Emergency! my cory's barbles are gone!

Durbkat · 06-21-2006, 03:39 PM

My corys have been breathing heavily for a day or two and now one of them are laying on their side and is breathing heavily and his barbles are gone and my other cory's barbles are missing as well. What going on with them?

harif87 · 06-21-2006, 03:50 PM

What kind of substrate do you have?

I asked this in the other thread but, are the ottos and cories in the same tank?

Durbkat · 06-21-2006, 03:52 PM

Yes they are, as it states in my sig. LOL

The substrate I use is gravel.

**Cichlid Man** · 06-21-2006, 03:57 PM

If it's corse gravel it could be the reason.
If I was you I'd go and read up on cories before going out and buying them.

Durbkat · 06-21-2006, 04:01 PM

Well I've had them for over a year, and this gravel has been fine for them. Here is a pic of what the gravel looks like (I use the same in my 55g)

And I knew about how to care for corys before I got them.

harif87 · 06-21-2006, 04:04 PM

Well then you might have a problem with the usual suspects (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate...). I say this only because you mentioned having problems with your ottos in the tank as well. But based on the description it didnt seem like it was a legit problem. Ive never heard of ammo-nitrite-nitrate causing such defects but you never know those toxins work HORRORS.
But i think that the gravel is the real culprit. Since they are sifting the gravel alll day (literally) their barbels cant take hard substrate. I have cories and it never happened to me but ive heard cases where cories barbs fell off due to inappropriate substrate.

Durbkat · 06-21-2006, 04:13 PM

What's wrong with the gravel? I thought that the only inapproiate substrate was gravel that is sharp. But mine is rounded.

harif87 · 06-21-2006, 05:12 PM

Even rounded gravel can cause damage do barbels due to thier "excited" behavior when sifting. If you notice how they sift, they do it very rapidly causing them to hit their barbels against hard gravel instead of soft sand. It might be alright for them in the beggining, but after time....a year perhaps...they wont be able to tolerate it.

Btw durb i trust you that you did your reasearch. I see you around here and you seem to care about your fish as well as care about how to care for them. Dont take those vetereans sarcastic remarks seriously, they know alot more than us so they get testy around us (although were not newbs) non veterans....

Durbkat · 06-21-2006, 05:24 PM

Well I know I can't put sand in because if I do it will cause a sand storm and thats bad for the fish, and I'm not going to put them in my 55g.

harif87 · 06-21-2006, 05:27 PM

you could put some in a plastic bag then submerge the bag under the water and pour out the sand gently.........its somethign u need to do

mousey · 06-21-2006, 06:53 PM

Also if the ph and water hardness are too high that will kill them after a while. I had the same problem and I had a bare bottom tank. Barrbels rotted off and heavy breathing. Some prefer a bit cooler water than we have been getting lately with the heat.

Pac-Man · 06-21-2006, 07:23 PM

Also, your gravel bed looks a little thick. It might be wise to lower the depth a little bit-gravel traps all kinds of stuff quick.

Durbkat · 06-21-2006, 07:36 PM

Thats in my 55g and thats just the deepest part and thats a zoomed in pic because that pic was meant to show the pleco and when I zoomed it in it made it look like there is more gravel. My p.h is 7.4 or 7.6 is that to high? Since I can't remove the fish to replace the substrate with sand because of the sand storm. What is a way to change the substrate to sand without having to remove the fish for to long?

Also what can I do for now to help the corys, I'm treating the tank with maracyn because on another forum they seem to think its a bacterial infection thats eroding their barbles?

Alin10123 · 06-21-2006, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Durbkat

Thats in my 55g and thats just the deepest part and thats a zoomed in pic because that pic was meant to show the pleco and when I zoomed it in it made it look like there is more gravel. My p.h is 7.4 or 7.6 is that to high? Since I can't remove the fish to replace the substrate with sand because of the sand storm. What is a way to change the substrate to sand without having to remove the fish for to long?

Also what can I do for now to help the corys, I'm treating the tank with maracyn because on another forum they seem to think its a bacterial infection thats eroding their barbles?

I think the PH is a little high for them. They can probably tolerate PH that high, but their ideal PH is probably a little lower towards the 7 or neutral range. That shoudn't be a big deal though.

Keep in mind that cories are scavengers. That's how they eat. Any food will easily get stuck between the rocks to where they can't get to them. I would remove the fish from the tank and put them into a temporary bucket, or big icebox or something. Then i'd switch out the substrate.

Also... be careful with the meds. Cory's are very sensitive to salt and medication. If you absolutely must use the meds, i recommend a half dosage.

msdolittle · 06-21-2006, 09:43 PM

Is sand a better substrate for cories??

Alin10123 · 06-21-2006, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msdolittle

Is sand a better substrate for cories??

YES
Much better. Cories dig through the substrate looking for food. Their little picking things on their nose would get rubbed down pretty quick if it was rock.

harif87 · 06-22-2006, 12:33 AM

Yeah they also like to suck in some sand blow it out their gills, they love doing that lol....but yeah sand or a soft substrate is not only better but its a requirement for cories and any other catfish.

Durbkat · 06-22-2006, 07:43 AM

It's not for plec's because my plec has always had gravel in his tank and I've had him for 3 years.

msdolittle · 06-22-2006, 09:20 AM

Hm............thats good to know. All the more reason to move them to my other tank. There isn't much in it so I could switch to sand easily.

What kind of sand? I assume there is special sand?

Durbkat · 06-22-2006, 10:02 AM

It's not that removing the gravel would be the problem, it would be adding the sand because it takes a few days for it to settle.

