PlanetCatfish.com

Hi,
I purchased two panda cory cats the day before yesterday and when I got home and was able to look closely at them I realized one of them has a fungal infection and fin rot. I actually thought something was wrong with him, but I can't see up close with my contacts on and couldn't tell for sure. The store person said she didn't see anything wrong with him, so she was either ignorant or not telling the truth. Anyway once I had my contacts out I could tell he had some fuzzy cotton like patches as well as some white fuzzy lines along his armor. He also had a ratty looking tail with the rays sticking out the end of the fin. He was looking really bad and would not swim around. I got some Pimafix, thinking it was primarily a fungal problem and put that in the water. Yesterday approximately 50% of the fungus that was visible was gone and he was starting to swim around some and forage. This morning probably 90% of the visible fungus is gone, just two tiny patches and all of the armor lines are clean, however, his poor tail is almost gone. The rays that were sticking out yesterday were gone yesterday, and now more fin is gone, leaving more rays out. So I am going to get some Melafix to add for the fin rot and hopefully that will stop the deterioration in his tail fin. I am also going to get some live food for him today.
Oh the tank has been up and running for 2 years and has a small school of endler's livebearer's in it, one betta, and used to have a ton of cherry shrimp in it before I moved them to a different tank when I added the betta a few months ago. It has a fluval internal filter, a sand substrate, java moss, and anubias plants.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks!
Michele

The best and most effective thing you can do for your pandas is to keep the water as clean as possible. You can almost think of the water like a bandaid--it is in direct contact with your fish's open wound. If the water is dirty, you're going to get ectoparasites, bacteria, fungus, etc., in the wound; if the water is clean, it is going to provide a much better environment for your fish to heal. So instead of buying all the expensive meds (which honestly in my opinion don't do a thing), I would invest your time in doing frequent water changes. You'll be amazed how much good it does. You could also lightly salt the tank; this can help inhibit the growth of some secondary pathogens as well. Maybe 1-2 ppt? I don't know if anyone else has thoughts on the salting.

Good luck with your pandas! They are great little fish.

Also one more tip--pandas love being in a school (and I think they're way more interesting to watch that way). If you just have those two, I'm sure they would appreciate getting a couple more buddies. Maybe wait until they're healthy before you add anything, though!

I am planning on getting more (they only had two), but not until the one is better This one was so sick I think he would have died without medication. If I had my glasses on and had been able to see him clearly at the store I would not have bought any panda cats that day because he looked like he would not make it through the night. I am amazed he is doing so much better. I thought it was a futile attempt to save him because of how bad he looked the other day.

OMG that Melafix is awesome ... my cory went from absolutely no tail fin this morning, to growing part of it back by tonight. He probably has 0.5 cm of growth at the top and the bottom of his tail now (the "fork" part). He is still breathing hard and not really interested in eating. He will swim around a little and forage a little, but I don't know that he is getting anything. He might have gotten some of the live worms I put in earlier. I know the other panda got some, but the sick one was hiding in the back of the tank. Some of the worms ended up back there, so maybe he got some. The other panda is deliriously happy after the live food . He was happy before, but now he is crazy happy! Both are a little underweight and could use the live food.

I'm so happy to report that my little panda cat is happy as can be He is now swimming around just for the joy of it, is inseparable from my other panda cory, eating well, he has great energy, and has no signs he was ever sick other than his tail is only about 1/3 of the way grown back now. If his tail was all the way back I would not be able to tell them apart at all
I am really amazed because I didn't expect him to live through the night when I brought him home. A few days ago he was too weak to eat any but the smallest of the live worms, the bigger ones would wiggle right out of his mouth, and he only moved to look for food. Now he is happy and sassy It really makes my heart happy!

Great !!