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I have these interlocking rocks for my 20 gal. and when I was cleaning the gravel I got a bit too close and they came undone. So I picked them up to fix them, not knowing that one of my cories was inbetween the two pieces. I guess that when he flopped around he hit his head because when I got him back in the water he has this gash on the top of his head. I feel terrible! Is there anything I can do to save him?

If the injury is just on the surface of his head it should be very easy to treat, just make sure the water is really clean and that he is getting good food and isn't being harassed by his tank mates. You can also pick up a product called Melafix from your local pet shop and add that to the tank. It is a antiseptic that aids in healing wounds like that, it prevents infections that can follow injuries. You may also wish to dose Pimafix to prevent fungus while the wound is healing. Both of those are gentle enough to treat the whole tank without worry, just make sure you remove any activated carbon from the filter.

On the other hand, it is possible that the injury may be more than what you can see on the surface. If he was bumped around really badly he may have internal bleeding or damage to his brain that you can't see, but if that is the case only time will tell and there likely won't be anything you can do for him.

Watch his behaviour for signs of more serious illness. Does he seem listless at all, is he hiding by himself in a corner or playing with the other corys as usual? Is he eating? Some stress is normal after an injury (it's scary!) but he should seem a bit better in a few days... watch carefully for any signs of something like a seizure or stroke, or signs that he is having trouble swimming.

SO here's what I would do:

test your water and make sure everything is in check (it will be best for healing)

Add some Melafix (and Pimafix if you have it), making sure to remove any activated carbon from the filter.

Watch his behaviour for anything that seems off.

Do 10% water changes every 3 days to keep the tank pristine during healing. Be careful to not overfeed and remove any uneaten food from the tank as soon as you can.

Try not to panic. As long as this is a surface injury and he is well taken care of he should be fine. Corys are tough little guys.

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Excellent advice Moppet, and I have nothing to add. I just want to assure pitbull that I had a gold barb who I was horrified to see the other day with blood on her head and gills - I don't know what from but I suspect she might have got her head jammed in a small space, or something may have fallen on her. Either way, she looked pretty messed up. But within a few days all signs of her injury were gone and she looks as good as new.

Clean water, mild medications (like melafix) and an observant owner are the best you can do for your cory . Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Thank you so much you guys. I will keep you posted.

My cory is doing a lot better today! He is playing with his buddies again. His new nickname is scarface! Thanks again for your help!

wonderful news, pitbull