Cory Cats Missing Tails

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Not sure what this is. I bought them with 3 other cory cats and 7 neon tetras from a petco 2 days ago.
I kept them with a honey gourami in a 20 gallon high. The only thing I have right now is Maracyn 2 and Generalcure.
Did a 75% water change a few minutes ago and moved these from the 20 gallon to a 2.5 gallon.
They're both still alive although the second one is likely beyond saving

2 of the others are fine. The other one in the 20 gallon is lethargic and doesn't school with the other 2.

 

Were they already missing tails or acting strangely when you purchased them 2 days ago? How did you acclimate them and what are your water parameters? It doesn't look good though from what I can tell. I'd bring them back to Petco.

Are they all the same species?

 

Were they already missing tails or acting strangely when you purchased them 2 days ago? How did you acclimate them and what are your water parameters? It doesn't look good though from what I can tell. I'd bring them back to Petco.

Are they all the same species?

No idea about the water parameters.The lighting here is too bad to get a good reading (the lights gives everything a yellow tinge) They were fine when I bought them and were perfectly normal last night. I acclimated them for 2 hours.

They're all false juliis.

There's no point returning them. They've already probably infected the only prior inhabitant, the honey gourami and I might as well treat them together.

 

Well, what were your most recent water parameters? Can you list the steps of how you acclimated them?

If it were me, I would euthanize with clove oil. It doesn't look good when they're just lying on their sides like that. Sorry.

 

Well, what were your most recent water parameters? Can you list the steps of how you acclimated them?

If it were me, I would euthanize with clove oil. It doesn't look good when they're just lying on their sides like that. Sorry.

Poured a small amount of water into the bag every 10 minutes. I'll euthanize them but I need to ID this disease first. Don't have any clove oil and it's too late to out to buy anything

 

It's hard to ID when you just purchased them 2 days ago since they could've possibly been sick to begin with. I don't know exactly what may be wrong with them but we would also want to rule out any issues with your water parameters as well.

I would quarantine any new fish going forward as they could have introduced something to your main tank.

 

It's hard to ID when you just purchased them 2 days ago since they could've possibly been sick to begin with. I don't know exactly what may be wrong with them but we would also want to rule out any issues with your water parameters as well.

I would quarantine any new fish going forward as they could have introduced something to your main tank.

One of them has fuzzy stuff around its tail and barbels. Could it be a columnaris?
The only inhabitant at the time was a honey gourami so I wasn't too worried.

 

Then it's definitely some kind of fungal/bacterial infection which I bet they acquired before you purchased them and are just showing signs now esp if your other fish in the tank are healthy.

 

Then it's definitely some kind of fungal/bacterial infection which I bet they acquired before you purchased them and are just showing signs now esp if your other fish in the tank are healthy.

The gourami is still looking healthy. Same with tetras. Should I dose with Maracyn in case it IS columnaris? Or is it paranoia talking again?

Then it's definitely some kind of fungal/bacterial infection which I bet they acquired before you purchased them and are just showing signs now esp if your other fish in the tank are healthy.

Any alternatives to clove oil? The stores that sell it are closed.

 

Let's wait for some others to chime in on what treatment is best. Could you take a close up pic of the ones that show the fuzzy growth?

There's some debate about euthanizing in a bowl of ice water. I only know that clove oil is the most humane.

 

Let's wait for some others to chime in on what treatment is best. Could you take a close up pic of the ones that show the fuzzy growth?

There's some debate about euthanizing in a bowl of ice water. I only know that clove oil is the most humane.

I've already euthanized them. I cannot get clove oil as it's 10 PM here.

 

Sorry. I'd take all of them back to Petco.

 

Sorry. I'd take all of them back to Petco.

I'll check them in the morning but won't be able to do so until Sunday.

 

I'd save the ones that died, wrap them and put them in the freezer until then.

 

By the pics I'd say it has been on a wrong diet before you bought them, what makes them quite vunerable for any infection.
This is a bad case of progressive finrot that can affect only one Cory (one of my 25 venezuelans is called "Tailless" and is caised by another bacteria than columnaris. Personally I would go back to the lfs with all the fish you bought. They've sold you already ill fish !

 

By the pics I'd say it has been on a wrong diet before you bought them, what makes them quite vunerable for any infection.
This is a bad case of progressive finrot that can affect only one Cory (one of my 25 venezuelans is called "Tailless" and is caised by another bacteria than columnaris. Personally I would go back to the lfs with all the fish you bought. They've sold you already ill fish !

