BettaGammaDelta

So, I haven't been on this forum for a few months now, since my last betta died. (I'm thinking of maybe getting a red VT with my leftover christmas money, but I might wait for the weather to improve. I doubt any tropical fish likes being carried through a freezing parking lot, no matter how briefly.) Mostly because there's been nothing to report, and no crisises to solve.

Until now.

I have - I had, rather - three small corydoras in the ten gallon with my DG: two albino, and one normal bronze. One night, a few weeks ago, one of the albinos vanished. Literally disappeared - no body, no sign of a suicide attempt, no nothing. My theory was that it died of some unknown cause and Saix (the DG) ate the corspe, since he's been known to pick on them at meal times occasionally, although never to the point of noticable damage. That and all labryrinth fish seem to be piggies when it comes to appetite. There wasn't even much of a change in readings - a very slight ammonia spike, but that too vanished within a day or so.

Today, while I was doing my weeking WC, I noticed the other albino was very listless. And I mean //very// - it didn't react to food dropped in front of it, barely swam to avoid the siphon, and seemed too weak to even right itself when knocked onto its side. I immediate took it out and put it in my new 5-gal hospital tank (don't give me that look, it's been fully cycled since before christmas) to inspect it more closely. I saw... nothing. No finrot, no sign of whitespot, no injuries... if I didn't think it was close enough with the common bronze, I would almost say it was acting like it was pining.

The only other possible cause of any distress is that the water temperature's been a little on the higher side of optimal recently because of the central heating in this freeze, but the other cory seems perfectly hale and hearty.

Any ideas as to what could be causing this sickly behaviour?

Meenu

what are your readings for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? and what is the temperature?

BettaGammaDelta

Ammonia and nitrite are currently nil, and nitrate is at 40. The water temperature is 27C, but as I said, neither of the other fish have shown any sign of ill health or distress.

bolivianbaby

It could be the nitrates. I'd suggest doing a 50% water change. That'll drop the nitrates and hopefully get him feeling better.

BettaGammaDelta

I did as you said, but unfortunately it still died in the night. I woke up to the lovely sight of Saix (the DG) nibbling at it.

But anyway, all the readings are normal, the remaining two fish seem perfectly chipper - but there was a slight dip in temperature last night, which I think could have finished off the weakling.