Spot on tetra, fin damage on cory, what's going on

[outofwater]

Hi everyone,

This morning all looked OK. I've had one cory on 3 day quarantine so far for some fin issues on dorsal and caudal fins. Treating with melafix and damage seems to have stopped spreading so I was thinking of putting him back in the main tank in another day or two.

Just returned from work and I see a female cory with a bit of her dorsal looking nipped and sitting on a corner, and some white "thing" on top of the head of a neon.

First 3 pics of today's findings. Last pic of cory currently separated from the rest.

Thoughts?

Water is at 76F
Just did a 30% water change a day ago
Zero ammonia and nitrites
5 to 10M nitrates
pH ranges 7.4 to 7.6 per api master kit

Thanks in advance.

 

[outofwater]

Adding that I've been also using melafix on the tank, and adding 2 pics of the neon, I think they're better than the ones in original post

 

[Colin_T]

What other fish are in the tank?

The Corydoras looks really stressed (clamped fins). This might be from the medication or someone biting her.

The neon could have a minor fungal infection on its head, or it is excess mucous over a wound.

Keep the tank clean and see how they go. If anything changes, post more pics asap,

 

[outofwater]

The new inhabitant is a dwarf gourami who seems to be an overall asshole. He eats like he's starving, chases at the neons suddenly and comes down to the bottom to steal the sinking wafers from the corys and the single oto I keep.

Here's a pic of the other big female, who just laid eggs btw, laying down after being busy. No clamping that can see on her. Your thoughts? The albino just doing its thing.

 

[outofwater]

What other fish are in the tank?

The Corydoras looks really stressed (clamped fins). This might be from the medication or someone biting her.

The neon could have a minor fungal infection on its head, or it is excess mucous over a wound.

Keep the tank clean and see how they go. If anything changes, post more pics asap,

Just one more pic. Got the 2 females to sit together for a moment. They're both pretty active and eating, going around the tank sometimes together, sometimes on their own. The one with the fin thing just looks "pale" compared to the other.

 

[Colin_T]

The pale female looks really unhappy. She is covered in excess mucous. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the sand every day for a week.
Make sure the new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Increase aeration to maximise oxygen levels in the water.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media/ materials in a bucket of tank water and re-use the media. tip the bucket of dirty water on the lawn/ garden.

See if she looks better after doing the above. If she is still pale after a few water changes, post more pictures and a 1 minute video.

 

[outofwater]

The male cory is still in a makeshift quarantine tank (a small desktop betta tank that I put a bubbler and plants in, and I change the water on it twice a day, siphon it out, refill with aquarium water). I just keep it floating in the main tank. Both his dorsal and caudal fins seem well, the caudal in particular, the dorsal still shows a bit of a nick in it.

The gourami seems to have an issue with the bronze corys in particular. The male was the first one to show these issues with the fins, now the smaller of the females.

And on the video attached I finally caught him directly going for both of them. The smaller one retreats and is wary of him, the larger one stands her ground, doesn't leave, just circles around.

https://www.bitchute.com/video/8lxQeQxqt16G/ via BitChute

I don't see him going for the peppered ones or the albino one as much or as aggressively. He chases occasionally after the neons, but those are too quick for him it seems. And he pays no attention whatsoever to the oto. When he goes to the middle or upper level of the tank he's fine, but as I've said before he seems perpetually hungry, so he's coming to the bottom more often and that's when he starts bothering the corys.

As I'm typing this I just saw him go for the big girl again. This time she didn't move, and after a few seconds of a staring contest the gourami left, then I saw him going bacj and straight for the fins after his initial intimidation didn't work.

I'm considering letting the male cory out AND put the gourami in the "quarantine tank".

I can't recall where, but I read that this sort of timeout might curb the aggression. Is that right?

The tank is big enough (29g) and I've read that these are territorial but on the upper levels, shouldn't be bothering the bottom dwellers as much. I can't keep feeding him all day long. Unfortunately my son seems to have taken a liking to him, but I'm starting to think he might just need to go.

 

[Colin_T]

I'm considering letting the male cory out AND put the gourami in the "quarantine tank".

That's probably not a bad idea. A week on his own might calm him but might not. Try it and if he's still being a bully after he is released, then find a new home for him. Perhaps get a second tank so your son can have the gourami in his room and the Corydoras can live in peace.

I can't recall where, but I read that this sort of timeout might curb the aggression. Is that right?

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.

Having lots of plants, especially floating plants like Water Sprite can help, but individual fish can have different personalities and some can be lovely and pleasant natured, and others are just a pain in the blank.

 

[outofwater]

Well, got a 10g tank with all the fixings. About to start it up, put media and a decoration from the main tank to speed up the cycle, and he'll be there. I've been thinking for a while for a secondary quarantine tank, this little a-hole might end living in it permanently if he doesn't curb his attitude.


Well, that's another thing with this guy. I had a nice cover of floating plants and upon arrival he mowed them all in about 3 days. Now Now I think about that, once that was gone is when he started to descend more often. So, he's just a very peculiar guy.

 

[outofwater]

Well, Mr blurami (that's what my kid christened him, I call him asshole) is all set.

Moved the fake coral to move the established bacteria, added "bacteria in a bottle" to help kickstart the colony, and the nerite hitched a ride on the coral, so he's there now too.

I'll keep him there a week, then try to move him to the main tank, and see how it goes.

Corys are happy, I'll post a picture later, but they definitely are happy to see this guy gone. Did a water change, still added melafix to the main tank and to the small one too, obviously the gourami got stressed and I don't want him to get sick, and well, so does MTS start.

If I'm lucky I'll score a cheap 29g full setup in the middle of next week, I'll start it up slowly, fishless cycle, and eventually move the gourami there if he's still an asshole. Might see what else I can out there at the time, but the idea is to have the 10g as the quarantine/hospital tank.

Thank you @Colin_T for your help.

 

[Colin_T]

Don't use Melafix, Pimafix or Bettafix on labyrinth fishes like gouramis and Bettas because it leaves an oily film on the surface. If the fish gets this oily film on their labyrinth organ, or their gills, it can make it hard for them to breath. If you have to use any of these medications, make sure you have lots of aeration to provide good gas exchange and to stop the oil forming a slick on the surface.

If you have injured fish and want to give them the best chance of recovering, just do a big water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. This will keep the nutrients and disease organisms down and give the fish the best chance of recovery. You can also add salt if they have open wounds but normally clean water and gravel cleans are enough.

If the catfish are happy now the gourami is out, then just leave him out. He sounds like a miserable scumbag and will probably be happier on his own.

Your kids picked an original and cool name for the fish, Mr Blurami, I like it

 

[outofwater]

Just an update. Mr blurami seems happy at the tank, although I definitely need plants in it for him.

Seems like I need to look for another tank to set it up as quarantine/hospital.

But he's happy, the main tank is happy, so all is well.

P.S. the color seems off because this is a light that's supposed to help plants grow. I like it because it's not as bright, he seems happy with it too, and still eats like he's never been fed in his entire life.

 

[outofwater]

Main tank, everyone happy at feeding time