Nope it turned out to have been the filter. Haven't had any death since rubber banding filter floss over the intake. It's crude but works...
The fish all seem healthy although the honey gouramis now has some black spots on his face. He's also been pecking at a sponge filter for a few days. Not sure what that means.

 

Sorry Yulia but a healthy Cory won't get sucked in a filter.
Try to fatten them.up.a bit.

 

Sorry Yulia but a healthy Cory won't get sucked in a filter.
Try to fatten them.up.a bit.

Been feeding them Wardleys shrimp pellets and algae wafers for the snail. Although the neons are getting constipated eating both.
The corys have gained an iridescent sheen on their bodies. I'm not sure what disease causes that but it doesn't look like velvet.

 

I don't hear very good things about Wardley's shrimp pellets. I believe they have a lot of fillers which is probably why the neons are getting constipated. I think all your fish need a better varied diet.

Omega One shrimp pellets are excellent. Catfish sticks/wafers and frozen/live foods are good too. For the neons, I'd choose some quality fish flakes and granules. They'd also love the frozen foods as well.

 

Been feeding them Wardleys shrimp pellets and algae wafers for the snail. Although the neons are getting constipated eating both.
The corys have gained an iridescent sheen on their bodies. I'm not sure what disease causes that but it doesn't look like velvet.

Could be natural coloring as well !!

 

I don't hear very good things about Wardley's shrimp pellets. I believe they have a lot of fillers which is probably why the neons are getting constipated. I think all your fish need a better varied diet.

Omega One shrimp pellets are excellent. Catfish sticks/wafers and frozen/live foods are good too. For the neons, I'd choose some quality fish flakes and granules. They'd also love the frozen foods as well.

I also feed them flakes and occasionally bloodworms. It doesn't keep them from devouring the pellets though. They're a bunch of gluttons bold enough to steal from the honey gouramis mouth.

Wardleys is the only shrimp pellet available in the stores nearby. Will order Omegaone online later.

 

Did you get to test your water parameters?

 

Did you get to test your water parameters?

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates >10

Been doing 20-25% daily water changes while vacuuming since I don't have a substrate yet and am planning to buy sand on saturday. Corys are suprisingly messy eaters.

 

Hmm... really? I never see any leftovers.

 

Hmm... really? I never see any leftovers.

They tend to end up under the bubblewand with smaller food particles scattered around the bottom of the tank. The corys break up and scatter pieces of the pellets/fluffy balls of food while eating. The corys are starting to get a bit of barbel erosion though so I'm vaccuming daily.

 

I guess they were in pretty bad shape when you got them if missing tails weren't the only issue. Poor corys. Just give them plenty of clean water and keep the substrate clean with plenty of good food.

 

I guess they were in pretty bad shape when you got them if missing tails weren't the only issue. Poor corys. Just give them plenty of clean water and keep the substrate clean with plenty of good food.

They're active and gluttonous fish so I'm not too worried. They're shooting across the glass chasing each other when they aren't searching for food. Their poop looks normal too.

 

My Corys won't leave the tiniest parts !!!

 

Tank

What is the water volume of the tank?
40 gallon breeder
How long has the tank been running?
7 months
Does it have a filter?
Eheim 2215 and Fluval 106
Does it have a heater?
Yes
What is the water temperature?
78
What is the entire stocking of this tank?
14 bronze cories (2 from in tank breeding!!), 8 rummy nose tetras, 11 black neon tetras, 1 Bolivian ram, 4 Amano shrimp, 1 nerite snail. I stocked six months apart (upgraded to a larger tank size) and quarantined all of them before adding them.

Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
Weekly
How much of the water do you change?
50-75% I do EI dosing for my plants.
What do you use to treat your water?
Prime
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? Vacuum the substrate best I can since it’s sand.

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
Yes
What do you use to test the water?
API master kit
What are your parameters?
I just did a 50% water change and noticed the Cory while filling the tank. I did not test before the water change. I can test now but I’m not sure if it would be of much help at this point.

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish?
Every other day
How much do you feed your fish?
A pinch of flake food, micro pellets, etc and 1-2 sinking pellets
What brand of food do you feed your fish? fluval, new life spectrum, hikari, wardley
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods? Occasionally freeze dried blood worms

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish?
Tough to tell. Either 6 months or 12 months.
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?
10 min ago. I did not notice them earlier.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms? As I was filling the tank after my water change I noticed that part of my cories tail was missing to the base. It is also white around the missing part. There is also a white spot on the left pectoral fin.
Have you started any treatment for the illness? No
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase?
Not sure. I had some deaths in quarantine and treated with paraguard. However that was months to a year ago. I’ve had no deaths or illness since quarantine.
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?
The cory’s behavior has not changed. Shoals with the other cories, grazes for food, swims around. If it wasn’t for the missing tail, you wouldn’t know anything was wrong.

