
Sudden and continued loud music or other noises causes stress in panda cory catfish. As a result, they will hide away and stop eating.
Panda Cory Catfish Stops Eating When They Are Sick
As with humans, panda cory catfish will stop eating when they are unwell. The most common diseases that affect panda cory catfish are Ich, a parasite infestation, and gill and skill flukes.
Ich, or white spot disease, is curable with over-the-counter ich medicine. Gill and skill flukes, on the other hand, are the results of overcrowded or unhygienic tank conditions.
Both these conditions will cause panda cory catfish to stop eating. When panda cory catfish do not eat, they do not grow.
Feed Sufficient Amounts Of High-Quality Food
If panda cory catfish do not receive a diet of high-quality food, they will stop growing due to a lack of nutrients and sustenance.
Panda cory catfish are omnivores that will eat most foods you feed them. They enjoy meat above all, and it is essential to feed them balanced meals.
Most importantly, see that the bottom-feeding panda corydoras get enough food. Even when you feed them high-quality food, they may need more because other fish get to the food before they do.
Remedy this problem by feeding them sinking pellets and sinking wafers. Hide some food underneath ornaments and rocks for them to enjoy.
Once again, a panda cory catfish that does not eat will not grow.
Conclusion
The tiny panda cory catfish with its black and off-white colored giant panda mimicking markings are popular aquarium fish. Whatever they lack in size, they make up for in appearance, personality, and quirkiness.