Albino Cory's with red gills

[cloud]

Hi all,
I've got three Albino cory's in a recently cycled tank and they act healthy; they're active and like to play and forage in the gravel. but they have slightly red gills. I know that albino's have red parts of their anatomy naturally, and that the gills are supposed to be a little red on this breed. but they're about as red as their eyes at the moment and i was worried if that was too red.
p.s.they were in the tank before the tank finished cycling.

 

[ChicoRaton]

sounds like an ammonia burn, caused by exposing the fish to high levels of ammonia. Make sure there are no ammonia or nitrites in the tank, and it will probably heal on its own, though it may cause permanent damage. Good luck!

 

[cloud]

thing is, there's no amonia in the tank, and has'nt been since the tank cycled a couple of weeks ago.

 

[cloud]

i've been watching them and i think it was me over reacting. you can only see redness when the inside wall of their gills are visible. i.e. when they bend away from you to turn.
they deffinately act happy. i put some peas in the tank this morning and they spent the next 10mins chasing them up and down the tank like beachballs as they tried to get a bite.
they're totally my favourite tankmates!

 

[jparnell]

Funny, I was just about to ask this question. Glad to know it's normal.

But I have to ask (being new to aquariums in general, and albino corys in particular).... Peas??? As in, frozen green peas??? Or am I missing something?

 

[cloud]

Yep frozen peas. You let them thaw out, boil them for a minute or so. pop them from their shells and put them in the tank. They love em!

They also like a slice of pealed potato if you boil that for 5mins too. Leave that in the tank for a day or two but make sure you take it out if it starts to turn black. Spinach leaves (never from a tin though) are also good if you soften them in boiling water for a few secs. Either put them in whole and weight them down at the bottom for the corys, or chop them finely and roll them into a small ball so everyone can try them out. If you do that though use very small amounts as it tends to disintergrate. I tried a piece of luttuce also but they were'nt interested. Cucumber and courgette slices are also supposed to be popular.

But the thing they enjoyed the most was a small piece of grilled chicken. I only left it in the tank for one night however as i was worried about water quality.

I read all these things in a corydoras book before trying them out however. I would'nt risk other things such as fruit as most contain acid of some kind which will mess with the condition of the water.