WTM Posted September 18, 2005 Report Share Posted September 18, 2005 Okay where to start... We currently have three Bronze Cory's in a 10 gal with a Fighter and a single Platy. Over the later part of last week I noticed one of the Cory's looking somewhat sorry for themselves (sitting still, very thin, etc). Now I have been slowly building up the equipment for a proper hospital tank, so I rushed out Saturday morning to get the last of the equipment required (ie the actual tank). When we got home we noticed that a second Cory had lost an eye during the three hours we were out, and was being harassed by the Platy non-stop. Both Cory fish have now been moved into the hospital tank (filter had been running in the main tank), and have been treated with Melafix. Am I doing the right thing, and more importantly have I missed anything? I don't hold too much hope for the first fish, but I'd like to at least try. I think our newly renamed "Cyclops" will make it though. Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated? Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 hi's, how long have you had the tank running for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTM Posted September 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 hi's, how long have you had the tank running for? The tank they live in normally? Since late June The quarantine tank? Since Saturday, but it's filter was in the normal tank before hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 hi ya!!, useing the melafix is a good thing it will stop nasties getting into the eye socket. catfish are great carers of deseases,so the problem could be many as far as the first sick cory goes.how is the fighter? the melafix will definitly help if problem is bacterial. you could try some acriflavine on a cotton-bud directly on the eye socket. i hope your other cory in main tank is okay!!!! shelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 Yip, so far your doing the right thing. Get some food like shrimp pellets and alot of hiding places for the corys, keep the tank in low light if possible, it will encourage them to come out and eat, the more they eat the better, you wanna keep them nice and fat and healthy until there better. Shae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTM Posted September 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 The fighter is looking fine, as is the Platy. However I am worried about the single Cory by itself in the main tank (looks unhappy about being by itself), on the other hand don't want to risk exposing it to anything by transferring it??? Should I transfer it when the QT tank settles? I've got the QT tank covered so only the front is exposed and I completely cover it at about 8pm... I'm feeding twice daily, either shrimp pellet or some frozen bloodworm (the first Cory to fall sick has a bit of damage around the mouth, so I thought this would be easier to eat?). This is really my first attempt at caring for sick fish, so the more advice I can get the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig Posted September 19, 2005 Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 what kind of damage to mouth ie fungi,the two feeler thingies hardly there anymore or what? if the two feeler thingies look like their shrunken,it usually a sign of been in poor water ie ph to high or low,nitrates,ammonia etc. couldn't put on a pic could ya!! might make it easier. shelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTM Posted September 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2005 what kind of damage to mouth ie fungi,the two feeler thingies hardly there anymore or what? if the two feeler thingies look like their shrunken,it usually a sign of been in poor water ie ph to high or low,nitrates,ammonia etc. couldn't put on a pic could ya!! might make it easier. shelley Well for the original Cory this is now academic, found him dead this morning. He was missing his barbels from the day we got him, but recently it looked like a bit of his lip (?) was missing. He always looked a little sorry for himself, but was doing okay for about 1 1/2 months before this happened - poor fella. The remaining sick Cory looks to be doing well, how long should I keep him in QT, given he's in there due to injury and the other fish (that was ill) was in there?? Thanks all for the advice, much appreciated... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig Posted September 20, 2005 Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 hi, sorry for your loss.sounds like he had aproblem before you got him.as for the other "cyclops" i'd leave him where he is till eye socket looks good, making sure no fungi takes hold.when all looks good put him back. bronze cory's like their ph 7. if it gets to low eg:ph6.their bar-bells disappear and they generally fall over. hope i have been of some help, shelley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTM Posted September 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 hi, sorry for your loss.sounds like he had aproblem before you got him.quote] Possibly, but he was real lively most of the time, he just always looked less "developed" possible "failure to thrive" perhaps. Regarding Ph I actually had my Ph slowly fall a few weeks back, but have since been carrying out twice weekly water changes to correct this, but from my checking the fish that should have suffered from that would have been the Platy. As for Cyclops might give him the rest of the week in QT and then reintroduce, unless people think I should introduce him back in sooner? I am dosing the main tank with Melafix as well (it's only a 10g so not like it's a lot I'm having to put in). Again, thanks for all the advice.