Bronze Cory's Not Showing Good Signs

[Bailpy6]

My 2 Bronze Corydoras in my tank have started showing signs which have worried me, i have done water changes as normal, and i took a water test today, and everything was normal and good, there is nothing in the tank which can harm then fish, as its just them and 8 Harlequins, and an Assassin snail.
 
The 2 Bronze Corydoras have been spending more time at the surface then normal, taking a lot of gulps of air, staying for a few minutes at a time just gulping the air at the top, and they have been very still as well, but strangely, they have a lot of good periods, where they are down actually hunting and searching for food, anyone know what could be causing this? or is it just their end? or is everything fine?
 
Thanks in Advance.

 

[DiddleBug]

Hmmm.... That doesn't sound good.  Do you think they aren't getting enough air?  I've had corys in the past and they never did that.   
 
Also, if you just have 2 corys, I'd advise you get a few more.  These fish like to be in groups.
 
Sorry i'm not much help.

 

[BerryAttack]

when you say the stats are good for a tank then it sounds to us that you have not tested it.
anyways, what is the tank size, stats, how long have you cycled the tank.. treat water before adding it into the tank? etc etc
 
cories, like any schooling fish IMO should be in groups of 6.
you should be feeding the cories shrimp pellets or any pellets that sink to the bottom so they can eat.
if you have (with the number of fish in the tank) should be a min of 20-25 gallons so that you can keep all the fish in proper conditions. etc etc
 
for your fish with the air problem that you are having. do a 75% water change and when adding it into the tank allow it to bubble to add oxygen. then put 4 shrimp pellets into the tank (make sure tetras don't get or at least try) so that then the cories can eat it. then test the water, make sure you are treating the water.
when cleaning your filter don't do it with tap water, do with aquarium water so you don't kill the good bacteria.

 

[Bailpy6]

I use the paper test strips, most reliable ones i could find, and matched my LFS check of my water quality, so i believe their pretty good, i tested with them, and everything came back in the right colour, i did a water change and they arent at the top as much, and i went out today to get some shrimp pellets and algae wafers, i presume they arent sick as they kept going to the bottom to feed, and the harlequins arent affected and are acting their normal cheeky selves. i do think over the night they have improved, as they are acting more like normal. And i have been thinking about one or two more of them, as there is plenty of space left.

 

[AquaPit]

My man! I think there is not much to fear about..

My cories used to do that often usually after a water change..

They are still alive and kicking!

I read somewhere that Cory occasionally go to the surface just to get some gulp of air maybe many gulps because they have been at the bottom for very long.. And also maybe the water had a minor ammonia spike which prompts them to do likewise..

BUT!! as a precautionary, keep monitoring the water parameters and the cories coz we fishkeepers are always the OCD types!

Hope you can now be able to 'gulp' some air too after hearing this! lol

 

[noobgamers]

i have found labyrinth breeders (mainly cories) still take gulps of air occasionaly in a perfectly well oxegenated tank

 

[Bailpy6]

My man! I think there is not much to fear about..

My cories used to do that often usually after a water change..

They are still alive and kicking!

I read somewhere that Cory occasionally go to the surface just to get some gulp of air maybe many gulps because they have been at the bottom for very long.. And also maybe the water had a minor ammonia spike which prompts them to do likewise..

BUT!! as a precautionary, keep monitoring the water parameters and the cories coz we fishkeepers are always the OCD types!

Hope you can now be able to 'gulp' some air too after hearing this! lol

That does make me feel better, it was strange seeing em like that, i have had them for months and they have never been gulping that much, me thinking there were going to die, but then they would go to the bottom and search for food! strange world!

 

[Bailpy6]

After the water change the cory's still sometimes go to the top to just float around, i dont think they a gulping air, but they are at the top, one was hovering over one place at the bottom, moving all its fins, is that normal?

 

[Bailpy6]

i got a video of the fish which seems worse, would appreciate it if anyone could help me out!
 
http/s1372.photobucket.com/user/Bailpy6/media/Mobile%20Uploads/VID_20140217_164252_zpsjp45bfk8.mp4.html

 

[Ch4rlie]

I use the paper test strips, most reliable ones i could find, and matched my LFS check of my water quality, so i believe their pretty good, i tested with them, and everything came back in the right colour.

