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OK, I posted previously about a similar occurance, but never got responses.

Specs:
55 gallon, Amm/N-ite 0, N-ate 4, pH 7.2, temp 79 F (all have been steady).
I have a 5 swordtails and 7 fry, 3 ottos, and dwindling cory cats, live plants.

I am having a hard time w/ Cories. Their fins are either being nipped at or rotting, no other fish have the problem. But slowly, they are all dying. The fins aren't so bad, mainly just the dorsal is a tad frayed. There are no visible signs of anything else, they start laying more on their side...will swim if you nudge them, but not very well and they lay back down. Within 12 hours of noticing that, the fish will die. My cories haven't been as active as they initially were. I got the first ones 4 months ago, and the last 1.5 ago (maybe 20).
Their coloring isn't as bright as it used to be either.

Any ideas?? I have no idea what else I can check, the LFS had no idea either. If there is anything else I can check and report on, just ask.

I thought perhaps it was just chance or newer fish the 1st few times, but now...

-Christina

What are you feeding the Corys and when??

--garyroland.

Not to steal the thread or anything, but me and Nick (sirbooks) have been having similar problems. I'm slowly losing my school of 6 panda cories, who I've had for months. Water params have been fine, w/ the exception of slightly acidic pH. I dunno what it is, and it hasn't affected any of my other fish. (Dwarf Gourami, Gold Barbs, and Black Phantom Tetras)

Something fishy is going on with the cories lately.

*Note to self: Test tap water*

Maybe something different could be going on there that's affecting them??? You should check yours too Crickit. I'm curious to know if it could be the food, mine snack on the flakes and FD bloodworms I feed to the rest of the tank, along with sinking/algae wafers.

Hopefully you'll catch the problem...I'm leaning towards some internal parasite that only affects catfish...if such a thing exists.

EDIT: Thought I'd mention my symptoms too...since they're kind of weird. My cories have been getting into weird positions, on the heater, plants, decor, etc. If I approach them, they'll move, but I'll find them somewhere else weird later on. At first I thought it was the typical cory behavior, but now that I've lost 4, I've determined its not. In addition, some lethargic-ness (I don't think thats a word ) And a loss of color are present.

Last edited by ferretfanatic at 01-Nov-2004 14:24

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Crickit, have you treated with anything?
Have you altered anything in the tank lately? Added any new fish? There are quite a few things that could be the cause of this trouble.

I'm having problems myself, as has been mentioned. I had a happy shoal of six cories, that suddenly became sick three or four weeks ago. I only have two cories left, and they are both ill. The problem doesn't lie in my water, I haven't changed their foods, and I know it's not aggression within the tank. The only symptoms are a yellowish area behind the gills, and heavy breathing. My tank is very well-oxygenated, so I'm baffled as to the cause.

Hopefully we will be able to get to the bottom of these cory illnesses. It is terrible to have fish die on us, especially cories.

---

And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I haven't done anything different w/ the tank, no new fish in a while....except the fry.

I treated w/ MelaFix and PimaFix a few weeks back, due to the fins...I started that back up today.

As far as food...I feed Sera flakes, frozen bloodworms & brine shrimp (not daily), Hikari sinking wafers, algae tabs (2 times a week), and I have some shrimp pellets and dried tubifex worms periodically as well.
But the main food is the flakes and the wafers, the latter I break up some and put around the tank since all the fish will eat them.
I feed around lunch time and before bed, I put more 'sinking' food in at the 2nd feeding.

Any ideas if perhaps it is something bacterial that isn't showing anything on the fish?

Um, i'm no corydoras expert, but you might want to lower your temeperature. Alot of cories don't do well with 80 degrees F so that may be your problem. Turn the temperature down to 75 or so, it will be better for your cories and your plants.

Last edited by seedkiros at 01-Nov-2004 16:12

seedkiros is right corys tend to like the temp lower.


http://www.greenspersonalprinting.com/

OK, since the temp may be part of the issue, I will bring this up.
I have been trying to slowly lower the temp of the tank, but it's taking me a while. The heater's set to 72 F, but the tank is still at 79 F. I have 2 thermometers in there.
As of yesterday, I have decided to replace the heater, because it seems a tad screwy. The temp isn't fluctuating, but it's not letting me easily adjust the temp down either. (Last night I turned it down a bit more from when the light went off, this morning, same temp, heater was on!)
Since it is a 55 gallon tank, I'm thinking I should get 2 150 watt heaters?

Back to the cories, I noticed one had some fungal type stuff on a fin. The only open tank I have is a 5 gallon, but I'm wondering if I should take the cories out for a while and treat? I believe I have 4 left, the latest sick one either got better or I can't find him... Anything I should use other than the Mela/PimaFix?

I wish I had a good camera, I will try and get one tonight from some1.

How are things going for you? Did you get any pictures yet? I have similar problems in my cory tank.

I lowered the temp, and things seem to be improving. I'm still treating w/ Pima/MelaFix.

Hope all goes well.

New issue...
http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Hospital/49883.html?200411082238

this type of thing seems really common in cory cats. I am having a very similar problem. IS your gravel really clean?? overfeeding and waste build up can lead to bacterial build up, and scice corys search through the gravel for food they seem to be quite succeptible. Are they experiencing any barbel erosion as well??