mjbroeker

I have 3 gupppies, 2 skunk corys, and 2 otto cats in a 10 gallon tank. I do weekly 20% water changes. The tank has been running since the first week of september so going on 4 months. I have had the corys and ottos in since middle of october.

This morning I noticed a whiteish yellow fuzz ball on the tip of one of the corys fins. I have done a 50% water change and treated the tank with the first dose of marycn. I also am in the process of rasing the temperature. I have been keeping it around 75. Im going to raise it to low 80's now.

My thoughts are the velvet protozoan but I also was having problems with any excess food I vacuumed up having a fungus looking growth all on it for the past 3 weeks. I saw that the marycn treats both so I went with that.

I dont know my exact water parameters but the LFS today said all my parameters are within normal. They use the quick dip sticks.

Is there anything I am missing? Any comments would be much appreciated.

cerianthus

Should have your own pH, Ammo, nitrite test kit at least. Sooner we can eliminate unnecessary guessing, more correct determination of what to do can be made.
It's always better to treat the sick one separately but it seems you already have dose the tank.
Hard to determine what it was w/ just description, but seemed fungal cottony fuzz ball.
Maracyn probably will work. you also mentioned fungal growth on the gravel from uneaten foods which should always be removed ASAP.
Although 50% may or may not disturb the established tank, it is always better practice to do small partial changes(20-25%) more frequentlly. Why take a chance of tank going thru another mini-cycle.

Next time, hopefully not, if same symptoms occur, take the fish out and remove the fuzz ball if possible and apply Bacitracin Ointment on infected area w/ q-tip (don't get poke by the tip of fin rays which can be somewhat painful. may need to apply Bacitracin on your finger too. LOL). Tjis way you don't have to expose healthy fish to unnecessary MEDS.

Definitely get your own test kits.

catbtony

Water changes-25-50% daily for a few days and feed less remove any uneaten food, if I am reading this right; this is a 10g tank and can be tricky to care for but if it is cycled; water changes, not gravel cleaning, will help once you get all the rotted food out-NO salt-your corys do not tolerate any salt. good luck

mjbroeker

well this morning i found one of the ottos dead. The white puff on the cory fell off. the left pectoral fin that housed the white puff is about 2mm shorter than the right.

mjbroeker

i went out and bought a complete test kit. the results are as follows:

ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
nitrate 10-20 the color was between the two.
PH 8.0!!!

Is the pH too high?

cerianthus

Most of South american fish, cory, otto do better in neutral to slightly acidic water. Guppies should be fine at that pH.
Wondering if your tap is high in PH. can you do pH test on your tap?
If pH of tap is more like neutral, you must have something in the tank which is making water hard and alkaline (coral, mineral rock, crushed coral as substrate). As far as shorter fin, should grow back if given their preferable water condition although it could be permanent damage.
LMK the results.

mjbroeker

ph of tap water is 7.6.
My RO water is <6.0. Sometimes I add the RO water to after a water change. But that wouldnt make sense as to why it goes up. I did however add 2 tablespoons of salt 2 weeks ago.

catbtony

Cory catfish DO NOT do well with any salt in the tank-so be carefull, good luck

mjbroeker

Yea I read about that after I put the salt in that the lfs recommended. I have done numerous water changes since and only put 2tablespoons in once. They done seem to be any different.
I have noticed that at night on one of the corys, the black strips get lighter almost light grey. Then in the morning its dark black again. Is that normal?

cerianthus

As far as color changes I would think it is normal. Why one does and not all. Maybe one is better adjusted to water than the others or you may ask fish for the reason, LOL.
As far as tap being 7.6 and tank water at 8, you may have to use RO water long enough until ph is stablized around neutral. If still does not go down, should look into other areas such as gravel and ornaments.
I remember that certain color gravel can raise pH. Take 5ml of RO water (pH=6), drop piece or two of gravel into that water . Next day, remove the gravel and test that water.
By doing such test, we eliminate and eventually find the reason.
pH of 7.6 usually is harder water with greater buffering capacity. Such water should be able to sustain pH for a while but not push up.

When using electronic pH monitor, I learned that pH in the morning is slightly acidic than pH in the afternoon in well establlished tank. Reason for that is no photosysnthesis overnight thus accumulation of CO2 (Carbonic Acid in water) and less CO2 in afternoon due to fact that photosynthesis by plants, algae. There are other factors but don't want to make it more confusing.
Try few experiments on items in the tank and possibly try pH test in morning and afternoon. Probably won't see the differences with test kits but who know!!!
Will be waiting for good news.