Age By Size Of Panda Cory

[Seal36]

I was wondering if you can tell the age of a panda Cory by its size as when I got mine from my lfs all they said was that they think they are under a year. Also am I right in thinking that the females are rounder from the top and usually larger as my lfs did not know again and what age do panda Cory's reach breeding age. Also if you can I will upload a picture so you can help me age my Cory's thank you for all your help from Tom

 

[BerryAttack]

well they grow around 2 inches, so the time between the time it is born to its fully grown will depend on the environment and feeding it has be given, with a proper environment i believe it'll reach its max size in around a year and a bit, but not 100% sure.

 

[Seal36]

So if I post a picture of them do you think you could give me a rough estimate of how old they are. Also how long can panda Cory's live and was I right about the rounder and larger Cory's being girls.

 

[fluttermoth]

There's no real, reliable, way of telling the age of fish (well, I think there is, but it involves killing the fish and counting the growth rings in one of their bones, so you probably won't want to do that!).
 
Female cories look broader in the body, just behind the gills, if you look at them from above; but it's a bit hit and miss, tbh!
 
As to lifespan.....well, most sites will say between five and seven years, but I think it's only recently that we've (royal 'we', there ) been keeping fish properly enough for them to reach their natural old age, so they could well live much longer than that; certainly there are reports of bronze cories (C. aenaeus) living to over 20 years.

 

[greenmumma141]

As to lifespan.....well, most sites will say between five and seven years, but I think it's only recently that we've (royal 'we', there

) been keeping fish properly enough for them to reach their natural old age, so they could well live much longer than that; certainly there are reports of bronze cories (C. aenaeus) living to over 20 years.

 
Hooray!!!!!! I certainly hope my green cories live to that ripe old age
 
 
Pandas are a bit harder to tell the males from females, bc they're a smaller size cory. With my greens for instance, the difference is almost comical, but I can only tell the difference between my pandas when they're in a group, and it's still tricky.

 

[Seal36]

Ok thank you very much I am still going to post a picture of them because they are so cute and I love them but they are so small so I think they must be quite young and although I don't know how old they are I was wondering what age do they reach sexual maturity because when they reach that then I will know how old they are thanks for all the help from Tom

 

[fluttermoth]

Fish tend not to reach sexual maturity at a certain age, but at a certain size though!
 
They are very cute, I love mine. They might well breed for you; at some point, many cories do, even in community tanks, and pandas tend to lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves, where other fish don't see them 

 

[Seal36]

Are ok do you know what size it is that pandas reach sexual maturity at and would anyone like to hazard a guess at how old they are at the size they are at the minute from Tom

 

[fluttermoth]

Mine were breeding when the males were about an inch, and the females about an inch and a half. I would guess yours are between four and six months old, but no-one can be certain.

 

[Seal36]

Ok thank you very much and as they are quite young it means that they should be in my tank for a while then and do you know how long it took yours to reach an inch and a inch and a half. I just sit in front of the tank and watch them playing for hours and can you tell the difference between yours as mine look similar but I want to name them but can't tell them apart from Tom

 

[fluttermoth]

No, I can't tell mine apart, except some are bigger than others!
 
I saw my first fry about six months after I got them (I've never seen them spawn, or any eggs; I just get a wee baby pop up every so often ).

 

[Seal36]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't tell them apart I was going to trace an outline of the fish and then fill in the markings on the right hand side off them all but they all look so similar that I can't get the drawings as accurate as I need them. Also want fish do you have in your tank with the Cory's and how often do you find baby Cory's and do you just leave them in there with the parents from Tom

 

[fluttermoth]

I have glowlight danios, kuhli loach and three tiger barbs (the tigers are very old, and the last of a larger shoal I had in another tank; I would not normally recommend tigers in small groups or community tanks).
 
I used to see a baby pop up every four or five months before the tigers went in there; I haven't seen any for a while, which isn't surprising; the tigers will be better at picking off eggs and fry than the glowlight danios!
 
No, I never separated them or anything, they'd already be a cm or so when I first saw them and I wasn't trying or intending to breed them, they just did Most fish, unless they are very rare or unusual, are best left to their own devices for breeding.

 

[Seal36]

Ok well I think I would like to try and breed them so I might try and save some of the eggs if they lay any. Is four/five months how long the gap is between them laying eggs or can they do it sooner also How could I save the eggs if any are laid from Tom

 

[fluttermoth]

If you seriously want to breed them you'll need to separate them into a tank away from any other fish.
 
I would wait until the spring; they'll be fully mature then, and the extra light and warmth will help you get them into spawning condition (you'd think, with our fish being in tanks with artificial lights and heating that time of year wouldn't matter, but it does help, IME).
 
I honestly don't know how long they go between spawnings; I never seen them actually 'at it', nor seen any eggs.