poefox

My smallest cory has a fin oddity. I'm embarassed to say I haven't really seriously looked at him as an individual since I got him because he's so small and shy that he is rarely at the front of the tank, but he was today and as I was looking at him I noticed that the lower part of the caudal fin is barely there. I can't see any raggedness, but I'm a bit concerned. Does this happen sometimes, or should I be worried about finrot or something? If I should I have maracyn and I could isolate him I guess...

chickadee

Cories and Otos are very suscepitble to finrot and it does not always present with ragged edges. If there is a really marked difference then I would isolate him and at least raise the temperature of the tank and keep him in really clean water and watch the nitrate levels very closely. If you would feel better using something in the water then you could use Melafix or Maracyn to prevent infection or in case it is a bacterial infection, but I am a little leary of starting out with Marycyn as once you use it, it pretty well blows its effectiveness for other problems later on as they do develop a tolerance for it.

Please let us know how the little one is doing.

Rose

poefox

Alright: the tank has been medicated (filter removed this time) and it seems as though the little one is a bit better. The last time he'd gone to sleep by himself on a plant which is partly why I noticed something was wrong...and normally corys tend to sleep at least in the same vicinity. (at least mine do) He was with the others this morning when I woke them up with breakfast so I'm hoping that is a good sign.