no more cories

[babygeige]

Well, as all of you know, I have had terrible luck with cories. I was hoping to change that luck when I bought 3 a couple of weeks ago from a different lfs. Alas, my hope was in vain!

Late last week, I noticed that one of the cories was swimming funny, like he was having a swim bladder issue. I thought that maybe he ate too much when I fed them, so I fasted them for a couple of days and he seemed fine. On Sunday, I came home from church and found him alive, but floating around straight up and down as if he was unable to work his body. He died that night. The 2 remaining cories seemed fine, until today. I noticed that the smaller of the 2 is having the same problem. He seems ok, but every now and then, he twitches and swims out of control for a moment, then he's back to being fine.

I tested the water:
Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 10
pH = 7.8
Phosphate = 0
GH = 161.10
KH = 89.5

I'm very frustrated. I really like cories, they're so cute and peaceful. For some reason, I just can't keep them alive.
I don't even know what the problem could be or how I can fix it.

[Carl]

I wish something in your water parameters or methods would "jump out" at me, but nothing is.
Your water parameters are good, I have seen photos of your tanks including you healthy plants and they tell a story of a healthy tank as well.

My only thoughts are:
*Again maybe this is as simple as another bad "batch"
*What are you feeding?
*Although your GH is fine, how are you maintaining your GH, as maybe certain essential minerals are missing?
*Consider the use of Indian Almond leaves/Bio Lif (although I think you tried this before, but if not this can aid in lowering Aeromonas Bacteria)

Carl

[babygeige]

I don't really do anything to maintain the GH. I check it about once a month and it's always the same.
I mostly feed Spirulina - the stuff that you sell, Carl. Sometimes I use Aqueon freshwater flakes and about once a week I feed them either frozen bloodworms or frozen brine shrimp. These cories that in the QT tank right now have only had frozen bloodworms once since I bought them.

Maybe I will try some Bio-Lif. I used it once in my display tank, but I took it out because I didn't like that it was turning the water brown, lol. I'm pretty sure I still have it around here somewhere.

I noticed that the other remaining cory has started to do this strange twitching thing as well. I just hope my red female betta doesn't catch it too!
Well, whatever the problem is, I'm not going to worry about it much longer. If these guys don't make it, I am completely done with cories for a long time! I do still have one julii left in my display tank. I guess he's just going to have to stay lonely!

[Carl]

Your reply is what I thought Stephanie.

The Aqueon Flakes are excellent too, so I do not think that food is the problem.
Maybe give the Bio Lif a try again, even though you will get brown water from the tannins.

Carl

[babygeige]

I put some bio-lif in there. I cut open the packet and poured some of it into some nylons. It said one packet was good for 115 liters, so I didn't think it would be good to put the whole thing in. The tank is a nice shade of brown, lol, but it's really not too bad. Plus it's not the display tank, so no biggie.
We'll see if it helps, if not, oh well, we tried, right?

[bikeguy33]

well....a swim bladder disorder will make them swim oddly. was it a buoyancee problem.....did they have a tough time staying on 1 tank level??i do agree a bad batch is the problem tho. i will add.....it is tough to diagnose any troubles without actually seeing the problem. sux we are all over the continent.....and sorry fried....in scotland too....

[babygeige]

It's a very weird problem. I've only seen them do it a couple of times since yesterday afternoon. The closest thing I can think of to describe it would maybe be a seizure of some sort. They had a brief fit of twitching and odd swimming that was on and off for a minute or so, and then they're back to normal. On Sunday when the first cory died, he was definitely having a buoyancy issue. He was straight up and down at the very top of the tank. He couldn't get himself horizontal or swim downward at all.

I watched the remaining 2 for about 10 minutes this morning and they were active and swimming around like normal. It's a bare bottom 5 gallon tank, so there is no gravel for them to snuff around. They just swim all over the tank and don't appear to be struggling at all!

[goldenpuon]

Are they not really swimming, kind of drifting in the current or are they fighting to swim like they are trying to right themselves? If they are drifting in the current, that is a very bad sign.

Also, do you soak their food before you feed them? I'd doubt that not soaking would have such drastic effects (I also don't know if cories need their food soaked). This is just a guess. I figure that even you get help from me despite not knowledgable about cories, it may still benefit you a little. Let me know if I should not pitch in if I am only guessing. Anyway, hope things go better! Best of luck!

Renee

[babygeige]

They swam perfectly fine until they had their twitchy 3 seconds, and then they were fine again. They don't struggle or drift at all.

