Help, cory has strange white globs!

[palgrnstar]

Hello all,

I am having a problem with a cory. Before I get to the symptoms, here's my tank info:

1. Water parameters
a) Temerature: 80 degrees F
b) pH: 6.4
c) GH: 70 ppm
d) K: 70 ppm
e) Ammonia: 0 ppm
f) Nitrate: 0 ppm
g) Nitrite: 0 ppm
h) H2O Change: 25% once a week


2. Tank set up
a) Size: 20 gallons tall
b) Substrate: Small gravel
c) Filtration: Power filter
d) Furnishings: 2 "fake" cave-rocks, 2 live plants
e) Fish: 3 adults bronze cory, 2 young bronze cory, 2 neon tetras, 2 upside-down catfish
f) Length set-up: 1 year

3. Symptoms: Both of the young bronze cories were born at the same time at the end of Dec, 2003. Both of them have very healthy appetites, and spend their time roaming the tank just like the adult cories. One of the young cories is growing rapidly, and is now about two-thirds the size of an adult cory. My problem is with the other young cory. It is only half as big as the first young cory. It seems like it just stopped growing at some point. I would be less concerned, but I notice that its tail fin has had large white spots on it for a month or so. At first they were hard to see, they almost looked as though it was just places on its fin that were thicker than the rest of the fin. These spots are not ich; the spots are much larger than ich, and have dimension to them, they are not just flat, grain-of-salt looking things. Also, this small young cory's body is much darker all over than any of the adult cories or the other young cory. Its face is really dark and so is its body. In general, the surface of this cory's "skin" sort of looks un-smooth. It looks like it needs to slough off this skin to get to a nicer skin underneath or something, if that makes any sense. The cory still acts "normal", and swims around with the other cories and eats like a little pig. It doesn't rub up on anything, swim funny, or gasp. Its body isn't swollen and its gills aren't red.

Anyone have any idea what this cory might have? All the other fish in the tank seem quite happy, as does this cory. It just doesn't look right (as described above) and it doesn't seem to be growing. Any advice or questions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much,
Sarah

[DeepFriedIctalurus]

Sorry this is so belated, but I've had trouble getting enough time at the computer for this lately..

I certainly hope this isn't the case, but what your Cory might have is viral lymphocystis. Most commonly the stuff shows up on glassfish (especially painted) as small white bumps/grains on the fins & edges of the body, resembling ich. I've seen it on Hypostomus, vampire characins & a couple gouramis as well, and it often causes the fish to darken in color and produce the excessive slime coat you mentioned. Aside from the glassfish which can have this just about anywhere, the only common denominator seems to be poor water conditions at the store. Not to say your tank's like this as it's clearly not, but I'd assume this stuff is transmissible from infected water like most any disease...it's just not very contageous.

Anyway w/o a pic this is just a guess, is seeing one of those out of the question? It's something to look into tho... Do a websearch on formalin, I seem to remember reading somewhere that this actually has an effect on this otherwise incurable disease....good luck.


Tyler

[palgrnstar]

Tyler,

Thanks for your response... I guess it's a possibility, though this fish still seems absolutely fine! It eats like a little pig and swims around everything and everyone in the tank! Are there particular symptoms that I might look for with this?

Cheers,
Sarah