[Fish Em]

Last year I was a new fish keeper and got 2 false julii corys and 1 panda cory. They grew up together for over a year until two weeks ago, I wanted to add some friends for my panda. I added new juvenile panda cories and the older one to my rcs tank. I thought this would be best because the water is much cleaner than my fish tank and fish tank is way overstocked.

In the two weeks, the new pandas are happy shoaling and playing while the older panda sat in the corner by herself all day everyday. I noticed an rcs picking her tail today and that is when I decided that is enough and moved her back with the other fish. Right away, the false julii corys swam up to her and they all started playing together. I never saw her play with the new pandas. Strange, but the panda cory prefers the false juliis because she grew up with them I suppose.

 

[Nordic]

Panda's will mate with other corys way too readily... (not a good thing), so not entirely surprising.

 

[Fish Em]

Ah, well that makes sense since the new corys are very small and probably not mature. I was under the impression that corys preferred to be with their own species no matter what because of instinct or something. Maybe not if they are raised with other species. I will wait awhile and try adding the new pandas to fish tank and see if lone panda prefers their company over false julii corys.

 

[Nordic]

Most cory's will stay with their own species, but pandas are bastards...literally if you let them.

 

[WaterLife]

Yeah, Panda corys have been known to hybridize the most. Hybrids are highly frowned upon.

I am sure the older panda will warm up to the young pandas, just give it some time.

 

[Tessa]

I bought my panda corys in two batches, almost a year apart. They hang out together occasionally but most of the time the different age groups stay apart and do their own thing.

 

[Fish Em]

Thanks for the info and heads up. I am not worried about hybridized fry. There are enough cory egg/fry predators to keep that in check. If there are hybridized fry, I will deal with them in a responsible manner and definitely not introduce them to any water body in south america or to fellow hobbyists!
I also think once the little pandas grow up, all the pandas will be happy together.

Bump:

I bought my panda corys in two batches, almost a year apart. They hang out together occasionally but most of the time the different age groups stay apart and do their own thing.

Interesting to read. It might be pretty common to be a little segregated.

 

[garfieldnfish]

I kept one panda cory (last survivor of a group) with Weitzmani corys for years. Since they look very similar in coloration I am pretty sure my panda thinks he is a Weitzmani. 2 weeks ago I added 4 more smaller pandas to their tank and they immediately schooled with the Weitzmanis while the resident panda showed very little interest in the newcomers. As in your case, the new pandas are a bit smaller.
I am not sure if some of my Weitzmani off spring are hybrids but a few are smaller then the adult Weitzmanis even so by now they should be fully grown and the extra band is paler. I suspected for a while that the panda may have had something to do with it. I have not found any eggs in a long time in this tank and I don't plan on selling any of the fry so even if they cross breed I am ok with it. I wonder if the cross breed off spring may be sterile.

 

[Nordic]

Corydoras are such cool fish, way underrated. I have been trying to get my paleatus to breed for a week or so now. Bastards are only getting fatter and lazier, although they are more active now the temperature band is more in their breeding range (21C).