Shorty

I got home today to find one of my corys trapped between a leaf of a plant and the filter intake pipe. He must have been on the leaf when the pipe sucked it against the tubing and when I got back he was just wedged there I freed him and moved the plant to prevent any further trapping - I am sooo STUPID, I didn't think that the leaf would get pulled up tight enough to trap one of my babies He is now on the bottom at a slighty awkward angle, not struggling to breathe but not looking so great either, he has moved around a little, but he keeps stopping kinda on one side but not all the way over. I cannot see any visable damage, except his tail looks a little ragged. Could he have internal injuries - can I do anything to de-stress him? I feel so guilty

0morrokh

This may give you a bit of peace of mind...

I had a plastic plant floating at the top of my tank. At the bottom, over the plastic cup you bury, are a lot of long "roots". Well, one morning, I found my Oto Mist trapped in there between the cup and the roots, bent at a 90 degree angle. I thought he would be dead or else die soon, since he was already weakened from finrot. His tail fin was shredded up, his lip was bleeding, and he was totally exhausted. I finally managed to free him (and put the plant at the bottom!), but he looked like he was done for. He would just sit there, with his body still bent wierd. I added some more of my Stress Coat conditioner, which contains aloe and is supposed to help with stress, and made sure he had enough food, and watched him closely for the nex few days. But somehow, he started to get better! I haven't done anything at all, but now he is almost totally recovered. His tail fin was split right down the middle, but it is growing back nicely.

So, hope that makes you feel a little better. Cories are hardier than Otos anyway, and it sounds as if yours wasn't injure too badly. Just watch him closely, to make sure he doesn't develop finrot or anything where the fin was damaged. Make sure to keep the water nice and clean, and make sure he can get plenty of food. Other than that, all you can really do is wait and see what happens.

Shorty

I just feel so bad I should never have put the plant that close to the filter pipe he has had some food, I distracted the others with more food and made sure a wafer went right to him, he seemed to gobble it with the usual gusto I have stress zyme or melafix to choose from if he gets worse, or should I use the melafix as a precaution?

0morrokh

I know how you feel, I felt just terrible about what happened to poor Mist. I'm not sure if you should use Melafix as a precaution or only if you need it, let's see what someone else says...

Shorty

Thanks hun