Explain your emergency situation in detail. Basically the fin is missing.
From how normal the Cory is acting I would guess one of the tetras or the ram is the culprit, but I am concerned it might be something else/worse with the white mark on the left pectoral fin and tail. You can really see the white mark in the last pic.

 

Perhaps isolate it with good water changes, and treat with some Melifix until it has healed.

 

This looks likes severe / progressive finrot.
I'd indeed treat it seperated but with somethinf far stronger than Melafix.

Had one Venezuelanus with the same issue when I got it. It never recovered.

 

This looks likes severe / progressive finrot.
I'd indeed treat it seperated but with somethinf far stronger than Melafix.

Had one Venezuelanus with the same issue when I got it. It never recovered.

Ok, so quarantine the fish separately. What would you suggest for something stronger than melafix? Do you think this is isolated to this one fish or is it possible they could all have it?

I have little experience with illness (other than a betta, but that’s a long story). Is finrot something that can just occur in the tank? I’ve had half of the fish since last January and the other half since October. I quarantined all of the fish for 2 months and ended up treating all with paraguard. I thought I took the proper precautions to not have any issues.

 

Ok, so quarantine the fish separately. What would you suggest for something stronger than melafix? Do you think this is isolated to this one fish or is it possible they could all have it?

I have little experience with illness (other than a betta, but that’s a long story). Is finrot something that can just occur in the tank? I’ve had half of the fish since last January and the other half since October. I quarantined all of the fish for 2 months and ended up treating all with paraguard. I thought I took the proper precautions to not have any issues.

I live in Europe where we don't have antibiotics available, so I let that advice to other members.

Mu venezuelanus was the only one out of 24 showing this. But as said mine had it when I got it. It could tell sonething abojt waterconditions in general but also could be simply bad luck. A little damage whit what it started. Keep the main tank clean, don't overfeed and give fish the right (variation of) food. Maybe you do these things allready.

A lot of diseases (mainly bacterial and fungal ones) always linger in a tank waiting for the right moment to struck. Others (parasites) are often introduced by new fish, plants, food aso. Therefor precaution treatment hasn't much of a use to me.

This Cory hit the jackpot for some reason.
I hope the tissue isn't too far gone sonit will regrow.

 

I find it hard to tell if it is an injury or fin rot from the photo's for me, but if you wanted to go up one step you might try some Seachem Polyguard if you are able to get it in your area. It's a broad spectrum antibiotic that might cover the bases, or Neoplex. I've read they can grow their fins and tails back sometimes.

 

I find it hard to tell if it is an injury or fin rot from the photo's for me, but if you wanted to go up one step you might try some Seachem Polyguard if you are able to get it in your area. It's a broad spectrum antibiotic that might cover the bases, or Neoplex. I've read they can grow their fins and tails back sometimes.

It is finrot to me (exact what my fish had)

 

I'm sure you are right as you have experienced it DoubleDutch, hopefully those abx will be ok and help!

 

Poor thing! I had a guppy that's tail looked similar to this seemingly out of the blue. I agree with everyone else, try Seachem Polyguard, or if you still have some, Paraguard. Polyguard will be stronger, but if you have used Paraguard in the past, and you have any on hand now, you can isolate your fish and start treatment immediately. I'd also recommend upping your water changes in your main tank as well. If it is fin rot from something in the tank (it's impossible to keep bad bacteria out of a tank as others have said), then the water changes will help support the rest of your fish and hopefully prevent anyone else from getting sick.

 

Thank you all for your responses. I never even considered bad bacteria being in the water so that makes sense.

I was near my LFS for work and stopped in but they were out of polyguard. Fortunately amazon prime caries it and it will be here on Sunday. When I get home I’ll set up my qt and get the Cory out hopefully without destroying half the tank.

As for the increased water changes, how long would you do them for? A week, a couple weeks?

 

Hard to say...I think I'd watch everyone else carefully and do water changes for a bit while your cory is being treated. It's like when a a cold or virus hits a family member....maybe only one person gets sick, but the germs are on all surfaces, and everyone has been exposed. So other fish might be totally fine, but doing more frequent water changes will at least "clean the house" and hopefully reduce the risk for the others. I'd do it for a bit til you are sure no-one else is having issues.

 

Ok, that makes sense.

Would a 25-50% water change every other day suffice?