Sick panda corys please help!

[carlyod]

Hi guys,

My tank has been running since October, but my first stock all turned out to be sick (will not be going to that LFS again) so after they passed, I let the tank run empty until last Thursday 2/9 (dosing with NH3 etc.). I ordered 6 panda corys from LiveAquaria, 2 guppies, and 10 RCS. 2 of the corys were sick upon arrival (pop eye and fin rot). Fin rot died within 48 hours, pop eye died the following day and another cory got pop eye and died the same day. The guppies look fine, I've lost 5 shrimp, but now my other 3 corys look sick with SOMETHING I cannot identify.

I've been treating with Melafix and Pimafix (this is day 4) as per bottle instructions. My parameters according to API's liquid test kit are pH = 7.0, NH3 = 0.0pm, Nitrite = 0.0ppm, GH = 4-5, KH = 2 (last I checked a few days ago), and Nitrate = 20ppm (last I checked a few days ago). Freshwater 20 gallon high with an AquaClear 50 filter planted tank at a constant 78F (no CO2, I dose with Excel). I haven't done a water change (100% RO with Seachem Equilibrium and Alkaline buffer for GH and KH) since getting them yet because the medication instructions specifically say NOT to change the water until 7 days of treatment, then do a 25% change. However, my current plan is to do 30%+ changes 1-2 times a week.

Here are some pictures of the poor little guys (2/3 because at the present moment I can't even FIND the third)

Panda cory no. 1


Panda no. 2


I apologize for poor image quality but any help would seriously be appreciated!!! I really don't know what to do. It almost looks like their skin is sloughing off or as though it's covered in white fuzzy slime. Doesn't look like ich to me but honestly no idea.

Ugh I'm hating my freshwater luck.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Were you giving this tank an ammonia source the whole while there were no fish in it?

How did you acclimate the corys? Your pH, GH and KH are all really low, which I guess will be with RO water. Could have been a big transition shock for them based on the water parameters they were used to. Why are you using RO? Chasing pH among other things is not easy.

Sorry to hear about your issues. You'll get it sorted. Panda corys are cute. I had a group of them for a few years.

 

[carlyod]

Were you giving this tank an ammonia source the whole while there were no fish in it?

How did you acclimate the corys? Your pH, GH and KH are all really low, which I guess will be with RO water. Could have been a big transition shock for them based on the water parameters they were used to. Why are you using RO? Chasing pH among other things is not easy.

Sorry to hear about your issues. You'll get it sorted. Panda corys are cute. I had a group of them for a few years.

Thank you for the response! I dosed pure ammonia at 4-6PPM while it was empty. I didn't want to break down my tank (waste of healthy plants!) after the last failure so I decided to let it sit for 2 months instead. After several deep cleans/gravel vacs.

I drip acclimated them all. I didn't test their bag water but I *think* my parameters are similar to what LiveAquaria uses. I'm worried because two corys arrived clearly ill (pop eye and fin rot) and were probably contagious

 

[carlyod]

Whoops also forgot to mention! My tap water is EXTREMELY hard and contains nitrates at a very high concentration. I've gotten my RO water setup down to a science and have a stable pH plus GH and KH with what I'm currently doing.

 

[carlyod]

Update: Looks like this might be a SEVERE case of fin rot??? Looks like some of the tail of one came off....Ugh I'm at a total loss. I'm already dosing Pimafix and Melafix. Is there anything else I can do??? This is so sad

 

[FreshyFresh]

I'd be pretty ticked off with LiveAquaria or any mail-order source if my fish came in like this. I'd contact them first. You could try upping the water temp and aeration to see if it speeds along recovery. If it's a parasite of some sort this should speed it along. If it's viral it could go the other way.

 

[carlyod]

Yeah I've been in contact with them They're reimbursing me for everything that's died and for the three sick-probably-dying corys. They're going to send me another shipment to replace these in like 2 weeks or so (whenever my tank is cleared and my quarantine is ready to go etc.). So I'm pretty mad....but also really appreciate their customer service.

The woman I spoke to today said she has no idea what happened because her colleague (sitting next to her) had JUST gotten some pandas in from LiveAquaria as well and they were doing great. I must've gotten a bad batch or something, I really don't know. Feeling pretty defeated at this point

 

[Frank Castle]

Hi guys,

My tank has been running since October, but my first stock all turned out to be sick (will not be going to that LFS again) so after they passed, I let the tank run empty until last Thursday 2/9 (dosing with NH3 etc.). I ordered 6 panda corys from LiveAquaria, 2 guppies, and 10 RCS. 2 of the corys were sick upon arrival (pop eye and fin rot). Fin rot died within 48 hours, pop eye died the following day and another cory got pop eye and died the same day. The guppies look fine, I've lost 5 shrimp, but now my other 3 corys look sick with SOMETHING I cannot identify.

I've been treating with Melafix and Pimafix (this is day 4) as per bottle instructions. My parameters according to API's liquid test kit are pH = 7.0, NH3 = 0.0pm, Nitrite = 0.0ppm, GH = 4-5, KH = 2 (last I checked a few days ago), and Nitrate = 20ppm (last I checked a few days ago). Freshwater 20 gallon high with an AquaClear 50 filter planted tank at a constant 78F (no CO2, I dose with Excel). I haven't done a water change (100% RO with Seachem Equilibrium and Alkaline buffer for GH and KH) since getting them yet because the medication instructions specifically say NOT to change the water until 7 days of treatment, then do a 25% change. However, my current plan is to do 30%+ changes 1-2 times a week.

