corydoras melanistius killing my fish possible?

HellyHans

HellyHans

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Oct 14, 2011
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Ok I have a quick question...

I introduced 2 corydoras melanistius in my 65G tank last weekend.

Since then I had 2 deaths...

1 healthy 2 1/2 inch Queen Loach
1 3" Marble Angel Fish.

These fishes were very calm and friendly... I'm wondering if I was possible that they got too close the corys and the sting killed them, (immobilizing them and they get caught in my P-head)

Water parameters are good.

Stock:

1x Queen loach remaining.
3x Marble angels
2x albino angels
2x 4" spiny eels
2x Pictus cat
2x 3-4" Marble Gouramis
2x 2" oscars
1x 4" Glass knife
1x Rock fan shrimp
and a bunch of misc snails ( rabbit,nerite,tracked)

I'm thinking if it's one fish killing them.. it's either my oscars or the sting of my cory's.

My spiny eels are pretty peaceful and have lived with the deceased for the past 3 months.

What's do you guys think?
 
Your melanistius or Aka Spotted Cory cats, are very very peaceful. Normally will never have any acts of aggression. And im a bit confused when you say "the corys and the sting killed them" What Sting are you talking about? I know Catfish have very sharp pectoral fin spines, including Cory cats....... But ive never heard of them being toxic enough to sting other fish.

If you are having signs of agressions, you have 2 other fish that will act on it long before any other will..... Oscars even at 2" can become quite territorial, Aggressive and kill. Let alone they need MUCH more space. If your not seeing any diseases, But you see some torn up fins, damaged body parts. Im pretty sure you should look at your Oscars being the more probable issue.
 
My vote is also for disease since the problems happened right after you put them in the tank. Where did you get the corys? I am assuming you didn't quarentine them. Every time you buy a fish from a fish store you gamble with them having diseases, once you put them in your tank it spreads and it can kill all your fish. That is why many of have learned the hard way and bought a cheap 10 gallon tank, sponge filter, and heater and keep all new fish quarentined in this tank.

QT tanks are useful for many reasons. First is new fish can be sick, many are wild caught and will have parasites on them or come from farms that aren't clean and will have the same health issues. Putting them in QT saves all your fish in your tank.

For two if the fish are sick you only need to treat 10 gallons of water instead of say 55 gallons or 29 or whatever the size of your tank. Check out medication prices, one sickness and your new equipement has saved you money in the long run.

For 3 a bare bottom tank with no plants, no gravel and no decorations allows you to view the fish really well and close up for signs of sickness, plus without gravel it allows you to keep the tank super clean which in itself can heal many problems the fish might have.

reason 4, when not in use a QT tank can double as a hospital tank or fry raising tank. If one of your fish gets hurt or bullied or something you can put them in this tank and let them heal and get fat and healthy before putting them back. If some of your fish end up spawning you can take the fry and put them in the QT tank saving them from being eatin until they grow large enough.
 
Hi,
Ok maybe I didn't specify, but I had them in the Q tank for 2 weeks before I introduced them in the tank.. I have always done this.

Concerning the sting, my brother who gave me the fish ( he works at a major fish importer in Canada )told me these Cory's have a venomous spike. It stings like a Bee and he got stung once trying to get it out of a fish net.
I have also read on some sites that certain cory's have a venoumous spike. The 2 I got, have them venoumous spike, but they seem VERY calm.


My guess was those oscars also... I was sitting infront of my tank last night with all the lights off and observed how my fishes were doing ( I do this everytime I introduce new fish to see how the acclimate with the other species... and guess what? those 2 small oscars were chasing my other fish around.

They don't do this when I'm infront of the tank because they can see me and thing I'm going to give them food, so they come towards the glass.
But when I sit down and stay there a couple of minutes, they start stressing my other fish.

I guess I'm going to have to give them back to him because I always wanted to avoid cichlids because of the aggressive/territorial nature.
 
Your pictus cats will also start munching on tank mates. Lights go out, they go hunting.
 
that is probably it, either it's been happening for a while or the new fish somehow stressed them out. Maybe envaded there territory or something.

As for the sting I looked up the exact species and the only thing to mention stinging is the fact that they have sharp fins that can poke or cut you and can feel like a sting but they have no venom in them.
 
I agree, it's probably those oscars. I would return them, a 65 isn't big enough to permanently house 2 oscars and 5 angels anyway. They will only continue to get more and more aggressive as they get bigger.
 
mykidsmylife said:
Your pictus cats will also start munching on tank mates. Lights go out, they go hunting.
Click to expand...

I've had the pictus cats for over 3 months now, and they have been with the other fish since the beginning.. I've observed them at night, and they always stay at the bottom and play and chase each other..they always stick together... They never go to the middle-top tank where the angels are.

They never bothers the queen loach also..
I've never seen the cats agressive but I know they can becoome agressive when they are going to get bigger, but they will go into another tank by then.

I'm going to Q my oscars today and bring them back since I saw the chasing /fin nipping from the last night
 
bradlgt21 said:
that is probably it, either it's been happening for a while or the new fish somehow stressed them out. Maybe envaded there territory or something.

As for the sting I looked up the exact species and the only thing to mention stinging is the fact that they have sharp fins that can poke or cut you and can feel like a sting but they have no venom in them.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought also, but I've looked online and some species have a mild toxin in the pect fin, while some are a little more aggressive.
My brother told me when I handled it, and got the spike in his thumb.. His thumb was hurting/burning like a bee sting for 1h.

So it's not a little poke of a pect fin like some plecs etc.. the species I got, have a mild toxin in them apparently.
 
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