06-21-2006, 03:39 PM	#1
Durbkat It's the Evil Monkey!! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 17 Posts: 1,112	Emergency! my cory's barbles are gone! My corys have been breathing heavily for a day or two and now one of them are laying on their side and is breathing heavily and his barbles are gone and my other cory's barbles are missing as well. What going on with them?

06-21-2006, 03:50 PM	#2
harif87 Minor Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 996	What kind of substrate do you have? I asked this in the other thread but, are the ottos and cories in the same tank? __________________ sorry for beating you senseless "The human torch was denied a bank loan"

06-21-2006, 03:57 PM	#4
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	If it's corse gravel it could be the reason. If I was you I'd go and read up on cories before going out and buying them. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

06-21-2006, 04:04 PM	#6
harif87 Minor Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 996	Well then you might have a problem with the usual suspects (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate...). I say this only because you mentioned having problems with your ottos in the tank as well. But based on the description it didnt seem like it was a legit problem. Ive never heard of ammo-nitrite-nitrate causing such defects but you never know those toxins work HORRORS. But i think that the gravel is the real culprit. Since they are sifting the gravel alll day (literally) their barbels cant take hard substrate. I have cories and it never happened to me but ive heard cases where cories barbs fell off due to inappropriate substrate. __________________ sorry for beating you senseless "The human torch was denied a bank loan"

06-21-2006, 05:12 PM	#8
harif87 Minor Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 996	Even rounded gravel can cause damage do barbels due to thier "excited" behavior when sifting. If you notice how they sift, they do it very rapidly causing them to hit their barbels against hard gravel instead of soft sand. It might be alright for them in the beggining, but after time....a year perhaps...they wont be able to tolerate it. Btw durb i trust you that you did your reasearch. I see you around here and you seem to care about your fish as well as care about how to care for them. Dont take those vetereans sarcastic remarks seriously, they know alot more than us so they get testy around us (although were not newbs) non veterans.... __________________ sorry for beating you senseless "The human torch was denied a bank loan" Last edited by harif87; 06-21-2006 at 05:17 PM.

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06-21-2006, 03:52 PM	#3
Durbkat It's the Evil Monkey!! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 17 Posts: 1,112	Yes they are, as it states in my sig. LOL The substrate I use is gravel.

06-21-2006, 04:01 PM	#5
Durbkat It's the Evil Monkey!! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 17 Posts: 1,112	Well I've had them for over a year, and this gravel has been fine for them. Here is a pic of what the gravel looks like (I use the same in my 55g) And I knew about how to care for corys before I got them.

06-21-2006, 04:13 PM	#7
Durbkat It's the Evil Monkey!! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 17 Posts: 1,112	What's wrong with the gravel? I thought that the only inapproiate substrate was gravel that is sharp. But mine is rounded.

06-21-2006, 05:24 PM	#9
Durbkat It's the Evil Monkey!! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 17 Posts: 1,112	Well I know I can't put sand in because if I do it will cause a sand storm and thats bad for the fish, and I'm not going to put them in my 55g.

06-21-2006, 05:27 PM	#10
harif87 Minor Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 996	you could put some in a plastic bag then submerge the bag under the water and pour out the sand gently.........its somethign u need to do __________________ sorry for beating you senseless "The human torch was denied a bank loan"

06-21-2006, 06:53 PM	#11
mousey Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 800	Also if the ph and water hardness are too high that will kill them after a while. I had the same problem and I had a bare bottom tank. Barrbels rotted off and heavy breathing. Some prefer a bit cooler water than we have been getting lately with the heat.

06-21-2006, 07:23 PM	#12
Pac-Man Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Age: 4 Posts: 584	Also, your gravel bed looks a little thick. It might be wise to lower the depth a little bit-gravel traps all kinds of stuff quick. __________________ 29g Planted Open Top Community 1x65W Coralife PC, Sand, DIY C02 7 Neon Tetras 8 Lemon Tetras 5 Emerald Brochis 10g Planted Flourite, DIY C02 6x Java Fern 4 Cherry Barbs $$$Get Free CASH from Filling out Easy Surveys. PM me if you want some advice.$$$

06-21-2006, 07:36 PM	#13
Durbkat It's the Evil Monkey!! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 17 Posts: 1,112	Thats in my 55g and thats just the deepest part and thats a zoomed in pic because that pic was meant to show the pleco and when I zoomed it in it made it look like there is more gravel. My p.h is 7.4 or 7.6 is that to high? Since I can't remove the fish to replace the substrate with sand because of the sand storm. What is a way to change the substrate to sand without having to remove the fish for to long? Also what can I do for now to help the corys, I'm treating the tank with maracyn because on another forum they seem to think its a bacterial infection thats eroding their barbles?

06-21-2006, 09:43 PM	#15
msdolittle Animal Addict Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Age: 33 Posts: 626	Is sand a better substrate for cories?? __________________ ~Angela~

06-22-2006, 12:33 AM	#17
harif87 Minor Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Age: 21 Posts: 996	Yeah they also like to suck in some sand blow it out their gills, they love doing that lol....but yeah sand or a soft substrate is not only better but its a requirement for cories and any other catfish. __________________ sorry for beating you senseless "The human torch was denied a bank loan"

06-22-2006, 07:43 AM	#18
Durbkat It's the Evil Monkey!! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 17 Posts: 1,112	It's not for plec's because my plec has always had gravel in his tank and I've had him for 3 years.

06-22-2006, 09:20 AM	#19
msdolittle Animal Addict Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Age: 33 Posts: 626	Hm............thats good to know. All the more reason to move them to my other tank. There isn't much in it so I could switch to sand easily. What kind of sand? I assume there is special sand? __________________ ~Angela~

06-22-2006, 10:02 AM	#20
Durbkat It's the Evil Monkey!! Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Age: 17 Posts: 1,112	It's not that removing the gravel would be the problem, it would be adding the sand because it takes a few days for it to settle.

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