Please, help! Is my Albino Cory sick?

[NickD]

White fuzzy spot doesn't sound like ich. Ich appears as white raised spots which look like grains of salt, not fuzzy.

The white fuzzy is likely bacterial or perhaps fungal. I would get some meds which treat a range of bacterial infections. I don't know names.

 

[The Zigman]

yup fungus.
do LOTS of water changes too...

 

[justahannah]

I would also look into columnaris, which is a bacteria that's often misdiagnosed as a fungus. Looking close, a fungus has little strings and filaments in it, while columnaris is a very uniform fuzz, in which case you would want to try maracyn and maracyn two together to knock it out. Columnaris is a gram negative bacteria, which M. 2 is great for, but simultaneously dosing maracyn (which is primarily for gram positives) seems to also help clear it up and prevent secondary infections. Definitely google both fungus and columnaris to get good info and a sure diagnosis because you definitely don't want to stress him/lose him by dosing the wrong meds. Good luck!

 

[blissskr]

What size tank and what are your water params also what is the temp of your tank? If its a visible fuzzy substance on the cory and your desperate to save the fish, pick the fish up and wipe the spot off using a paper towel dipped in hydrogen peroxide squeezed so its only slightly damp then put it back in tank. Corys are pretty hardy so I would be more worried about what is the cause of the fish being sick. If you want to avoid any chemaicals a water change and a little aquarium salt can also work well after you remove the fungus just dont use too much salt as corys are sensitive. If your water params are fine I would make sure the temp in your tank isnt fluctuating alot as this can result in fish stress and disease.

 

[pinkertd]

And I asked this morning, knowing you are a newbie, what your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in that tank were. How long has it been running, what temp are you keeping it, and how often and how much water are you changing. If you're not keeping the tank within proper parameters that alone will lead to all types of illnesses. Since the other cories are beginning to show signs of being ill, I'd recommend a partial water change right away.

 

[pinkertd]

I just read through your other posts since joining. Looks like you just finished cycling your tank around the 18th of september? So your fish stock are recent purchases? If so, your stock could have been sick when you purchased them. I hate to recommend meds when the illness hasn't really been diagnosed yet, but if they are new and they may have already been sick when you purchased them, I'd treat with a combination of maracyn and maracyn 2 which the combination will knock out a lot of bacterias. But do a partial water change first. It is not uncommon to purchase cories from the pet stores these days and have them be in very poor condition only to die shortly after you purchase them.

 

[pinkertd]

I just saw that you did post your water parameters over on the other thread. Mods should combine these two threads in one place. Here's what I posted over on that one:

I just read through your other posts since joining. Looks like you just finished cycling your tank around the 18th of september? So your fish stock are recent purchases? If so, your stock could have been sick when you purchased them. I hate to recommend meds when the illness hasn't really been diagnosed yet, but if they are new and they may have already been sick when you purchased them, I'd treat with a combination of maracyn and maracyn 2 which the combination will knock out a lot of bacterias. But do a partial water change first. It is not uncommon to purchase cories from the pet stores these days and have them be in very poor condition only to die shortly after you purchase them.

 

[kalabreeze]

I just saw that you did post your water parameters over on the other thread. Mods should combine these two threads in one place. Here's what I posted over on that one:

I just read through your other posts since joining. Looks like you just finished cycling your tank around the 18th of september? So your fish stock are recent purchases? If so, your stock could have been sick when you purchased them. I hate to recommend meds when the illness hasn't really been diagnosed yet, but if they are new and they may have already been sick when you purchased them, I'd treat with a combination of maracyn and maracyn 2 which the combination will knock out a lot of bacterias. But do a partial water change first. It is not uncommon to purchase cories from the pet stores these days and have them be in very poor condition only to die shortly after you purchase them.

Yes, you are right, I got cories 10 days ago. First I got two cories and then two days later third one. That last cory is the sick one, it is smaller and it was staying away from other two from the beginning.
Thanks for your reply

 

[kalabreeze]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I just got back to the computer. I vacuumed the gravel and changed 50% of water. Sick cory is in a separate tank, he is not eating, just laying on the bottom and getting up to get air somtimes. Checked water parameters again, everything is fine. Water temperature changes are possible, no water heater yet, I was going to get it when it got colder. Temperature in the tank was fluctuating between 76-80F.
Fuzz looks like long strings. Do I treat only sick cory or all tank?
Thanks again..

 

[NickD]

Fuzz looks like long strings. Do I treat only sick cory or all tank?
Thanks again..

Long strings sounds even more like columnaris. It's up to you whether to treat whole tank or move sick one to a hospital tank. If your main tank is large you may want to move just the sick fish.