Whiskas Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 HI all, noticed my mums cories have white mouths - and no i dont mean it as a natural colour!! :lol: They dont look fluffy just white and they dont have those feeler-like things on the sides of their mouths. Anyone know what this could be? Checked the pH it was a bit on the acidic side, but fixed that with a couple of shells. She does regular 10% water changes, but has alot of green algae growing - maybe due to the sunlight the tank gets throught hte window? Ohter than their mouths being white and just not looking right, the fish seem happy enough....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 What is the substrate? Sounds like it is too sharp and has worn down the barbels and damaged their mouths. Is this a possibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southerrrngirrl Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 I recall someone with a similar problem sometime ago. There was a post about it. I'll see if I can find it for you. Edit: Found this > viewtopic.php?f=25&t=18673&hilit=cory+white+mouth Might help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Checked the pH it was a bit on the acidic side, but fixed that with a couple of shells. Corys like it on the acidic side It sounds just like our problem we had a while ago, Our substrate was too sharp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiskas Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 the substrate is layered up as follows - sand, small roundish stones and the medium to large size rounded stones - none of which are sharp! The other things in the tank are plants, cockatoo cichlids and a resin rock formation thing. They get fed on algae tablets and i think its prawn tablets??? (they are pink, whatever they are), plus of course they get wateva else sinks to the bottom. BTW thanks for the link to the discussion southerngirl - it sounds very similar. My first thought was to pull mums tank apart, which we did. We siphoned the smaller gravel and sand, and chucked in some melafix before putting the fishes back. One of the cories died - maybe as a result of the pull apart?? Mum is not so good at keeping up with the dosing, maybe i will have to go do it :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 It definitely sounds like their barbels are getting worn down. I've seen it happen when the fish are really hungry and are searching for food all the time, or if they're getting fed things that are falling between the substrate, and the fish are burrowing in the substrate and bending the barbels lots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.