 
Am sorry but IMO paper strip test kits should not be relied upon, liquid test kits will be much more trustworthy.
API FW Master Test Kit are fairly decent value for money.
 
To be honest I can't see much in that vid thats too much to worry about for that cory.
 
But i'd like to see more water parameters results, tank size and tank mates ( i did see harlequin tetra in that vid)
 
So some more information may help a bit more.
 
Although as has been suggested, these guys are schooling fish, they tend to do better in larger groups 6+ or better yet 8+ dependant on tank size.

 

[Bailpy6]

 

I use the paper test strips, most reliable ones i could find, and matched my LFS check of my water quality, so i believe their pretty good, i tested with them, and everything came back in the right colour.

 
Am sorry but IMO paper strip test kits should not be relied upon, liquid test kits will be much more trustworthy.
API FW Master Test Kit are fairly decent value for money.
 
To be honest I can't see much in that vid thats too much to worry about for that cory.
 
But i'd like to see more water parameters results, tank size and tank mates ( i did see harlequin tetra in that vid)
 
So some more information may help a bit more.
 
Although as has been suggested, these guys are schooling fish, they tend to do better in larger groups 6+ or better yet 8+ dependant on tank size.
 

 
 
30L tank, 8 harlequins, 2 cory's, 1 Assassins Snail, they have all been in since August, i cant get any exact results since i dont have the water tests. The Cory's have been fine up until a few days ago, when they where just at the top, after a water change, i thought it fixed them both, but one of them has started doing it again, it just floats around the top, but still breathing, he looks fine, but his behavior has changed completely, and thats what caused me to get even more worried.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Am afraid that I think a 30 litre / 8 gallon tank is too small for your stocking.
 
For a small group of Bronze you need a minimum tank of about 60l / 16 gals
 
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-aeneus/
 
Harlequins are not suitable for that tank size either
 
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/trigonostigma-heteromorpha/
 
I think the reason your cory is at water surface for a while is down to stress possibly due to tank size.
And possibly inadequate oxygenated water.
 
For your tank tank, i'd suggest you might be better rehoming these guys or getting a larger tank for them.
 
Here is a link for more suitable possible stocking for your 30 litre / 8 gal tank. 
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/418749-nano-fish/
 
Sorry if this seems a little negative for you. You did right in asking for advice and better you found this out now rather than later when your tank stocking runs into real problems. 

 

[Bailpy6]

Am afraid that I think a 30 litre / 8 gallon tank is too small for your stocking.
 
For a small group of Bronze you need a minimum tank of about 60l / 16 gals
 
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-aeneus/
 
Harlequins are not suitable for that tank size either
 
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/trigonostigma-heteromorpha/
 
I think the reason your cory is at water surface for a while is down to stress possibly due to tank size.
And possibly inadequate oxygenated water.
 
For your tank tank, i'd suggest you might be better rehoming these guys or getting a larger tank for them.
 
Here is a link for more suitable possible stocking for your 30 litre / 8 gal tank. 
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/418749-nano-fish/
 
Sorry if this seems a little negative for you. You did right in asking for advice and better you found this out now rather than later when your tank stocking runs into real problems. 

. Well I got screwed over by pets at home

 

[Ch4rlie]

Oh no!
 
That, am afraid, is what happens to a lot of us on the forum when we listen to LFS advice!
 
Really, a lot of LFS are not the best when it comes to giving advice about fish keeping, there ARE some good staff out there who do give very good advice and ask good questions but these are few and far between really.
 
I am sorry 

 
Next time, if LFS gives advice, do not take their word for it until you have done research and asked on this forum first before purchasing anything, basically take LFS advice with a large dose of salt! Most LFS just wants to sell their products and don't really particularly want to help mostly.

 

[Bailpy6]

Well thanks for the advice. I love these fish way too much to give them up. So I will order a bigger tank. What size would I need for everything?