# Panda Uaru (U. fernandezyepezi)



## ryansmith (Apr 10, 2003)

Hi everyone,

I figured I would start a thread about panda uaru. I know that they've been sought after for quite some time and most of you probably know that Jeff Rapps is selling F1 stock from Europe. I managed to get six of them. I've had them for a couple months and they've grown from 3" to a little over 4".

Wild stock seems to be susceptible to hole-in-the-head and also do best at low pH and hardness. These F1s are very much like U. amphiacanthoides in that they're aggressive, active, friendly, and easily acclimated.

The only problem I've seen is that, as they've grown, the pinhole-sized dots on their noses have continued to remain visible. I am assuming this is the start of HITH. These spots are in symmetrical rows on either side of the nose from the nostrils going up to between the eyes on their foreheads. Looking at hi-res pictures of the fish from other people who acquired them, I see the same marks. I'm assuming that maybe the entire batch had the start of it when we all got our fish.

Aside from very clean water and good foods, has anyone else found treatments successful? Being a long-time discus keeper I've heard the recommendations for metro when dealing with HITH but there's so much of a dispute about that. Some say clean water and good food is all that's needed to reverse it. I've been doing 50 - 75% daily water changes and feeding them three times a day with spirulina, cichlid pellets, flakes, beefheart, and frozen bloodworms. They get a variety everyday. I treat them like discus and they thrive (aside from the small dots in their foreheads).

Here are some pictures. They share their tank with festivums (_Mesonauta sp._).














































Did anyone else manage to get a few of these? If so, would you mind posting your experiences so far? What's your setup like, and what do you feed? Have you had any problems? So far, mine are awesome. I'm just keeping eye on the potential HITH.

Ryan


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

I've wanted to get these, but budget will not allow. In my research about them, although they will eat anything, the info I read says they are mostly vegetarian in nature. I would hesitate to overfeed animal protein, as it can negatively effect fishes liver. Especially beefheart and worms, wonder if the inability to digest these, could cause the pitting. Check the article in the latest FAMA about mammal protein causing harm.


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## ryansmith (Apr 10, 2003)

duaneS said:


> I've wanted to get these, but budget will not allow. In my research about them, although they will eat anything, the info I read says they are mostly vegetarian in nature. I would hesitate to overfeed animal protein, as it can negatively effect fishes liver. Especially beefheart and worms, wonder if the inability to digest these, could cause the pitting. Check the article in the latest FAMA about mammal protein causing harm.


Does the article discuss mammal protein causing harm in herbivorous fish or all fish in general? It's been a staple in the discus hobby for years and people raise large, amazing fish on it. Myself included.

Either way, it's only a treat because it's messy. They mainly get bloodworms if I'm going to feed something frozen. I used to feed mysis as well but I've been out for a while and I haven't reordered.

I really need to feed them more fresh veggies since both festivums and uaru are mainly herbivorous.


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

The article talks about fish in general being unable to digest the mammal fat, something to do with solubility. 
I know Jack Wately used it as a staple forever, but in the last couple years has stopped (I believe) because of the research results found on fishes liver.
I remember back in the 60s when I first started keeping cichlids, people thought feeding Oscars chicken OK. And I did too, but I noticed back then, my Oscars seemed to get hole in the head after about 6". 
Filtration techniques are now far superior, but now that I try to adhere to a more natural diet, my large cichlids end up much healthier.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

> These spots are in symmetrical rows on either side of the nose from the nostrils going up to between the eyes on their foreheads. Looking at hi-res pictures of the fish from other people who acquired them, I see the same marks. I'm assuming that maybe the entire batch had the start of it when we all got our fish.


What size did you get them at? If they were smaller than 3", I wouldn't believe/think it's HITH. I'm not saying it's impossible at that size, I just have never seen it yet. Could it be one of the few species that just have multiple opening as opposed to the standard two/four?


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## ryansmith (Apr 10, 2003)

dwarfpike said:


> What size did you get them at? If they were smaller than 3", I wouldn't believe/think it's HITH. I'm not saying it's impossible at that size, I just have never seen it yet. Could it be one of the few species that just have multiple opening as opposed to the standard two/four?


They were all 3" or a little over when I got them. They just seem to be getting more noticeable. I guess that could be due to the fish growing larger. I'd seen something similar on my young U. amphiacanthoides when I grew them out but I don't remember them being as prominent. Maybe I'm just paranoid because I spent so much money, lol.


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