Breeding Panda Corydoras
How to breed Corydoras panda: sexing, conditioning, the cool-water-change trigger, the T-position spawning, egg care and rearing the fry.
Overview
Corydoras panda is an egg-depositing catfish that places its eggs on hard surfaces and gives no parental care; the adults will eat eggs if left with them. Breeding is rated intermediate and is reliably triggered by a cool water change.
Sexing
The fish are best sexed from above: females have a more rounded belly and are likely to be slightly larger than males.
Conditioning the Breeders
Condition the breeders on varied live, frozen, and dried foods. A male-to-female ratio of 2:1 improves spawning success.
Breeding Setup
- Breeding tank around 18 x 12 x 12 inches with sand or fine gravel
- Sponge filtration and clumps of java moss
- Temperature around 75 F (24 C) and pH about 6.5
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
When the females are visibly full of eggs, perform a large 50-70% water change with cooler water and increase oxygenation and flow; repeat daily until they spawn. A receptive female lets a male caress her with his barbels before the pair adopt the classic T-position. Eggs are laid on the tank glass, typically 1-4 per cycle.
Egg & Fry Care
Remove the adults, which will eat the eggs. Eggs hatch within 3-5 days; methylene blue can be added to prevent fungus, and cherry shrimp can clear fungal spores while leaving healthy eggs untouched. Once the yolk sac is absorbed, fry accept microworm and brine shrimp nauplii and do best over a thin layer of sand.
Common Challenges
Egg fungus is the most common loss, so clean water and an anti-fungal approach are important. Because only a few eggs are laid per cycle, repeated spawns over several days build up a worthwhile batch of fry.