Poorly Pygmy Cories

[AceReject]

Hi all.

I’m looking for some help with some very poorly cories please.

I bought them yesterday from my LFS. I did inspect them in the tank before purchasing, but there was a huge rock in the middle and I think the sick ones were behind it.

Anyway, these are the details:

One has very noticeable bulging black eyes, which I assume is pop-eye, which I believe is a symptom rather than a diagnosis.

Another is horribly bloated. Looking down on the fish, it’s head and tail seem fine, but the stomach area bloats right outwards to the left and right on each side. It doesn’t look natural like it’s just full of eggs or anything. I’m assuming dropsy? It also has red, slightly mangled looking gills. None of them are very active, but they do swim a little bit. The problem is I’m new to fishkeeping and I’ve never had Pygmy cories before so I don’t really know what’s normal for them. I do have albino cories though.

One died overnight. It looked fine to the naked eye, but was sleeping in a plastic QT plant - head down and tail up last night so I knew something wasn’t right.

There are 5 left and they are in a temporary 7L tank with plastic plants which is purely used for quarantine. I’ve dosed with myxacin, eSHa 2000 and aquarium salt.

I tested the water not long ago and the NH3 / NO2 / NO3 levels are all fine. I did a small clean and water change and added a little Seachem Prime anyway. Obviously they’ve only been with me for 24 hours and were evidently sick as soon as I opened the bag though, so I have no idea what water parameters they were enduring in the store.

Any advice on what could be wrong or what I should do would be very much appreciated.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Im guessing from the medications you are using you are from a country that controls antibiotics? Like here in the UK?

That would kind of limit what you can do. If i was looking to medicate esha2000 or myxazin are what i would start with. I wouldnt dose the myxazin in the main tank, and im not sure that they are suitable to use together. Ive used them both with aquarium salt though.

Honestly with the limited antibiotic medication available here, anything more severe than a mild infection its usually too late for treatment by the time they show symptoms.

The best thing you can do is keep up with water changes to ensure pristine water. Can you return them for refund/replacement?

 

[AceReject]

Im guessing from the medications you are using you are from a country that controls antibiotics? Like here in the UK?

That would kind of limit what you can do. If i was looking to medicate esha2000 or myxazin are what i would start with. I wouldnt dose the myxazin in the main tank, and im not sure that they are suitable to use together. Ive used them both with aquarium salt though.

Honestly with the limited antibiotic medication available here, anything more severe than a mild infection its usually too late for treatment by the time they show symptoms.

The best thing you can do is keep up with water changes to ensure pristine water. Can you return them for refund/replacement?

Thanks Aiken. Yes, I’m in the UK. We did take the dead fish back to the LFS and they replaced him with the last two they had - so they’re in the quarantine tank too now. They’ve said they’ll refund any more that die - subject to a water sample, but I just feel so bad for the ones I have. I’m really not sure if I should give them at least a chance to respond to the meds or I should look into euthanasia?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Everyone has their own threshold of when euthanasia becomes a preferred option. Mine is if fish are no able to swim and eat. What you may find is some pull through and some wont.