Corydora with pinkish gills

[BANGAR]

Is this normal?
It's one of the Cory loxozonus. I only have two of them, one of them has pinkish gills. They do school with the black sail corys (x6) who have very similar marking. That Cory is a little more lethargic as well, but still searches for food.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Delapool]

How's it doing? I assume water chemistry was ok? Hopefully it is not getting worse which might suggest a bacterial infection.

 

[BANGAR]

I don't have any test strips I did a 30% water change today, and their scales were looking pretty dull before hand. They swim around quite a bit, but they just don't seem to be super... How would you say, enthusiastic, a little lazier than the other cories I guess you could say... Maybe they are stressed because they aren't all with the same species?



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[brennae]

You really need a liquid test kit and to check your ammonia. Pink gills is a warning sign.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Delapool]

Are the gills flared out or anything or any flashing on them?

I agree with above. A trip to the lfs to check / rule out water chemistry would be first up.

 

[BANGAR]

Okay so I bought tetra test strips an the results are as follows
pH 7.2
Kh 80
Chlorine 0
Hardness 150
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

The fish is pale and is breathing rapidly! Someone advised me to buy methylene blue and that the fish has an infection, but I can't find it in any stores! Should I get this for the fish or is their a different remedy?! Please help! Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Delapool]

Okay so I bought tetra test strips an the results are as follows
pH 7.2
Kh 80
Chlorine 0
Hardness 150
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

The fish is pale and is breathing rapidly! Someone advised me to buy methylene blue and that the fish has an infection, but I can't find it in any stores! Should I get this for the fish or is their a different remedy?! Please help! Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Hi, I'm sorry the test strips are generally unreliable. My experience is they are ok for ph, kh and hardness and under read for nitrite and nitrate. While not testing for ammonia at all which is the one you really need. API master FW test kit (liquid based) is the one to get.

So 0 nitrate doesn't make sense for an established tank as it is the end waste product in the FW nitrifying cycle. How long has the tank been set-up? Done anything recently that might cause a mini-cycle (eg lengthy filter clean)?

MB is usually in general purpose medications. Here it is often combined with other meds. Link below in this. I've never noticed too much impact on plants.


http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumMedication3.html#methylene_blue

I would see if the store can check ammonia, start with MB just in case (will help with ammonia poisoning and bacterial infections either way) and if ammonia is fine, go to furan 2 for a general bacterial treatment as you mentioned the others looked not so great as well?

Extra water changes just in case are always useful.

Imo I wouldn't use salt, Pimafix or Melafix for treatment. Salt will stress the cories slightly and Pima/mela are hit and miss ime.

 

[BANGAR]

So, I lost the Cory! I had the water tested at my LFS the day before he passed:
pH 7.6-7.8
ammonia .25 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 5.0 ppm

the LFS fish guy advised me to not do water changes to help my plants get more nitrate. not totally sure about that, one but i was willing to give it a try

but now I have another cory thats looking pale! and his barbels look short, hes still active and looking for food, could it be that my gravel substrate is too sharp??? its just standard black gravel!

 

[Delapool]

So, I lost the Cory! I had the water tested at my LFS the day before he passed:
pH 7.6-7.8
ammonia .25 ppm
nitrite 0 ppm
nitrate 5.0 ppm

the LFS fish guy advised me to not do water changes to help my plants get more nitrate. not totally sure about that, one but i was willing to give it a try

but now I have another cory thats looking pale! and his barbels look short, hes still active and looking for food, could it be that my gravel substrate is too sharp??? its just standard black gravel!

Interesting on the ph change compared to strips.

I'd keep up the weekly water changes at least. I do agree that for planted tanks imo nitrates are a bit low but you do have some for the plants and the ammonia should be 0. Are you dosing any ferts or glut? The ammonia reading of 0.25 is not a huge concern but indicates a problem somewhere since it should be 0 and I confess I'd give a lot to know if it was previously higher than this (eg filter clean or disturbed substrate). I'd suggest picking up your own test kit.

It's possible on the gravel. Have the barbels just been steadily worn down since you got the fish or ?? Depends how your other fish are doing as well if they are getting short barbels as well?

Ok, so all up I reading the water chemistry is not quite ideal and the gravel may/may not be a problem. These sound like things that could stress the fish out but perhaps not kill them. Cories I find are a bit sensitive so tank conditions need to be really good. Just imo.

Last one is I would considered trying a medicated antibiotic food or furan 2. In my tank I would shift that one to a QT and treat with antibiotic / give him a bit of quiet time to recover.

 

[BANGAR]

Yeah that's what I did! I put him in a 5gal yesterday with furan2.
Seems to be doing a little better, gill movement is a little slower.

Also it appears that the barbel problem affected that Cory in particular, and suddenly. There is no redness around the barbel... Just shortened compared to my other cories. All my other cories appear happy and healthy at the moment. Bet your bottom I'm keeping a close eye on them though!



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Delapool]

Ok, fingers crossed. Hope it works ok.


Even with small loaches I've never noticed a big problem with gravel. Mine is semi-rounded and they will bury themselves up to their eyes hunting snails or just being loachy. When I roll the gravel in my hand it doesn't seem particularly sharp if that helps.