New Cory's are dying?

[TacomaToker]

I paid for 6 Panda Cory's. There only turned out to be 5 in the bag, but that's a different story. They seemed healthy and active in the store, so I put all 5 in an established 3 gallon quarantine tank. 1 of them has died already within the first week, and another one is on the way out here very soon

Water parameters:
Ph: 7.6
Ammonia: .1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
GH: 125
KH: 4

The .1 ammonia reading is because my water contains chloramine. Please do not tell me to use de-chlorinator.

Anyone know what is going on here? What can I do?

 

[FishGuest5123]

What is your temp? Do you have sand in the tank? What are you feeding? Perhaps try treating for internal parasites. I just treated one of mine with General Cure and he handled it well.

 

[TacomaToker]

What is your temp? Do you have sand in the tank? What are you feeding? Perhaps try treating for internal parasites. I just treated one of mine with General Cure and he handled it well.

Temp is 73-77, it fluctuates between there since the tank is incredibly tiny and the house has no A/C.

I have been feeding shrimp pellets and a bit of frozen bloodworms.

I have gravel in the tank, I've done a good amount of research on it. watch this video and you can see that Cory's can thrive on gravel:

I have been thinking about running a quick General cure through the tank. Will probably go do that now, thank you.

 

[corylover5]

Do you have an air stone in the tank?

 

[TacomaToker]

Do you have an air stone in the tank?

I don't have any air going in the tank. It's just got an aquaclear 20 on the tank though, does that give enough oxygenation for a 3 gallon tank?

 

[FishGuest5123]

I hate sand . You can ask anyone on here. However, for cories, I feel it’s a must. Only feed bloodworms once a week. Omega One shrimp pellets and Fluval Insect Bites are excellent foods for cories. I hope all works out. Cories are pretty tough!

 

[corylover5]

Is ther good surface agitation from the filter? If it were me I would add an air stone for a small area because cories need good aeration.

 

[TacomaToker]

Is ther good surface agitation from the filter? If it were me I would add an air stone for a small area because cories need good aeration.

The surface agitation is pretty mediocre. I have an old air compressor that's too weak for any of my tanks, but it would be perfect for this tiny thing. I will go hook that up now.. thanks!!

 

[TacomaToker]

I hate sand . You can ask anyone on here. However, for cories, I feel it’s a must. Only feed bloodworms once a week. Omega One shrimp pellets and Fluval Insect Bites are excellent foods for cories. I hope all works out. Cories are pretty tough!

You should check out this video:

Read through the comments

 

[TacomaToker]

I hate sand . You can ask anyone on here. However, for cories, I feel it’s a must. Only feed bloodworms once a week. Omega One shrimp pellets and Fluval Insect Bites are excellent foods for cories. I hope all works out. Cories are pretty tough!

Funny enough, Cory from aquarium coop went to Peru looking for wild fish and found some cories living in really sharp substrate with their barbels perfectly in tact.

 

[corylover5]

Cories can live in gravel but it's not very good for them and they much prefer sand as it overall much better for them. I was given poor advise from a pet store worker and I had gravel for my cories but after reading up on cories more I got sand for them and they really changed for the better. They would shuffle through the sand all day and dig their face half way into the sand in search of food. They seemed much more active and healthy overall when they had sand over gravel.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Cories can live in gravel but it's not very good for them and they much prefer sand as it overall much better for them. I was given poor advise from a pet store worker and I had gravel for my cories but after reading up on cories more I got sand for them and they really changed for the better. They would shuffle through the sand all day and dig their face half way into the sand in search of food. They seemed much more active and healthy overall when they had sand over gravel.

I agree and gravel anyway can hurt their barbels no matter what. I suggest you changing the gravel to sand.

 

[Byron]

That video is a good example of why you cannot trust most of what appears online. I know nothing personally about the individual, but from listening to him he does seem to have a questioning nature but unfortunately he is either not able to understand the facts or chooses to ignore them.

As for going to Peru and finding cories over a "sharp" substrate...that needs to be taken in context. And I've no idea what that is. I have seen videos and photos of cories in creeks where there were largish rocks and pebbles, but they sat on sand and there are plenty of open sand areas. For me to use that one example and foolishly claim that it proves that cories are fine over a rocky substrate would be the height of ignorance.

Corydoras are filter feeders, this is programmed into their DNA so they "expect" it. All species live over sand, sometimes mixed with stones or mud, but sand is still basic. There is also a serious bacterial problem with non-sand substrates. And the so-called plant substrates have repeatedly been shown to be detrimental and downright dangerous to cories.

Providing a sand substrate in the aquarium is essential if you care about the fish, and for me that is the bottom line.

 

[FishGuest5123]

You should check out this video:

Read through the

I did see the video. One video, however is not going to change my feelings. I can pull up a dozen more stating why sand should be used. He only spoke about breeding. Breeding has nothing to do with why sand should be used. It’s to protects their barbel’s. He never even mentioned them. Not a very reliable video, IMO. Why would you risk it based on one video? I’m puzzled. Play sand is very inexpensive. I was just trying to help you with your Cory when you asked. Take my advice as you wish.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Corydoras are filter feeders, this is programmed into their DNA so they "expect" it. All species live over sand, sometimes mixed with stones or mud, but sand is still basic. There is also a serious bacterial problem with non-sand substrates. And the so-called plant substrates have repeatedly been shown to be detrimental and downright dangerous to cories.

Providing a sand substrate in the aquarium is essential if you care about the fish, and for me that is the bottom line.

Yes, I have heard about this. Lots of plant debris,uneaten food and fish waste end up in gravel, where bacteria start forming to break down the waste which ends up with bottom feeders that sift through sand substrate, such as cories and loaches, being contaminated with these bacteria that end up in bacterial infection in a final place. Very dangerous.