Cory Floating upside down

[SparkysBois]

Hi, my Venezuelan Cory has been acting strange since yesterday, when I found it floating at the top of the tank getting pushed around slowly by the flow. I thought that it was dead so I went to pick it up with the net and it zoomed away. It did the same thing today and was swimming upside down for a brief period of time. I also found it upside down under one of the leaves of my plants not moving. My params all seem fine - 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and around 5 nitrate. I was due for a water change today. Around 2 weeks ago one of my guppies died after having clamped fins (not sure what the problem was, all the other guys were fine). Now the sick Cory has disappeared and I can't find it within my tank. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Avel1896]

Hello
Sorry but your Corydoras is at death's door. Here is why :
Corydoras have a second breathing system, in addition to the gills. It is an intestinal breathing system. To simplify : when there is not enough oxygen in the water, corydoras can breathe oxygen at the surface of the water. At the bottom of their intestine, there are "sort of primitive pulmonary alveolus" which allow them to process the oxygen absorbed from the air.
In 95% of the cases, this behavior is the result of intestinal constipation/obstruction due to inadequate feeding : Corydoras are 75% carnivorous and 25% herbivorous. Vary their food is a sine qua non condition for healthy Corydoras.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done.

 

[JemZ]

Can we have some pictures?

 

[SparkysBois]

Hi,
He has unfortunately passed away but not from his illness. He swam through a hole in my driftwood and got stuck . I only noticed after he had passed.

 

[Colin_T]

Sometimes catfish take in air and if they ingest too much, it causes them to float until they fart the air out. Then they swim normally again after that. They can also ingest air when feeding on dry foods.

As for the guppy, clamped fins can be caused by poor water quality, an external protozoan, bacterial or fungal infection. The best treatment is cleaning the tank up and adding a bit of salt (depending on what caused it). Basically do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. Make sure nay new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

You should also do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate after a fish dies in the tank. This helps remove any disease organisms that might be in the water and reduces the chance of other fish getting sick.