My Fish Is Probably Going To Die Soon, But I Won't Be Home To Take Its Body Out.

I have a 10 gallon tank with 1 betta and 4 dwarf corydoras (I know that's not enough - I bought 8 but 4 were sick on arrival and died within 3 days). Two days ago, one of the corys has been laying upside down and looking very much dead, but every time I go to scoop him out, he suddenly bolts away, but then settles on the bottom upside down again. None of my corys seem particularly happy either, and never have, but I've done everything I can think of for them.

The problem is that I'm going away for 9 days tomorrow. It seems really likely that this cory will die during that time, but nobody will be there to take his body out. I'm worried that it rotting will destroy the water quality while I'm gone and kill all my other fish, but I feel like I can't do anything about it since he's not dead yet and has been like this for a couple days now.

I know this is kind of an odd problem, but I'm really at a loss for what to do. Should I euthanize him to potentially save my other fish? Or give him a chance, at the risk of making all my other fish sick or die?

 

Hmmmm... really tough question. Your sure there isn’t anyone who could come up and check. I personally would see about getting him a small temporary home good enough that he could live while your home if he’s fine but if he dies that he won’t polute the tank. I don’t know I have never been in that situation but I guess it depends on how attached you are to that fish.

 

Hmmmm... really tough question. Your sure there isn’t anyone who could come up and check. I personally would see about getting him a small temporary home good enough that he could live while your home if he’s fine but if he dies that he won’t polute the tank. I don’t know I have never been in that situation but I guess it depends on how attached you are to that fish.

The tank is set up in my dorm room and the entire building is getting locked tomorrow, so there's really no way anyone can check on him. I'm not attached at all, all of the corys have seemed unhealthy since I got them so it's not a shock he got worse. I just feel weird about killing him if there's a chance he could've gotten better.

 

Swimming/floating upside down sounds like swim bladder issues, which I understand can be treated, not with guaranteed success, but I've read many accounts of it working.

If you are leaving for 9 days, how will they be fed? Do you have one of those self-serve feeders? I am very new to this too, and I have goldfish, so the care may be totally different. However, I couldn't stand the thought of leaving mine without anyone to care for them for any more than a couple of days. So far my fish require waaay more care and attention than my cats do! If it was me, I would make it a priority to ensure it got treatment. Can anyone take the aquarium for you while you're gone, and give a little of their time to try to help the poor little guy?

What are your water parameters?

 

I wouldnt leave him in the tank if you think he will die. If your corys are already not well and if it does die it is will cause issues with your water. if you lose a 2nd fish in those 9 days because the 1st one died I wouldnt be suprised if you ended up caming back to a stinky dead tank.

 

Your fish can easily go nine days without food. I highly suggest against a self serve or vacation feeder. They have been known to malfunction and dump way too much in at once.

As far as your cory, is there a way you could put in a separate container, or bring him with you? You certainly don't want a dead fish in the tank for nine days, especially a small tank like that.

I will add that 10 gallons is not large enough for cories. They do like schools (as you said), and eight cories in a ten gallon is way too much. Since you are not attached to them, maybe you can rehome them?