Here are some pictures of the poor little guys (2/3 because at the present moment I can't even FIND the third)

Panda cory no. 1
View attachment 219461 View attachment 219462 View attachment 219463

Panda no. 2
View attachment 219464

I apologize for poor image quality but any help would seriously be appreciated!!! I really don't know what to do. It almost looks like their skin is sloughing off or as though it's covered in white fuzzy slime. Doesn't look like ich to me but honestly no idea.

Ugh I'm hating my freshwater luck.

Which LFS did you go to? I want to make suure i don't go there...

Whoops also forgot to mention! My tap water is EXTREMELY hard and contains nitrates at a very high concentration. I've gotten my RO water setup down to a science and have a stable pH plus GH and KH with what I'm currently doing.

i been using "Schuylkill Punch" for my fish for years and they are all healthy as horses. I have to have high amounts of Beneficial Bacteria to process the Nitrates but if i can run 10-15 tanks on it, you'll be fine. It actually HELPS when you want to cycle a tank faster than normal lol all i do is fill the tank w/ tap water, dechlorinate, salt, and move a filter from a previously existing tank (or pinch media, use an old filter pad, sponge etc) and BAM-O - instantly cycled in 24-48 hours. The high nitrate seem to encourage Beneficial Bacteria growth and reproduction IME, just keep up w/ WCs

 

[carlyod]

Which LFS did you go to? I want to make suure i don't go there...

First place I went to was World Wide Aquarium & Pets which had awesome reviews. But my guppy died within 36 hours (no symptoms) and my 6 neon tetras became disgustingly ill within the next week. Weird bloating, covered in ich, it was awful. I'm still not sure what happened to the poor little guys but it wasn't pretty (and yes, my parameters were constant throughout with no nitrite/ammonia spikes). They offer ZERO compensation for dead/sick live purchases so I will NOT be going back there ever. Plus the teenager working there tried to convince me that 2 or 3 neon tetras were sufficient for a school...

This current stock is from LiveAquaria (online). It's been a nightmare for sure but their live guarantee is nice and their customer service has been great. I'm hoping this is a fluke, but honestly who knows.

i been using "Schuylkill Punch" for my fish for years and they are all healthy as horses. I have to have high amounts of Beneficial Bacteria to process the Nitrates but if i can run 10-15 tanks on it, you'll be fine. It actually HELPS when you want to cycle a tank faster than normal lol all i do is fill the tank w/ tap water, dechlorinate, salt, and move a filter from a previously existing tank (or pinch media, use an old filter pad, sponge etc) and BAM-O - instantly cycled in 24-48 hours. The high nitrate seem to encourage Beneficial Bacteria growth and reproduction IME, just keep up w/ WCs

Wow that's awesome to hear! Are you in the city or burbs? My concern was that my pH was sitting at 8.4 with sky-high TDS, GH, and KH and I'm interested in soft water fish (also plants). My experience with the neons made me worry that it was a water source problem (though I'd been diluting it with RO). Where do you get your fish? Do you know of anywhere local with pandas?

 

[Frank Castle]

First place I went to was World Wide Aquarium & Pets which had awesome reviews. But my guppy died within 36 hours (no symptoms) and my 6 neon tetras became disgustingly ill within the next week. Weird bloating, covered in ich, it was awful. I'm still not sure what happened to the poor little guys but it wasn't pretty (and yes, my parameters were constant throughout with no nitrite/ammonia spikes). They offer ZERO compensation for dead/sick live purchases so I will NOT be going back there ever. Plus the teenager working there tried to convince me that 2 or 3 neon tetras were sufficient for a school...

This current stock is from LiveAquaria (online). It's been a nightmare for sure but their live guarantee is nice and their customer service has been great. I'm hoping this is a fluke, but honestly who knows.



Wow that's awesome to hear! Are you in the city or burbs? My concern was that my pH was sitting at 8.4 with sky-high TDS, GH, and KH and I'm interested in soft water fish (also plants). My experience with the neons made me worry that it was a water source problem (though I'd been diluting it with RO). Where do you get your fish? Do you know of anywhere local with pandas?

i'm in the burbs, west of the city, but i used to live in Upper Darby - i get the same city water as you probably though, but mine comes out of the faucet at 7.2 - 7.6 PH....is your PH 8.4 in your TANK or fro the faucet? You can use bags of peat moss, driftwood or almond leaves to soften water and lower PH, and you can used crushed coral and sea shells to raise it a little at a time, but like i said it gets to be a PITA.

It's easier for you if you plan your tank/fish around the type of water you have instead of using buffers and all that other nonsense - it just gets too annoyingly pain-staking and tedious. It usually doesn't end well for people who want to keep soft-water/blackwater species around here unless you spend a fortune.

I used to go to WWA but i only ever bought reptiles from there, not fish. As far as where i get my fish, TBH, i get them from anywhere that has what i'm looking for including 5-6 Ma-and-Pa LFSs and sometimes Petco or PetSmart when they have sales (but usually supplies only). Because i keep cichlids and catfish, the quality of the animal likely stays healthier as a result of their hardiness, Cory however are rather delicate IME. I have never ordered a fish online lol but i plan on buying some fish from Jeff Rapps and simply driving out to meet him somewhere to save on shipping.

You should try Captain Nemo's/Natural Pet on DeKalb St. in Norristown/West Norriton or Fins, Feathers, Paws, and Claws on Rt 63 in Harleysville. Both store owners are friends of mine and are very knowledgeable and experienced...i even worked at Nemo's for awhile.