Unwell Cory

[myrtle]

Tank size: 240l
pH: 7.8
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0.1mg/l
nitrate: 5mg/l
kH: hard water
gH:
tank temp: 26c

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): 1 corydorus metiae has white lips, lethargic, sometimes looks "drunk" s/he has no 'whiskers', but I don't know if they all have these anyway.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 50% weekly

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Tropica tpn+, treated with Waterlife "octozin" 2 weeks ago for black spot on clown loach. No chemical filtration.

Tank inhabitants: 2x Angels, 2x clown loach, 1x corydorus metiae, 2xpanda cory, 3x peppered cory, 3x bristlenose plec, 6x red eyed tetra, 2x otocinclus & a few malaysian trumpet snails + apple snails.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): a few plants from reputable source

Exposure to chemicals: see above

I hope this is enough info, he's always been shy and hidden, he came from another home with the other corys in august....

Thanks, Jo

 

[WILDER]

Is your nitrite reading over 0 or does the test kit go to 03 if that makes sense.
If the cory has white lips it sounds like flexibactor columnaris mouth fungus.
Yes the cory should have barbels they need them to find food.
What substrate to you have in the tank.
Has the cory gone thin.
I would issolate the cory and use a bacterial med.

 

[pippoodle]

i rescued some corys from a tank with angels in and all those corys even though they were on sand had no barbels and lots of infected white bits on them ----
lost 3 out of 6 of them and took 4 weeks to treat the mouth fungus/rot and other fungus- so dont give up on them if it seems to be taking ages to go - definately issolate the little guy as wilder says ,

i treated mine with interpet 8 - anti fungus and finrot

good luck

Sarah x

 

[myrtle]

Thanks for the replies, he's quite big in comparison to the others and hasn't lost weight. The nitrite test kit only goes down to 0.1. I have a heavily planted tank so the angels rarely come into contact with the corys. They had been together for quite a while and I took the whole population of the tank. The substrate is ada aquasoil covered in sand. I'm a bit naughty in as much as I don't have a quarantine tank at present and I've no idea how I'd catch it due to the heavy planting! I'msure I've seen pics of corys without whiskers, do they all have them then?
Would I be able to to treat the whole tank without damaging the filter bacteria? I'm better off hitting the sales for a small tank aren't I?

 

[JustKia]

I'msure I've seen pics of corys without whiskers, do they all have them then?

Yep, they're quite important to cories as the "whiskers", called barbels, are covered in taste receptors and the cory uses them to find food. Unlike a lot of fish with barbels, cories are able to move theirs independantly due to the more advanced development. Barbels can be "worn off" by rough substrates, or due to injury, infection or damage.

 

[myrtle]

Thanks for that, I bought the tank with inhabitants included and it's been a steep learning curve! If I had started from scratch I wouldn't have put angels with corys due to the different temperature requirements, but I tend to read a lot before buying fish!

I have just bought a tank to use as a hospital/quarantine so hopefully I can start treating him tomorrow.

 

[WILDER]

Match ph and temp.
Don't forget to increase aeration with the med as it reduces 02 in the water.
Good Luck.

 

[myrtle]

Well he's in the tank now with an airstone and some rock to hide under. I nicked a bit of filter sponge from another filter so I could get him in quickly. I bought the Interpet no. 8 and have dosed as per instructions but do I just need the one treatment or continue over a number of days - it's not clear in the instructions (or I'm tired which is more likely!).
Thanks

 

[pippoodle]

all you need to do is wait 7 days after first dose then do a 30% water change (i did 50% before redosing) and redose ---- as per instructions (got one of the instruction leaflets infront of me )

i would give him the 2 doese to be on the safe side then if all signs have gone half way through the second dose then you wont need to redose again but if he still has some remnants of the rot then do the same again until there are no signs of the rot left before the next dose is due

took me 4 doses to clear mine completely

good luck

Sarah x

 

[myrtle]

Thanks, will do that. He looks quite bad this morning, I thought he'd died so I prodded him and it took a long time for him to move. He's very lethargic...
My husband can't believe I spent £60 to save a £2.00 fish!

 

[myrtle]

Well, I found him on his back on the bottom of the tank just now. He moved eventually but am I delaying the inevitable and prolonging his suffering? Would euthenasia be better (not that I'm sure I could do it)?

 

[pippoodle]

sometimes treatment can make them lethargic - like a dose of antibiotics can sometimes make us feel worse
i would give him the week and see how he goes if he hasnt improved in the 7 days of treatment then my advice would be to euthanise him

make sure he's getting lots to eat remembercorys are slow eater and there food should be left in the tank for an hour and then removed after that unless they are still eating

good luck sarah xx

 

[myrtle]

Well, it's been taken out of my hands as the new 20l tank I bought as a hospital tank emptied itself all over the floor overnight so he passed away anyway, poor thing . Needless to say I'll be returning the tank as it burnt the heater and filter out too
Jo

 

[WILDER]

Sorry bless him.
R.I.P.

 

[pippoodle]

awww so soryy to hear that myrtle
bloody lfs
you want to tell them you lost your new group of corys you were quarentining
get something off of them for your poor little man losing his life