Fat Corydoras

[Kitling]

My cat is fat. What is wrong with him/her?

Temp - 74 F
pH - 7.5
Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrites - 0 ppm
Nitrates - ~40 ppm

About Nitrates - I was out of town for a few days this week so I overfed them a little before I left, which I think is what made the nitrates rise... Regardless, the cory has been fat like this for a few weeks now. It is swimming normally but it does seem less active than usual. I do 40% water changes weekly and have plants in the tank.

I don't feed live foods and haven't added anything new to the tank. Tank has neon tetras and other cories. Also has a few snails as you can see in the photo... I cut down feeding but the swelling hasn't gone down. The other fish are not fat like this.

Thanks

 

[fishman888888]

Have you tried feeding peas?
Have you noticed if he pooped?..
It could also potentially be internal parasites...have you introduced anything new to the tank recently?

 

[Mama Karoti]

Is it acting normal? Could be a "she" and could have eggs.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Kitling]

I haven't tried peas - thanks for reminding me, I will try it.
I haven't seen it poop, but I rarely ever catch my cories pooping.
No, I haven't introduced anything new to the tank in several months. No new fish, and I don't feed live foods.

I did notice it scratched itself on the sand yesterday. A bit of flashing. I only saw it once, though, and other than that her swimming has been normal. She's breathing normally and coming up for air at regular intervals.

In the photo you can see a pink-ish coloring underneath her where the bulge is - is this normal? Maybe I am over-reacting, but I hear a lot of cories die with red splotches on them...

 

[Mama Karoti]

Yes, mine has the pinkish coloring, and my females get a pretty good bulge when they have eggs. You might check your ammonia level. My cories flash if there's an ammonia spike for some reason. They are like my little canaries in the mine.

I have Julii Cories, too, btw.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Kitling]

Ah that is interesting! My ammonia is at 0, and it looks like my Nitrates have dropped to about 30ppm. Maybe she was flashing because of all the water changes (and the high Nitrates, but it looks like it's getting better).

Anyway, she has been fat for a few weeks now, maybe she really is gravid... Well, I've never bred cories before so I'm not sure how this will turn out! I have another tank cycling at the moment, so if it's done in time maybe I can use that to separate the eggs from the parents.

 

[Mama Karoti]

Keep an eye out for ich, just to be safe.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Kitling]

Yeah. I'm still not 100% sure of what it is, and it sounds like ich is really common... If it is ich, there will be white spots on the fish right?

 

[Mama Karoti]

Eventually, yes. But it is my understanding that it starts in the gills. Bad thing is, cories are sensitive to meds and salt, so do your research if you decide to treat. You could try heat-only and see if their flashing stops. That would be a good indication it is ich.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice