Poor Cory

[Dakota Ice]

Hi, I have 10 panda cories in a 20 gallon tall all to themselves besides some cherry red shrimp. They've all lived peacefully and spawned every other day until now.

The tank is 2 months old and fully cycled. It has two Whisper 20 power filters on it. The readings are as follows:

Ph: 6.6-6.8
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Temp.: 70-72F

The tank is heavily planted so that explains the lack of nitrates. Anyways.. I do a waterchange about every 3 days, always felt that a week was just too long. Each water change is probably 15-20%.

Now, I have one little panda that is having some issues. This panda has been in the tank for a while, and with these clean readings, I don't know why it's doing this. A little piece of it's barbel is missing and it has gigantic eyes - absolutely huge! It also has what appears to be a pimple right next to it's eye. It looks exactly like what we would call a stye, except for the swelling is on both eyes and of course, fish don't get styes.

The pandas spawned JUST last night - isn't this a sign that they're healthy and happy? They're fed cory wafers, algae wafers (these are for the shrimp but they eat them before the shrimp get to them anyways, figures.), and a slice of zucchini every now and then. This little guy also appears to be the only one with issues.

Here's a picture. What is this and what should I do?

 

[diademhill]

How long has that panda been in this tank?
The barbel damage is almost certainly from the sharp substrate and grazes from this would allow bacteria to take hold. IME Pandas don't thrive in new tanks and the tank may have mini cycled weakening the fish less immunity.

The tank is a bit cool which will slow the fish's metabolism.

 

[catxx]

i agree with diademhill that that substrate is not suitable for corys, i would change it to fine rounded gravel or sand.
the eyes could be popeye.

 

[Dakota Ice]

The substrate is flourite and I've kept cories on it for years with no problems.

The cory has been in the tank since it cycled, about 1 1/2 months. I'm sure I would have caught a mini cycle in the water readings, but all the readings are fine. I did a 25% water change this morning.

 

[tttnjfttt]

It sounds like he has a bacterial infection, especially from the red pimple next to his eye. In your case, i would also say the pop-eye is from a bacterial infection (popeye can have many causes).

If possible, i would put him into a hospital tank, and begin treatment with a broad spectrum antibiotic, either Kanacyn (aka k-mycin, kanamycin) or tetracycline. Another option would be to use a combination of Maracyn and Maracyn 2. In the hospital tank, slowly begin raising the temperature 2 degrees per day, as antibiotics work better at a higher temperature.

If you do not have a hospital tank, then do not use tetracycline, as it can damage the biological filtration.

 

[Qays]

Hi, I have 10 panda cories in a 20 gallon tall all to themselves besides some cherry red shrimp. They've all lived peacefully and spawned every other day until now.

The tank is 2 months old and fully cycled. It has two Whisper 20 power filters on it. The readings are as follows:

Ph: 6.6-6.8
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Temp.: 70-72F

The tank is heavily planted so that explains the lack of nitrates. Anyways.. I do a waterchange about every 3 days, always felt that a week was just too long. Each water change is probably 15-20%.

Now, I have one little panda that is having some issues. This panda has been in the tank for a while, and with these clean readings, I don't know why it's doing this. A little piece of it's barbel is missing and it has gigantic eyes - absolutely huge! It also has what appears to be a pimple right next to it's eye. It looks exactly like what we would call a stye, except for the swelling is on both eyes and of course, fish don't get styes.

The pandas spawned JUST last night - isn't this a sign that they're healthy and happy? They're fed cory wafers, algae wafers (these are for the shrimp but they eat them before the shrimp get to them anyways, figures.), and a slice of zucchini every now and then. This little guy also appears to be the only one with issues.

Here's a picture. What is this and what should I do?

Why do you do water changes every 3 days? This doesnt make sense to me. If your nitrate readings are constantly at 0, then a water change is not needed, 25% weekly will do.

Your gravel is not ideal for corydoras, you should either have rounded fine gravel, or sand, there are small jagged edges, and he could have damaged himself on one of the sharp parts.

Would you like to have to sit on pointy gravel all your life?

I reccomend you change your gravel to sand or fine rounded gravel, if not you will occasionaly have this problem.

You may have kept cories for years, but that doesnt mean your doing the right thing.

Your temprature should be about 75-78f.

Good luck with treating him.

 

[WILDER]

I agree with tttnjfttt it is a bacterial infection and you will need meds, the barbels can be due to bacterial infections, you will have to act fast, as it bad news when they start to lose there barbels as they cannot find food without them.
As long as the gravel has no sharp edges it fine, but sand is better for corys.

 

[Dakota Ice]

Ok, I'll try to get some of these meds. Do you think he injured himself and then got an infection?

Also, is any of this contagious?

Thanks for the replies.

 

[WILDER]

Just add the med and they should be fine, corys are very prone to bacterial infections, i clean my gravel twice a week, and had no problems with my panda corys.

 

[tttnjfttt]

If you can, i would isolate him and raise the temperature a little, because the antibiotics are more effective at higher temperatures.

 

[Dakota Ice]

Ok, I can't get a tank or any meds for a long time. The best I can do is keep the water clean so I've been changing the water out for the past two days.

One of the eyes is getting better and returning back to normal, however the other eye is remaining the same and the "pimple" has gotten bigger. I'll keep a close eye on him.

I have some methylene blue, could that help him? Or would it stress him out more to be placed in a bowl with strong meds? I really don't know what to do.

 

[Dakota Ice]

I just checked and I have 5 ppm Nitrates. Is that bad? Could it harm the cories?

BTW, I have tons of cherries in the tank. Wouldn't they be the first ones to go if something was wrong with the water? They're all fine.

I just added an airstone for extra oxygen and some stress coat to repair his damaged skin. I guess now I just have to wait.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Having a nitrate reading of 5 is very low, nothing to be worried about.

Since you can't get the medicine, i would consider euthanizing the fish. Its sounds crule, but you do not want it spreading to the rest of your tank. The fact that the pimple is growing shows that it is a bacterial infection and it is spreading.

 

[Dakota Ice]

I could never kill this fish, I'll already cry when it dies. I'm letting it go in its home.

 

[tttnjfttt]

The reason for that suggestion was for the protection of your other fish. Bacterial infections can spread, putting your other fish in danger. Since you say you cannot get the necessary antibiotics for your fish, cannot isolate it, you are taking a gamble, risking all your other fish, not just the one who is currently sick. Bacterial infections cannot be treated by altering the temperature or with salt as some parasites can be.

I don't understand why in one post you are asking what to do, and in later posts refusing any attemtps to help you, even with the extreme case of havign to euthanzie one fish to save the others.