New Albino Cory Missing Its Tail?

[Just_Another_One]

Ive just bought some cories and just noticed now while their bag is floating in the tank that one looked a bit demented/deformed.

On closer inspection it looks like it doesnt have a tail, just a little stub. It seems to be getting around okay in the bag but not as active as the others, but still active none the less...

Do fish grow there tails back or will this poor cory die???

I looked real close and it doesnt look like its been chewed off or anything it just looks like it never grew a tail, its not ragged or anytthing like fin rot or been chewed its a nice clean edging to it?

I'll attach a pic in a bit , just giving them some time to explore.

 

[Truck]

it should grow back, i suggest you quarantine him with a dose of melafix to prevent infection.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi kaisa

I'll be waiting to see the picture of it. Please give them all a good looking over, especially in the area around their mouths, and on their fins and tails.

Are you able to quarantine them?

 

[Just_Another_One]

uploading pics now... i took a bunch, just have to sort throuigh them as most are crap pictures anyways.. my digi cam is about 4 years old now but hopefully at least one or two show good enough. be back in 10 mins with the pics

 

[Just_Another_One]

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Kaisa

I'm not entirely sure what I'm seeing there, but it seems like your fish has some part of a tail. If it's gone as far as the caudal peduncle, which is the part of the body that gets narrow before the tail starts, and if it was damaged through illness or injury, it's not likely to grow back. Unless it was a natural deformity, like a birth defect, there's hope that all or some of it will grow back.

The thing to worry about with corys is bacterial infection, and this can result in damage to fins, tail and barbels/mouth area, sometimes all of them, so look carefully for any sign of an active infection. If there is none, it's going to be a matter of wait and see if it will grow again.

On a more positive note, your Cory has a lovely set of barbels, and the fins look good, and that is a very good sign.
If your fish can swim and eat, it may just turn out to be your special pet.

As always, when getting new fish, it's safest to quarantine them just in case.

 

[Just_Another_One]

hi inchworm, thanks for all that advice...

Im quite upset with the fish store regarding todays stock that i brought home just now.

I had bought 4 harlequin rasboras as well and 4 of these albino corys.... They looked fine(I think) in the fish store but 10 minutes after i dropped them in my tank bang, white all over..all the existing fish in that tank are fine and healthy

So far 2 of the harlequins tails have gone white as well as theyve devolped some white on their eyes as well... grrrrr the part i hate about fish keeping!!!

And im sure when the store was catching and bagging my fish up for me he must of seen and known that cory was not great. I'm not impressed and i doubt ill be shopping there any more.

So ive caught all these fish from the main tank and put them in a spare 10 gallon that i was planning on setting up anyways today(not as hospital tank though)

I'll moniter them through the night and see how they are tomarrow before i go and purchase any medicines.

Thanks again.

 

[SharonCC]

Hi Kaisa...how did you acclimate the Harlequins? I used to have a Panda Cory with only half a tail. It looked as if he was born that way. He lived well and seemed to do as well as the others, but he did die young.

 

[Just_Another_One]

Well I'll admitt that I didnt aclimate them properally... it just seems like so much work to add my water to their water slowly over the course of how many hours...

I've never had a problem doing it this way and ive done it for the 2 years ive kept fish with no problems...

I floate them for 20 minutes to match the temp them i dump them in a fish only bowl with the store water then scoope them out into the tank...

Probably not the best way at all but i find it works best and easiset for me...but i guess it should be whats best for the fish...

No more white on the harlequins in the empty tank and ive plopped a hikari sinking wafer in for the cories who are now munching away on that so only time will tell..

Is 10 gallons alright for harlequins and albino cories in the long term because i might just keep them in there rather than moving them back to the main tank where they probably will get sick again anyways.

Thanks

 

[Inchworm]

Hi kaisa

I can well imagine how disappointed and aggravated you must be!

When you buy fish it's always best to insist on picking them out yourself. Point out the ones that look good to you and ask him to put them into a specimen container that hangs on the side of the tank until they are ready to be bagged, then give them another looking over. If you know what you're looking for, you can also pick out some males and some females while you're at it. If you don't like something about them, don't hesitate to tell him to put them back. You, as a customer, are entitled to do this.

You acclimated them right. The only suggestion I would make is that instead of floating the bag (that could have any kind of germs on it) put them into a bowl and add tank water to gradually adjust the temperature. Since they are already in local water when you buy them you don't need to take any longer than it would take to match the temperature by floating them. You are right to net them out and avoid adding shop water to your tank.

I think the 10 gallon would be fine for your fish. If you are just setting it up, consider using a fine gravel or sand instead of the pebbles you have in the picture.

I hope your new fish will turn out to be OK. Please let me know how they are doing tomorrow.

 

[Just_Another_One]

Hi kaisa

I can well imagine how disappointed and aggravated you must be!

When you buy fish it's always best to insist on picking them out yourself. Point out the ones that look good to you and ask him to put them into a specimen container that hangs on the side of the tank until they are ready to be bagged, then give them another looking over. If you know what you're looking for, you can also pick out some males and some females while you're at it. If you don't like something about them, don't hesitate to tell him to put them back. You, as a customer, are entitled to do this.

You acclimated them right. The only suggestion I would make is that instead of floating the bag (that could have any kind of germs on it) put them into a bowl and add tank water to gradually adjust the temperature. Since they are already in local water when you buy them you don't need to take any longer than it would take to match the temperature by floating them. You are right to net them out and avoid adding shop water to your tank.

I think the 10 gallon would be fine for your fish. If you are just setting it up, consider using a fine gravel or sand instead of the pebbles you have in the picture.

I hope your new fish will turn out to be OK. Please let me know how they are doing tomorrow.

thanks inchworm...


I've already got them set up in the 10 gallon with some black tahitian moon sand as the base that i picked up today the same time i got these fish...i may go out again tomarrow or the next day and brave all the snow again ( brrr ) and get them a load of plants and some deco/wood as right now there tank is bare and they shouldnt live like that for too long, i know.

The harlequins look fine and have no more white on them at all that i can see, for now.

But my little tailless cory "stubs" (i named him for his little stub of a tail, of course) doesnt look great at all, hes just sulking in the corner when the others are all playing and running around the sand and eating the bits of wafer left over, i dont think ive seen him eat at all, poor guys probably not feeling well.

Thats a great idea about the fish store by having them put them in a container for me to look at first. I always watch the tank for about 5 minutes to make sure everyone looks healthy and there is usualy 1 or 2 that doesnt look right and i just pray they dont pick that one for me. I really dont like to be bothersome by making them catch certain ones and putting them back and catching them again...

Thanks for letting me know ive aclimitized them semi-correctly... i thought i was doing it all wrong lol. I have also wondered about putting the bag in the tank but i figured the fish store wouldnt let anything bad(chemicals etc.. ) get on it as they know people float it in the tank... next time i will dump them in a bowl and gradually add some water as that probably is a bit more senseable than what ive been doing...

I'm hoping for the best tomarrow but i've learned to expect the worst with my luck lately in this hobby...

Thanks again