toxic corys

flash · Post by **flash** » 17 Feb 2007, 19:20

Hi all
last week i took some of my home bred fish to my local shop(it helps pay the bills).i took some corys and sturisoma i take them in large plastic jars in a pollybox .for the first time i mixed them in the jars 12 corys 12 whiptails by the time i got to the shop (about 45 mins)most of the whiptails were floating on top with a couple dead.the guy that runs the shop told me that in a confined space the corys give of a toxin that can kill other fish .the whiptails came around apart from 2 but it sure taught my a lesson

cheers flash

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 17 Feb 2007, 21:41

Do you suppose the Sturisoma used up the oxygen in your transport jars?

kim m · Post by **kim m** » 18 Feb 2007, 04:54

I've had C. sterbai poisoning themselves when transported in bags.

I haven't seen this with other species.

Freshman · Post by **Freshman** » 18 Feb 2007, 09:38

Hi,

that means those bright colour yellow fins of c.sterbai is poisonous?

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 18 Feb 2007, 10:11

kim m wrote:I've had C. sterbai poisoning themselves when transported in bags.

I haven't seen this with other species.

I once received fish from Uruguay, among them 2 * 6 Corydoras cf paleatus. In 1 bag 1 Cory obviously has died early in the trip, and thus the others were dead. In the other, 3 were dead, 3 seamed to be alife still - but did not make it. The fishes had bee nin the bags for over 48 hrs

When I talked about this at the local fishstore, they relpied thet Corydoras poisening each other is quite well known, and adding some charcoal normally prevents it.

Once I picked a hihghfin Cory up wrongly. 1 fn got into my thumb, and it burned for over 1 hr. This happened in Uruguay, with a wild Cory. This Cory is now in 1 of my tanks

kuhni · Post by **kuhni** » 18 Feb 2007, 10:40

No, All Corydoras have this toxin, it has been documented by Ian Fuller and he has written an article on it I think, I believe it is a defense that they release this toxin to try stop a predator. The only way is to put them in a bag of completely new tank water. A Sign that this toxin has been released is a slight bubbling on the surface of the water.

bronzefry · Post by **bronzefry** » 18 Feb 2007, 14:59

Please look <a href='http://www.planetcatfish.com/core/glossary.php' target='_blank'>here</a> under Alarm Substance.

Amanda