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limegirl Posted September 20, 2005 Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 Another reason for missing barbels is gravel that is too rough. These abrasions can cause fungal infections to set in and cause greater damage, or they can prevent the cory from feeding. These little fish need really round, smooth gravel, so maybe that is something you should check out. Good luck with cyclops, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig Posted September 20, 2005 Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 limegirl is quite right, your platy should have no problem with ph getting low ie. 6. how low did it go? my platy's are in a tank with discus ph sit's 6.5-6 and they are continually breeding,becoming a problem. alway's remember "acid water safe,alkaline dangerous. shelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTM Posted September 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 limegirl is quite right, your platy should have no problem with ph getting low ie. 6. how low did it go? my platy's are in a tank with discus ph sit's 6.5-6 and they are continually breeding,becoming a problem. alway's remember "acid water safe,alkaline dangerous. shelley I thought Platties liked their water slightly alkaline? Anyway it only got as low as 6.4 (I think) and that's about when I found this site.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig Posted September 20, 2005 Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 i don't exactly know what the corect ph is for platy's,but have found they do really well in acid water,i have never let water get below 6. and when i was working in importing fishies we kept them around 6.5,because of stock levels,30-40 in a small tanks,eat heaps, so if water was at 7-7+ we would start loosing fish due to ammonia build up,don't seem to get ammonia when water is acid. 6.4 not to bad. shelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted September 20, 2005 Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 i was under the impression that 7 is nuetral? so then 6 isnt very acidic. Plus i keep all my livebearers at about 7-7.5 ph, and have never had problems. Platy can be keepd in a range of different water conditions. Shae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted September 20, 2005 Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 The initials pH stand for "Potential of Hydrogen." Acids have pH values under 7, and alkalis have pH values over 7. If a substance has a pH value of 7, it is neutral-neither acidic or alkaline. Because the pH scale is logarithmic, a difference of one pH unit represents a tenfold, or ten times change. For example, the acidity of a sample with a pH of 5 is ten times greater than that of a sample with a pH of 6. A difference of 2 units, from 6 to 4, would mean that the acidity is one hundred times greater, and so on. Therefore, 6.0 is very acidic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTM Posted September 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 Indeed... I read somewhere that some Cory's don't mind down to 6, and some don't mind down to 6.5, while for the Platy I was told 7.0 - 7.5. Hence why I was concerned with the PH dropping. Update time: Cyclops seems to be doing well, although he doesn't move much the food I do drop in is gone by morning. I assume he's not moving much as there is no one to move to or around with? The cory by itself in the main tank is looking a little stressed however... In terms of the eye socket, what am I looking for to determine when it's time to put him back in the main tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig Posted September 20, 2005 Report Share Posted September 20, 2005 hi, there is only a few cory's that don't mind a low ph 6.6-6.8.etc cory ornayus being one of them, panda cory's seem to like being slightly under 7.i am only going by what and how we would keep them in quarinteen, and i found that if cory's kept at 6.8-7 where still there at the end of 6 wks. if i overfed or missed a waterchange, and ph dropped 6.5-6 we would have losses.some species more than others ie. as for cyclops just make sure socket is clean"no fuzz",but if other cory is looking sad ,i don't know if i'd put him back just yet. shelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTM Posted September 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2005 Thanks... I think I'll leave him in there for a few more days (at least), better safe than sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTM Posted September 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 Thanks... I think I'll leave him in there for a few more days (at least), better safe than sorry. Well in fact I ended up leaving "Cyclops" in the QT tank until last night (a total of 13 days), when I returned him to the main tank. The remaining Cory was very quick to swm over, and the two then proceeded to patrol the entire tank twisting and turning over each other the entire time. Both were obviously happy to be no longer "alone". Since then they have pretty much been "attached' only seperating for short periods before sprinting back to each other. I was worried he'd have trouble back in the main tank, but so far it all seems okay... Any way thanks all for your advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig Posted September 29, 2005 Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 that's real cool so glad everything worked out. who knows!!!!!might have a pair. :lol: that big break might make-em get busy!!! :lol: cheers shelley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 29, 2005 Report Share Posted September 29, 2005 Glad things worked out for you and your fishies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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