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I have numerous Schwartzi cories in two different tanks now and they all have short barbels. In the first group I got only the largest one or two cories had long barbels and all the other cories were kind of small with no barbels. I figured they were just young and that the barbels would grow. I got 4 more cories for another tank and they were all larger with long barbels. Now a few weeks later the barbels are short and stubby.

Both tanks have smooth rounded small gravel, no ammonia, no nitrites, and nitrates<10ppm (undetectable with kit). I know there is some debate on what causes this to happen, but I don't know what is causing it in this case. My yoyo loaches have no barbel problems. One site said that wild-caught cories have more of a problem with this. As I understand it... Schwartzis are sometimes wild-caught. If this is the cause, what can I do about it? Some of them are not very good eaters, despite a varied diet of dry and frozen foods.

Last edited by MO at 11-Dec-2004 19:58

One of my favorite causes of barbel erosion is a low grade bacterial infection affecting mostly some species of Corys...

The area is attacked because of the ease of infection in these soft and susceptible tissues of the fish.

Reports of barbel erosion have been reported many times on this website from various hobbyists with several different species of Corys kept on a varied substrate.

I would like to discount the "sharp" substrate theory of barbel erosion since hobbyists have reported no erosion to their Cory barbels after a period of time on their sharp-type substrate.

If bacteria is the culprit as I believe, you can dose an anticeptic such as Melafix and note any improvement occurring.

Low-grade bacterial infection should react favorably to the med in a couple of weeks by retarding the damage and providing a regrowth opportunity.

Excellent water quality and a minimum of excessive mulm on the substrate surface will aid in the regrowth if damage is not too severe and long-term.

Corys should have a nutritious diet. Hikari sinking algae wafers, the first ingredient being fish meal, should be fed.

--garyroland.

In addition to everything Gary stated, I would encourage you to test your nitrates and keep them below 20ppm and ideally 5-15ppm. Some testing suggests there is a connection between high nitrates and barbel erosion. Fish transferred from high nitrate tanks, had barbel regrowth in lower nitrate tanks. Granted, this could have been improved water quality overall. But, it's a worthy target in any event.

Several cories I obtained early on, came from very high nitrate tanks (100+). They had no barbels. I read various thoughts on the subject and did two things, in addition to the Melafix Gary suggests: Maintained low nitrates, provided high protein meals.

- Hikari Bottom Feeder Pellets
- Wardley Shrimp Pellets

I alternated these and fed once in the AM and once in the PM in the early days, then tapered off to once daily. I always fed in the same corner so I could siphon out what got worked down into the gravel every few days.

Good Luck

Nitrates are 10ppm as the poster stated, Diane...

Although Hikari pellets are fine for some Corys I prefer the sinking wafers that soften and break up easily, once submerged, for ease of feeding.

--garyroland.

It is definately not a nitrate issue. I've never had any amount of measurable nitrate in the tanks because they are planted and actually understocked by most standards.

The Melafix issue is confusing me because when I posted about this when I first noticed the problem, I thought Gary had said Melafix would not help and could actually hurt young cories. Incidentally, I ended up having to add Melafix for another problem. I had a rasbora with a bite wound and dosed the tank for 3 days (the rasbora didn't make it). A few days later one of the small cories seemed very inactive but water tests showed everything was normal. Remembering what Gary said I did a water change to get rid of most of the Melafix and the cory seemed better for it. I didn't notice any change in their barbels....although the Melafix was only in thank for a few days. Should it be used at a lesser dose with cories or something?

I try to keep their diet varied too. The foods I am feeding them are flake food, wardley shrimp pellets, hikari bottom feeder wafers, wardley algae wafers, dried tubifex, dried and frozen daphnia, frozen bloodworm, frozen mysis shrimp, bottom feeder tablets, and bottom feeder "gro pellets" with spirulina.

"One of my favorite causes of barbel erosion is a low grade bacterial infection affecting mostly some species of Corys..."


Gary, you have a FAVORITE cause of barbel erosion? Man, you REALLY ARE into fish! lol




Mo, good luck with your corys. I have 2 sick ones that started with barbel erosion, and have gotten worse. I don't know what the cause is yet, but whatever it is, I know it's NOT my favorite!

-Dennis

I find it strange that cories would do badly with melafix. I have 5 very young habrosus cories in my 20 long and have added full strength melafix and pimafix together when other fish had some fight wounds. One had a lifted scale that was getting fuzzy so I didn't want to take chances. After Melafix alone didn't seem to change the appearance, I started adding Pimafix with the Melafix. Never thought it would hurt the cories, and it didn't.

In the past, I have added such meds at half dose to see how the cories or young fish tolerated it, then added the other half 12 hours later when I could observe for a while. The next day, I added full strength. It got them use to the taste. You could always dose just under full strength too.

When I see fish with wounds, I like to add just a small amount of freshwater aquarium salt (many plants are tolerante of small doses). One way fish die from wounds, if they are big enough, is from electrolyte loss.



Last edited by Cory_Di at 13-Dec-2004 06:17

Out of the many so-called causes of barbel erosion, low-grade infection is indeed "my favorite" cause...

Melafix, an anticeptic, overused and abused by many, may be a benefit in reducing the bacteria count on barbels, if and only if, water quality is excellent.

In a tank that has excellent water quality and healthy trops, fish wounds do not require an anticeptic to prevent infection.

If a fungus is involved in barbel erosion, a slight discoloring of the ends of the barbels will be noticed. I've seen barbels bitten off/damaged by other species in the tank that sometimes will fungus.

I have about 20 young Albino Corys in a 90 gallon that I'm watching carefully for barbel erosion. So far, after a month, no erosion is evident.

--garyroland.