The corries IME aren't too fussed about mixing inter-species so you can probibly get away with adding different types, though other members will tell you otherwise. If there are suffice numbers, the corries will shoal as different groups, untill a moment of high-stress arrises, when any and every cory in the tank will come together to form a massive shoal.

You need to be using the gravel vac at every waterchange, and waterchanges sould either be 25% weekly, 30-40% fotnightly or 50% monthly. Smaller more regular water changes are preferable to large irregular ones, as they keep conditions stable, so it would be best to aim for 25% weekly

Remember that qusetions are what this forum is here for, os if you have more, keep them comming

Rabbut

All has been going well and the baby platy is growing. This morning I saw one of the other platys go to the bathroom in the form of a white string instead of brown. Is something wrong?

white poo can be a sign of internal parasites, what are your current water readings, any other symptoms?

My master API kit came with a High PH and a low PH test. If the colour is on the highest colour then you might need to do another test to see just how high. What I'm saying is if you have a PH of 9 and test with a low range PH kit the highest it will read is the highest on the card (mine is about 7.8). So you wont actually know what your PH is untill you test again with the high range PH test kit.

This might not be a problem but I just thought I would mention it.

We haven't noticed the fish acting differently.

The water readings are:

PH 7.6-7.8
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Amonia 0

ok well waters looking good so no need for instant panic, i would just monitor them closely, look up internal parasites on the web you'll fnd plenty of info and look out for any other symptoms and any more white poo. they do sometimes have funny coloured poos after eating things..... just like if you've ever looked in the loo after eating beetroot!!

The Nutrafin minimaster definitely has a nitrate test. I use it every month.

Welcome Becky. It sounds like Miss W has you well on your way to a healthy tank that you can be proud of. I'm happy to hear that the fry is doing well. You can expect more fry about 4 weeks after the last ones so I would be looking for the next platy drop any day now. If you actually want to keep the fry, they need lots of good hiding places. When they get a little bigger they will also need a place to grow up and not end up overpopulating your aquarium. A platy will typically drop between 20 and 50 fry at a time and I know you don't have room to keep them all in your 20 gallon. Don't want to seem overly pessimistic but its something you will need to consider.

This post has been edited by OldMan47: Jun 7 2008, 06:31 PM

We have an albino fish that is in the process of dying. We are at a loss for what is going on since the water was just tested the other day. It was just laying on his back, but was then swimming around when it was touched with the net. Should it be taken out of the tank?

Wow! Sorry about that. I do not have that kit so I'm sure you're right of course. I just did a long google search on those and I can't figure it out. Seems about half and half with discriptions of the kit having different contents - it almost seems as if the UK ones have nitrate but the USA and AU ones seem not to have nitrate but have other things substituted. They all seem to be call the Hagen Nutrafin Mini-Master Kit. Maybe they distribute different content kits of the same name.

~~waterdrop~~

nope, you need to treat the tank with him in, I would suspect internal parasites, as you say the only symptom was the white poo, however probably best starting a thread in the emergencies section and giving full details there, then the experts around there can give some better advice on medications to use, it's not really my forte I'm afraid.

Question, on the other forum it was thought the fished died from something bacterial. If that is the case, do you know what I need to do so the other fish do not get sick? Also, can the pet store test for bacteria in the water? And is it safe to get a new fish to place the cory that died?

Thanks!

Bacterial issues are usualy secondary. Poor mantanance, waterquality or another disease are the most common caurses, along with other stressing factors such as todlers tapping the glass...

The best thing you can do is keep the tank as clean as possible and maintain vidulance. Often large daily waterchanges will make the issue go away by itself Persistant issues will need to be treated. Exturnal infections will need treating with something like Waterlife's Myxazin if waterchanges don't help. If it is an internal infection, Interpet's number 9 anti-internal bacteria is one of the strongest medications out there in the UK market. A course of this with the regular daily waterchanges should clear it up. Lowering the temperature to arround 24c for treatment will also slow the infection spread.
If you are in the UK and it is a bad strain of bacteria that are infecting your fish, expect heavy losses. Vets are restrected almost as heavily as the open market, due to an EU clamp down on anti-biotic drugs in fear of them being carcenagenic

All the best
Rabbut

EDIT: to add; I'd leave it at least 2 weeks before replacing the lost corry. Don't medicate unless your are sure you are dealing with a bacterial issue

This post has been edited by rabbut: Jun 10 2008, 08:27 PM

Becky's tank maintenance, test results and everything have always sounded very good. I was wondering if the advice over in the "emergency" forum had to do with internal bacterial infections. Did they give any indication as to that Becky?

~~waterdrop~~

I think the person was talking about internal bacteria infections because I had said I saw another fish have white stingy poo.
Does that make sense?

Yes that's what I was thinking and that makes sense. Did you get Wilder to comment over in the sick fish forum?

~~waterdrop~~

yes, at this point he told me to feed the other fish some more cooked frozen peas. I hadn't heard back yet from him/her and was going to be at the pet store so didn't know what I we should do. We will wait to get another fish in a few weeks. Just afraid of the rest getting sick.

Thanks for your help!

Wilder is your best bet. SHE know more than most on here about disease, and I have a lot to thank her for If there are no underlying stressing factors, you may have a parasitic issue also. Parasites can apprear form vertualy nowhere, but normaly only infect fish that have spent some time outdoors. Most parasites need birds and water snails to complete their life-cycle, with worms being the main exception, where the parasites can pass from fish-to-fish. Are you seeing any red or inflamed anuses?

All the best
Rabbut