ok so i went to petsmart buying fish for my 1st tank (a 13 gal. freshwater) after it had been running for a week. The employee was very helpful and i got 3 guppies and she suggested this julii, it was in a small tank with only guppies and no other catfish at all so i said yes and took them home. immediatley the julii swam up and down the walls of the tank etc. the next day i noticed it was innactive and just starring into the corners of the tank not moving. that night it swam up and down the sides when i turned the lights off but i never see it nosing around through the bottom like it was in the store. i dont think it is eating much because the guppies end up eating the bottom feeder pellets i put in for him. in a few days im getting 2 mystery snails and 2 dwarf gourami, will these make him perk up or should i get another julii (it is a real julli corydora not a false or three-striped corydora) ... help please!!!!!
Help: julii corycat acting strange
- Thread starter Turtlestorm9
- Start date
You should read up on the sticky cycling thread at the top. It seems like you're adding stock a bit quickly. Cordes aren't the hardiest when it comes to moving and acclimating to a new tank, and he'll only get worse once ammonia starts building in your tank. I'd return him and consider buying some once your tank is fully cycled
The tank is also too small for multiple dwarf gouramis
Thanks! i did not know about the whole cycling thing because the man at the pet store just handed me a bottle of bacteria and told me i could put fish in the tank in a week. also i dont have an ammonia test kit at the moment (i will definitely get one asap) but is there a way to keep him because he was the only one at the store?? and yes i did some research on dwarf gourami and see that i cannot get them b/c of tank size
From what I've seen at the big box store where I work many, people still have nitrite a week in when they use the bacteria at the start. but they also have fish in the tank during the week. Idk how well the bottled bacteria establish without an ammonia source (from fish poo or rotting stuff. ) they may not establish so well in clean water, but I'll let someone else chime in on that
ok thanks! would it be wise to add more bacteria since there are fish in there now or could it just hurt more than help??
I've never been a fan of bottled bacteria. I've cycled tanks with and without fish. I've seeded filters with media from another filter and most recently, total breakdown and restart. The best thing to do IMO would be to monitor ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates and plenty of water changes. Ammonia should take about a week to develop; water change. Nitrites should spike over the week and ammonia should be 0; water change. Nitrates over the next week but are much less toxic; tank has cycled. Any casualties can be replaced and a water changing schedule should be kept. Also over the next few months, test water to make sure parameters are good.
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thank you so much for your help! also can dwarf gourami be kept alone or do they have to stay in group becaus i really want one but only have room for 1?
Dwarf gourami is not a fish I recommend, mainly due to serious health issues. Especially when buying these from chain stores, you've no idea where they originated. If you are set on a gourami, one that is very similar and much safer is the Honey. However, as you have guppies, I would not add gourami.
I agree with what has been suggested about the cory, but here I would say keep it. The behaviours you describe is due to sever stress, and this occurs from many factors including moving the fish (corys do not like being moved), the water conditions, and being alone; a group of five corys is minimum. That comes later. Keep things quiet for now, do regular partial water changes using a good conditioner, and test for ammonia and nitrite daily. Water changes can be daily, you can't do too many water changes, until the tank is established/cycled.
The bacterial supplements will help if they are pure bacteria. No idea which one you have, but they quicken the establishment of the nitrifying bacteria, but not "instantly." No new fish and regular water changes are your best method now (and use the bacteria as they recommend, it cannot hurt).
Byron.
I agree with what has been suggested about the cory, but here I would say keep it. The behaviours you describe is due to sever stress, and this occurs from many factors including moving the fish (corys do not like being moved), the water conditions, and being alone; a group of five corys is minimum. That comes later. Keep things quiet for now, do regular partial water changes using a good conditioner, and test for ammonia and nitrite daily. Water changes can be daily, you can't do too many water changes, until the tank is established/cycled.
The bacterial supplements will help if they are pure bacteria. No idea which one you have, but they quicken the establishment of the nitrifying bacteria, but not "instantly." No new fish and regular water changes are your best method now (and use the bacteria as they recommend, it cannot hurt).
Byron.
Thank you so much! that was very helpful! he comes out now when i am not around so maybe he is starting to slowly destress ... fingers crossed! would feeding him less/more or at night/morning help at all?? currently i am dropping 2 bottom feeder pellets in morning and 3 at night a few minutes before i turn the lights off because he is more active then. should i change any feeding patterns?
Corydoras are nocturnal, so he will have less competition during night than day, and this may help at least initially. So drop in some sinking food at night. By pellet do you mean the shrimp pellets? These are small, so 3-4 nightly is fine. Corys are not fussy eaters, and a variety is always better, so look for another sinking food as well. Omega One and New Life Spectrum are good brands, but most others are fine.
Keep the ammonia and nitrite at zero (via water changes as I mentioned), and when nitrates appear keep them below 10ppm also via water changes. Live plants help, even simple floating ones.
Byron.
