NEED HELP ASAP SOMETHING GOING ON WITH ALBINO CORY

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platytetrafan

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Jan 20, 2007
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Hello all.... Two nights ago I came home and looked in my 36gallon to check my fish. I have a variety including six albino cories that have been fine until two nights ago. One of my cories was lying on its side rapidly breathing. When the fish tried to swim I could see it was having trouble keeping its equilibrium. I see no disease outwardly on the fish but decided to put the fish in an isolator but kept him in the 36 gallon.

The only thing I noticed and I took a pic of the fish in between the fins underneath the fish's body there is a sunken area the other cories don't have this what could it be. I was thinking maybe swimbladder problem I dunno never saw this before. I decided not to feed the fish has been two days now no food. Today stays upright most of the time but sometimes I catch it lying on its side. Any idea what is going on with that sunken area on the fish? I tested the water ammonia is 0. Any input would be great.

CORIE ACTING WEIRD 002.jpg CORIE ACTING WEIRD 001.jpg
 

hage0245

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Dec 8, 2010
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Shane
I have no first-hand knowledge of this problem, but I feel your pain since I also stock albino cories in my 55g. I researched a little based on the symptoms you described and my best guess is an internal parasite or a bacterial infection. I would suggest feeding medicated food. A fish lying on it's side is never a good thing. I doubt the cause is swim bladder related. What is your temperature at? Since the illness appears internal, medicated food would give your cory the best chance at survival. Good luck, just looking at those pics makes me sad!!
 

OliviaBolivia

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Mar 18, 2011
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Wow, thats weird, exactly the same thing happened to my panda corydoras. I euthanised one 2 nights ago (I've lost a batch of 5 steadily since February), and although he hadn't been on his side up until then, when he slipped off into his clove oil-induced sleep, he toppled over and I saw the exact same sunken belly. :(

I had various theories about the problem, mostly leading back to previously poor water quality and a very high pH, but this last one had hung on for ages....feeding well and swimming around, but he was pale and thin and never schooled with the others (I got him a couple of new buddies). I've been watching him for 6 weeks, waiting for signs of distress, and finally he went white as a ghost and stopped moving. He wasn't breathing rapidly, but he was very weak and my Amano shrimps kept trying to drag him under the driftwood, so I sent him off for a quicker and kinder death.

Wonder if it is a parasite? I do have a neon tetra showing some signs of illness now, which is a worry. He lost an eye to one of my loaches ages ago, he's been doing fine but over the last day or so has separated himself from the others, seems a bit disoriented and is looking very pale.......

Will watch the thread with interest. I do so hate losing fish. :(
 

platytetrafan

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Jan 20, 2007
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Yeah me too I am going to keep him isolated and try feeding him some regular food first see if he goes for it. Since I don't know what this is really just the sunken belly I hate giving anything medicated unless I know for sure what the problem is. Just came home tonight and the cory is lying upright not on his side is so weird I see no outward disease. I hate when this happens and wouldn't you know it I just broke down my QT after having it up for a year restocking my tank after a few fish died over time. Will wait to see what happens. I agree losing fish really sucks. Thanks for the input.
 

rufioman

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Aug 16, 2010
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I've had this same problem with 2 of my original 7 albino corys. One has passed but the other made it, and I've had them three months now. I switched to a full veggie flake and regularly feed them unshelled pees just to make sure it's not a digestive thing.
 

platytetrafan

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Jan 20, 2007
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I am so bummed the albino cory died :( the others are doing fine I have 5 others. Am just upset losing this one is a bummer.
 

MichiganMan

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Sep 21, 2008
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I've got a peppered that is doing exactly the same thing. Sometimes he is lying vertically on the dw or in the plants, looking dead as a doornail, then he'll move off like nothing is wrong. Hard to tell if he is eating as all my corys look the same. All other fish and corys look and act fine, no other signs of illness or distress. I've upped my water change schedule but other than that I'm at a loss.
 

cecooper

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May 24, 2011
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Hi all i have the same peoblem at the min. My peppered cory has lost his equalibrium and is breathing strangly. I found him this morning upside down behind the filter. He has not fed with the others and he has wedged himself so that he does fall over the poor thing.
Water levels are fine and the others but one seem ok. One of my orange fish (i have no idea of there names as they were given to me by a friend when i first started) has some form of skin abrasion caused by spawning. He is still going to the top for air which is a good sign i think.
This all started when one of my snails died about five days ago. Everything has been ill since.
 

silentcircuit

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Mar 3, 2011
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Generally IP meds are mild as far as meds go -- I tend toward Praziquel and its variants. Shouldn't kill beneficial bacteria so you can treat your display tank in most cases.
 
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