CWO4GUNNER

Just thought I would ask help make my decision for this cory. Just bought 3 new Cory's for my 120 tank and chit-chatting with LFS girl forgot to inspect the bag before paying. Somehow she picked me out 1 of 3 Cory's with spines for fins, all except the caudal fin which is completely intact. The LFS tanks and community looked disease free but so many in a 5 gallon some were tattered. This cory is eating and digging but wobbles in the current like an amputee. Photo below, should I give it a chance for recovery and fin regrowth or take it back before something happens? Oh and almost forgot offhand what is the compatibility between for Cory's living with Angles & Blood Parrots?

Cordi

Fine with angels, Prob get eaten by the parrot... if the parrot is not too deformed.

working in a fish shop, i would surgest taking it back although there prob isn't a problem with it.

it more then likley, it came in like it and has had a normal life so far.

CWO4GUNNER

So do you think this is a birth defect and will stay gimpy or injury will grow back all fins to normal?

So with Blood parrots these aren't the right cats? Other then Pleco's is there a compatible cat for Blood parrots?

CHoffman

I would keep it and try to get it and nurse it back to health. Probably wont' fair to well at the LFS.

CWO4GUNNER

If I had to guess and since I saw 2 others with spines for fins but no rot or fungus per say, I'm assuming that they were bitten off by other Cory's. Assuming that is the case do these spines grow back into fins or do they pretty much stay that way after healing? If they are known to grow back I want to keep it but if its going to always be at the mercy of others who recognize the problem and attack I don't want to prolong a lingering inevitable death.

So what is your experienced opinion as I have no history with Cory fin regeneration.

CHoffman

I have no experience with cory fins...Getting ready to though..I had 3 cories in with my dwarf puffers who got nipped..As soon as I saw it I took them out but I'm hoping they go back. I would think that cories fins are just like any other fish's fins...They will grow back. Super clean water and stress coat have always gone a long way when I'm trying to heal a fish and get it back to good. It's worked on all of my rescues. I would say go for it. Try to heal him but it will take some work...Lots of waterchanges for sure...Do you have a QT tank you could put him in??

CWO4GUNNER

Well I'm not one to leave a story I started unfinished even if its controversial. I decided to take the wobbling Cory back to Pet Smart since he was having a hard time as he would eat a little, roll a little, then rest all while the other two Cory's were busy taking care of clean up duties. He was easy to catch cause he had a hard time turning.
Returning him I explained I forgot to inspect the fish one more time after they were caught and opted for an exchange since they were on sale for $3.50. The fish attendant girl said "so you want a perfect one" I replied, take a look at the fish in the bag and tell me if you see any other fin besides his caudal, she replied "oh my how did you get in our tanks". I replied, right here there about 4 just like him see? She managed to pick me out a Cory with all it parts intact, during which I pointed out a dead ADF that was laying in the bottom of the next tank flat on his back "Oh yeah chuckle-chuckle she replied". I asked her how some of the other angel fish got so torn up without fins and if their long fins would ever grow back, she replied maybe but don't really know. Then her manager came by and asked "is everything OK, you'll still need to check out at the register and oh my what have we here, oh this fish cant be returned to our tanks in this condition." I replied, well there's four of them just like him in the Cory tank see. Then the manager pulled the girl aside and whispered to her as I walked away and came home. Unfortunately Petsmart's small tanks have gotten way more crowded since they opened 3 months ago and some of the fish are paying the price.

CHoffman

Awww..Poor baby..I really hope he finds a good home. he sure deserves it. It's unfortunate that they keep their tank that way...They will end up losing customers in the end.

CWO4GUNNER

I know they such hard workers, as if they are on duty. They really love my fine cheap sand and dimple the entire bottom aquarium cleaning up. I know the Lord has them all accounted for and they go strait to heaven when they don't make it.

agabr123

one of my cories had a big chunk taken out of his fin, with clean water it grew back very nicely

CWO4GUNNER

I suppose if he diden't have spines for arms and no fins at all except for part of a caudal fin I would have certainly kept him, especially if I knew how it happen i.e birth defect or injury. Since there were no red areas where these fins were missing, hence no indication of curable fin rot disease on a Cory, I had to assume the real possibility it was genetic. And while if I adopted a child would never consider such a thing as returning them regardless, people are worth much more then many fish.