Bloated Cory Catfish

Kashi009 · Jun 20, 2021

Hello all I was hoping to get some possible help for my catfish. I looked it up online and said it could be a bladder infection, or something called dropsy, or possibly a female that has eggs? I'm hoping for the last one because it is not the first time that I've found eggs in the tank but I never saw the catfish beforehand; showed up overnight. I guess could also be overfed but the other catfish looks fine (I have two). The fish also seems to be panting. I don't know how long it's been like this, my brother noticed it around a half hour ago but I've had company for the past couple days so I hadn't really given the fish much thought besides feeding them in the morning. The stats for the tank are: 10 gallon and besides the catfish there are three bloodfin tetra (sadly a couple jumped out of the tank and haven't gotten to getting some more as well as a top). As a note I don't really have a second tank set up so it would be hard to isolate it. Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the bad photo but all the fish seem really skittish and swim away when they see me.

DoubleDutch · Jun 21, 2021

Could you please place another pic.?
This is not the place where eggs are situated.
Dropsy is a Corys show bulging eyes etc...

Kashi009 · Jun 21, 2021

Sorry it took awhile had to take everything out of the tank because he wouldn't stay still. Will one of these work? I'm wondering if its just from eating too much I swear looks smaller than yesterday. Figures the fish settles in the one corner that is stained. I'll keep trying to get a better one but moved before I could get the second one in focus. I've noticed both seem pretty...big now. Wonder if they had a growth spurt. Far as I can tell they're acting normal.

Heather7465 · Jun 21, 2021

Kashi009 said:
Sorry it took awhile had to take everything out of the tank because he wouldn't stay still. Will one of these work? I'm wondering if its just from eating too much I swear looks smaller than yesterday. Figures the fish settles in the one corner that is stained. I'll keep trying to get a better one but moved before I could get the second one in focus. I've noticed both seem pretty...big now. Wonder if they had a growth spurt. Far as I can tell they're acting normal.

Kashi009 said:
Hello all I was hoping to get some possible help for my catfish. I looked it up online and said it could be a bladder infection, or something called dropsy, or possibly a female that has eggs? I'm hoping for the last one because it is not the first time that I've found eggs in the tank but I never saw the catfish beforehand; showed up overnight. I guess could also be overfed but the other catfish looks fine (I have two). The fish also seems to be panting. I don't know how long it's been like this, my brother noticed it around a half hour ago but I've had company for the past couple days so I hadn't really given the fish much thought besides feeding them in the morning. The stats for the tank are: 10 gallon and besides the catfish there are three bloodfin tetra (sadly a couple jumped out of the tank and haven't gotten to getting some more as well as a top). As a note I don't really have a second tank set up so it would be hard to isolate it. Any help would be appreciated. Sorry for the bad photo but all the fish seem really skittish and swim away when they see me.

I agree with DoubleDutch, that your Corydora isn't large with eggs by the pelvic or ventral fin area. Your fish is larger up front by the intestines and bladder area. I'm not a fish expert, but if I had to guess I think your fish has a swimbladder infection. Based on the location of the swelling and also how it's laying on its side on the rock substrate. Do a water change, remove the carbon from the filter, treat with Melafix (do a lower dosage than recommended on bottle as corydoras don't have scales. And we don't want to stress the fish out more), and lastly make sure you're not overfeeding. Hope the little guy gets better!

DoubleDutch · Jun 22, 2021

Personally I think it is a rather obese / huge C.aeneus. Think this type of Corys were formerly known as C.macrosteus which are larger than our common "bronze".
I'd try to feed less and if possible alternate with algaewafers. They hardly get nutrition out of those but that's what we try to do here.
I doubt there is an infection.

Kashi009 · Jun 23, 2021

Would it hurt to try the Melafix to see if it helps? Honestly I lost internet for a few days and the last post I saw from an email was Heather's so got some Melafix and put some in. I did think I had been feeding them too much so I talked to the PetSmart employee and asked how much to put in so I will try what they suggested from now on. I tried not feeding them for a couple days to see if that helped and it didn't really but will def cut back regardless but I assume it is the same as humans where it takes awhile, more than a couple days, to lose the weight if that's the case. Should I keep going with the Melafix for at least a week see if there is an improvement? As a note put in half the amount because of what Heather said. Sorry for taking awhile to reply and thanks for the help!

DoubleDutch · Jun 23, 2021

Melafix isn't a med and doesn't do anything but some mild antibacterial and antifungal working in a tank.

coriesinhawaii · Jun 23, 2021

I don’t know if it’s just the pictures but it doesn’t look like anything alarming to me just that the Cory is fat. If there’s no other symptoms of illness I would just cut back on feeding like you said you’re doing. I think Melafix would only treat an external infection so if it’s something going on inside the fish’s body I’m not sure it would be effective anyway.

Heather7465 · Jun 23, 2021

Kashi009,
Whatever you are doing looks to be working. Your first picture of the cory cat is larger under its mouth area than the second and third pictures. Unless it's an odd picture angle

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