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  L# Cory Ambiacus Loss And Questions
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SubscribeCory Ambiacus Loss And Questions
AnnieM
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Fingerling
Posts: 16
Kudos: 4
Votes: 0
Registered: 29-Oct-2007
Hi folks,

New post followup about ambiacus.

Sad news... the largest of the three new Ambiacus is dead this morning, and a second looks ready to go any minute.... very quiet, tipped to the side some, "breathing very shallow and pretty slow.
Can anyone guide me what I need to do to prevent this in the future? My ambiacus or close relatives of same survived fine here for over two years.

My local water is hard: 150; nitrates tend to run 20-30 in the tank even with aggressive water changes.
Ammonia is always 0.
Alkalinity has been running higher than normal for me. Normal is 100-120
Alkalinity and I've worked recently to keep it in the 120 to 180 range.
Ph usually runs about 7.2; again I have had to work to keep it in the 7.2-7.6 range.

This morning's readings are
Nitrate 40; time to change water but I hate to stress him further...
Nitrite 0
Hardness 150
Alk 180
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0

The LFS says corys don't do well with transfer. I wanted only to get my lone ambiacus companionable fish, since the greens and he are of limited interaction.

Suggestions? Insights?

Thanks much,
AnnieM

Post InfoPosted 16-Mar-2009 16:31Profile PM Edit Report 
Brengun
 
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Big Fish
Posts: 355
Kudos: 187
Votes: 110
Registered: 22-Jun-2007
female australia au-queensland
Usually corys are pretty hardy.

You could add a bit of driftwood to bring the pH down a little and also religiously use Sera Prime liquid during water changes to help cope with the nitrate effects. Purigen in a bag can also reduce nitrates.

Bit disappointing you lost such good fishes. Condolences.
Post InfoPosted 17-Mar-2009 06:45Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
Babelfish
 
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Administrator
Small Fry with Ketchup
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Registered: 17-Apr-2003
female australia us-maryland
I've never heard corys don't travel well
But with all fish the more care you give them, especially during transit the better off they are. I always try to keep mine covered, keeping them in an insulated box if the temps are extremes and doing a long slow acclimation period of a few hours. Never dump the LFS water into your tank, and I like to leave the lights off in the tank and the tank dark for a day or so after an addition, especially if the fish seem to be taking it hard.

When you do your water changes, are you doing a good deep gravel vac? I had trouble in one tank I purchased used with the fish because the gravel was just so dirty. Nitrates stayed really high even after complete water changes, until I changed out the gravel!


Any of the other fish in the tank breathing odd? or just the new ones?
Sorry for your loss losing a new fish is always frustrating.


^_^

Post InfoPosted 17-Mar-2009 07:45Profile Homepage AIM MSN PM Edit Delete Report 
AnnieM
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Fingerling
Posts: 16
Kudos: 4
Votes: 0
Registered: 29-Oct-2007
Hi Brengan and Bablefish,

Thank you both for the posts. http://fishprofiles.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif It's nice not to feel alone with the loss and confusion.

I do have gravel and always do a deep vac; usually about once a week with a light load of fish in my 29 (5 tetra, five otocinlus cats, and three cories; now four). I just planted three live plants in the gravel two weeks ago so am a little hesitant to lift out all the gravel and start over, but it may come to that.

Usually I can get the nitrate down to 20 right after, but I guess our tap water can run 10-15 nitrates, it's something of a challenge. I'll see if I can find Seraprime and/or Purigen.

As to driftwood, what kind/where to get? I live 4 miles from the Atlantic and have a freshwater pond that has wood in it in the back yard...? Also have live oaks maples, and evergreens... maybe just a branch chunk??

I just checked the rest of my fish for their breathing, and all are normal and calm, though I can't see the lone remaining new cory. A second died overnight, so sad and pointless; boo-hoo .....

And to top it off, my original guy show no interest in the newbies!! Go figure.

AnnieM

Post InfoPosted 17-Mar-2009 15:36Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
AnnieM
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Fingerling
Posts: 16
Kudos: 4
Votes: 0
Registered: 29-Oct-2007
The last of the three new ambiacus is gone; he was almost there as I started to change water this morning.

Well, I guess my current thought is not to try again with any new fish. Since the old cory does hang out with my greens and everybody else seems healthy, including the new otocinclus, I'll presume that the tank setup was not the main culprit in their demise. But I'm open to feedback!

It will stop me from getting wild caught in the future, though, not only because of the loss, but because these are awfully small populations to begin with to "feed" a "hungry" worldwide population of aquarium enthusiasts. I'd thought of it before but tried anyway just because I wanted to! I'm as "hungry" as anyone!

AnnieM
Post InfoPosted 17-Mar-2009 19:42Profile PM Edit Delete Report 
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