Poorly cories

[Akasha]

Hi, I'm posting because I've got two cories with some kind of external problem going on and I don't know what it is so what to treat it with.

This started a long time ago with a male panda cory. He started with what looked like a fat lump on one fin then white patches appeared - he looked like he's been flashing and had damaged his slime coat in the process. It's most obvious over his black eye mask but there are also thickened marks on his body now. He's been like this a long time and as he shared the tank with several other cories and no-one else was affected I started to consider he just had a problem in his DNA.

He continued to act normally - including spawning with the females and up until today none of my other cories have become affected.

I've tried treating with M.Green, M.Blue, Esha 2000 and even anti-biotics and nothing has cured him.

This morning I glanced in my tank and one of my bronze cories now has white patches over his body and I suspect he has the same problem.

I've researched online to try and find an answer but I can't find anything that looks like this. I've asked on other fish keeping forums and shared photo's of the panda but again - nothing.

If this is some kind of parasite it's now spread which rules out my initial thoughts of a DNA problem.

Tank Info:
240 litres
Temp: 24-25
pH - around 5
gH - zero
kH - zero
Ammonia - zero
Nitrite - zero
Nitrate - around 20-40
Aquarium sand substrate
well planted and natural bogwood decor
Fed with New Era cory pellets twice a day.
Water changes weekly of around 25%

Hoping someone can help. I can add photo's later if the description isn't suffient

Thanks in advance

[bekateen]

Hi Akasha,

Sorry about your corys. Can you please share pictures with us?

Regards, Eric

[Akasha]

yes, I will try once the sun goes down

[Akasha]

okay, I managed to get some photo's of the panda while I was feeding them - apologies for the reflection it's still full sun here

http://s1127.photobucket.com/user/akash ... e.jpg.html

http://s1127.photobucket.com/user/akash ... e.jpg.html

http://s1127.photobucket.com/user/akash ... g.jpg.html

My bronze is hiding around the back of my wood but I'll keep trying

[Akasha]

got him. You can't really see it but there's a white patch behind his dorsal fin and the white 'spots' on his side. None of my other fish have white spot so I doubt very much that this is white spot - unless there's a white spot that only affects cories that I don't know about??

http://s1127.photobucket.com/user/akash ... 1.jpg.html

[Akasha]

69 views and no replies so I'm guessing everyone here is stumped too.

The plan now is to look for a broad spectrum parasite/bacteria treatment and hope for the best. I can't leave them both like this, the panda especially

Thanks anyway guys

[Coryman]

Looking at the tank statistics I think the main problem is that the water is very soft and your nitrates are up a little, and it is the presence of nitrates that is probably causing the problem.

The first thing I would do is a 50% water change and then reduce the amount of food.

With very soft water it is important to keep everything in good order and the best and simplest way is by changing water, 25% a week in my opinion is not enough and would increase this to either more frequent or larger amounts.

A variable diet is also beneficial, adding live or frozen daphnia, tubifex and or blood worm would certainly improve their well being.

[Akasha]

Hello Coryman and thank you for your reply.

An update first. I added a broad spectrum parasite/bacteria med and one cory is recovering but the poor panda is no better. I did a 50% water change yesterday.

I admit that I am struggling with water changes due to disability. I have planted my tank very heavily in order to deal with Nitrates but I do need to re-test it as I've not tested it in a bit. I'm currently looking at various options to assist me with my water changes including a diy python water changer or a pump system.

In terms of food ... my cories have New Era/Vitalis cory pellets and I add something from my freezer supply 3 times a week. I currently have frozen Artemia, Bloodworms, Daphnia, White Worms, Black worms and Cyclops and I tend to mix it up. They only get bloodworms once a week because I know they are very calorific.

With my water ... I agree. It's a problem. My tank has had a pH crash due to the very soft water and I now run ocean rock in my filters to help - not that it helps much. Even when I change large amounts of water my pH drops within a couple of days back down to 5-6. It may be that I need to get into a habit of changing small amounts of water everyday ... this is something I am considering.

My other problem with my water is that I have a big problem with phosphates. I have a reading of 1.6ppm from the tap. In the tank it has caused BBA so I run a phosphate remover perminantly. The skin problems in my cories does seem to coincide with the po4 raising (when the remover is spent and needs replacing) Due to the po4 I try not to add anything that will raise it further so my plant ferts are po4 free.

Can you recommend something that will help the skin of this panda? I want to see him well again but I've tried everything I can think of and nothing has worked

Many thanks again for your reply. It's much appreciated

[Akasha]

I've done a water test this morning and my nitrates are only 10-20 - that'll be the 50% water change this week I think. Po4 is higher than I'd like so it looks like my remover needs changing. Most worryingly though is that my pH is reading at 4.5. This is way lower than I'd like. It has been lower at pH 4 but a reading of 4.5 suggests it's heading toward another crash. I'm planning a 30 litre water change this afternoon and a po4 remover change and then a re-test tomorrow.

Could this be what is wrong with the cories? and if so why is it only affecting 2 when I have well over 20 cories (6 panda, 5 peppered, 5 bronze, 5 melini, 3 smudge spot and 2 black)

I admit I'm confused and a little worried