I usually hold the flakes in my hand in the water for a moment before letting them go so that they will sink and float around the tank so that all the residents have a chance of getting food. I don't know if that qualifies as actual soaking or not...

I actually haven't seen them twitch at all since Tuesday. But the first cory tricked me this way too, so I'm not getting my hopes up yet. Keeping fingers crossed though!

[bikeguy33]

have you ruled out a parasitic infection. almost sounds like they are scratching.

[Carl]

Nov 28, 2008 23:57:49 GMT -5 bikeguy33 said:

have you ruled out a parasitic infection. almost sounds like they are scratching.

I think bikeguy's point makes a lot of since.
Another similar possibility is gill damage from previous ammonia exposure, however the suddeness implies more what Bill is stating.

The other long shot is Icthyophonus, not to be confused with Ich, this is a relatively rare BUT LETHAL fungal disease.

See this article:
Ichthyophonus in Fish

Carl

[babygeige]

Nov 28, 2008 23:57:49 GMT -5 bikeguy33 said:

have you ruled out a parasitic infection. almost sounds like they are scratching.

I think you might be right. The more I observe them, it seems that this is what they are doing. It's really hard for me to tell if they have any spots or anything. Their coloring makes it a bit tricky.

here's a pic of one that I took last night:

[Carl]

The only thing I notice on this Cory (and this may simply be coloration), is that his/her lateral line seems "scraped".

Generally Lateral Line disease is associated with Marine Fish, however it also seems to have much in common with HITH in FW.

I guess my point is that you may have a parasite (for which treatment with a Medicated Wonder Shell may help) or you possibly have FW variation of Lateral Line Disease/Erosion for which diet (which I know your feeding is excellent) can play a major part. Again the Medicated Wonder Shell may be a good choice here since it is not as strong as other parasite medications, but aids in electrolytes and other aspects of water quality that may cause these problems.
Metronidazole may also be a good choice of meds to try.

Lateral Line Disease/Erosion

HITH disease

Carl

[bikeguy33]

just so you know bg (hey..thats my initials to...lol) lateral line erosion and hole in the head are pretty much the same condition and it is mostly a cichlid disease, although not always. carl made a great observation thanx to your great pic abilities. i have had excellent sucess with metronidazole as carl pointed out. metro is the main active ingredient in most general cures and to me is as valuable in your fish doctor case as MB.

[babygeige]

Thanks for the info, guys. Both cories have the lateral line marking, but I just figured that was part of their coloring. I'm pretty sure they were like that when I got them. Perhaps the conditions at the store where I purchased them weren't very good and they are just not recovering?

I don't have Metro, but I did have one Med shell left, so I threw that in there. We'll see what happens.

[babygeige]

Ok, so the Metro stuff arrived today. Would you recommend using this with the medicated shell or just do one at a time?

The cories have been ok lately, as far as I can tell. I have observed them 5 - 10 minute increments over the last several days and haven't been able to catch them scratching. Maybe they are getting better?

[Carl]

Dec 13, 2008 15:27:01 GMT -5 babygeige said:

Ok, so the Metro stuff arrived today. Would you recommend using this with the medicated shell or just do one at a time?

The cories have been ok lately, as far as I can tell. I have observed them 5 - 10 minute increments over the last several days and haven't been able to catch them scratching. Maybe they are getting better?

I would stay the coarse with the Medicated Wonder Shells, and not add the Metronidazole for now (maybe as part of a bath if you feel a bath would be helpful, but I doubt this too is needed for now).

I would keep it on hand if you notice any thing wrong for both in tank and part of a bath treatment.

Carl

[bikeguy33]

just reading back on the posts. i missed carls about LLD. i didnt realize it was also a marine disease. never encountered that before in marine. in my experience...it is mostly cichlids. looked it up and read alot...very common in tangs and surgeon fish....hmmmmm....we learn something new everyday...

[babygeige]

Here is the last chapter of these peppered cories lives. Here is how the bigger one is right now. This is the same thing that the first one did just before he died, and the smaller one was doing this Sunday, although he has since stopped. Now he just sits at the bottom of the tank and doesn't really move.

I don't really have any hopes of curing them, but I thought I'd post this pic to show you guys what's going on with these crazy things. It's almost like he is paralyzed or something. I can see him breathing, and I can see his eyes moving around, but that's it.

[bikeguy33]

poor guy......have you enough oxyge in the tank....almost looks like it is starving for oxyge....