Corry Catfish Fins

[Jediagh]

I've had my four corry catfishes for about 4 months now. Every sunday I do a water change and vaccum a small section of my 10gal tank and clean the 2 filters.

This week due to the holiday (Thanksgiving) I left me corries all alone for 5 days. I setup an automatic feeder that would dispense 2 meals per day and hope for the best. I arrived home today and all 4 corries were safe and sound, swimming like normal.

Since the food dispenser was dumping more food then I normally put in, I figured I do a big cleaning of the tank. So I took the 4 corries out and placed them in a small holding tank (.5 gal tank), removed all the plants (see my sig), took out the 2 barrel decorations and went on a good cleaning spree.

There was a lot of "junk" that the vaccum cleaned out. The tank looks better for it. I put everything back (the corries were last to go in). When I picked up the holding tank I noticed something strange on one of the corries.

His back fin is wierd looking.

The fins on three corries looks like this:


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They have very defined fins like sideway "M"s. The ends are very pointy.

One corry has a much smaller back fin like this

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I took a closer look at him and he has no signs of damage but his back fin looks deformed and much shorther then his 3 brothers.

I've had them since they were babies and all 4 have grown since then but until today I had never noticed this as I have never taken them out of the tank before. The corry in question is always the one that likes to hide in the barrels and only swims around to eat and then goes back into the barrels. I had figured all this time he was just shy and did not like the lights in the tank (they lights are on 12 hour per day for the plants). But I think he hides becuase he can not swim very well with that "odd" back fin of his. He can swim but it looks like its a struggle for him to "push" himself thru the water.

Has anyone seen this before? Is there any thing I can do? Or is this just some form of birth defect like Little Nemo and his small fin? Or have the other corries bitten him and this is the result? I have NO OTHER FISH in the tank just a few (2-3 blackish snails).

Thanks

 

[Aquamick]

Hi

I'd say that it was either some sort of deformity, injury or finrot. From the way you describe it, I would say most likely a deformity, and I wouldn't think it would affect him when he swims or in any other way. It's very very unlikely that another cory took a piece out of it, the are possibly the most social 'common' tropical fish. I have had corys with deformed fins and fin spines, and they usually manage as well as their shoal mates. I would keep a close watch on it, and if it gets any worse (finrot), treat with a mild med like melafix. As for it hiding, that may be just in it's character, you occasionally get a 'loner' in groups.


Hope you resolve it

 

[lizard]

I agree with AquaMick. Just keep a close eye on 'em all (although it looks like you already do ) and watch for any troubles. Corys are grand little fish, aren't they? I just love mine!

Good luck

Pamela
aka Married Lizard

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Jediagh

That little difference should not effect your cory. He will be fine as long as it doesn't get any worse.

In the event that a case of finrot might have been starting due to the uneaten food in the tank, it will probably have cleared itself up just from the tank cleaning.

You seem to be interested in cultivating plants as much as fish, so let me ask you if perhaps you are adding any kind of chemical fertilizer that might be effecting them?

 

[Jediagh]

Thanks all for the replies.

I stayed up lasy night took out my camcorder and using the night vision mode watched the corries while all the lights were off in the room and in the tank.

Sure enough Mr. Shy (the corry with the odd fin) came out from his barrel cave swam around with the rest of the corries, did several "swim to the top of the tank & race down" dives, did some scavenging and after 30 mins of watching him act normal figured he is INDEED okay just being shy of the lights.

He swam just as well as the other ones except that since there are 2 filters in the tank the water flow is a bit much for him I think becuase he has a hard time staying in one place. He seems to move is back fin more than the others to stay in place or usually just rests against one of the plants or inside the barrels where the water current is much less. I lowered the filter-pump level to help him.

As for the question of the plants. NO CHEMICALS IN MY TANK! I worked too hard to cycle that tank using the fishless cycle and don't want to stress the corries with any chemicals. I have a "hospital tank" for that. =) If you a "sick" fish you going to the hospital tank where it is easier to give med, provide clean water, etc.. My betta was in the hospital tank recenlty due to popeyes.

The plants get 10-11 hours of light via the bulbs and that is it. I beleieve that letting mother nature do the work is all that is needed to keep the plants happy. A few snails to help the alge that sometimes grows on the leaves and its a pertty easy setup to maintain. Just have to stay on top of the water changes and a quick scrub of the glass tank alone with a rise of the filters in the water. =)

Up next is getting a few other types of fishes. Off course, the corries are so cute that whenever I go to the fish store I can't seem to be able to choose a non-corry! he,he,he...

Any recommendations? And please don't tell me more corries. =) Although I have been thinking of just making it a corry tank and perhaps getting 4 panda corries. Those look cute as well. =)

 

[clutterydrawer]

one of my cories had exactly that shape of fin. like one point had been cut off. he died of finrot. i hope yours is luckier! keep an eye on him.

 

[Jediagh]

Is finrot contagious? I have seen fin rot before on fish and *think* to know what to look for on the fish and it does not look like my corry has that. Hum... now I am debating if I show put him in the med tank and put some medflix in there...

 

[clutterydrawer]

I'm not sure

From what I understand, finrot is caused by bacteria whihc is always present in the water, but fish only become vulnerable to it when they are stressed eg due to poor water conditions

However my water params were perfect when mine got sick, so I don't know...

I think if I was in your position I would watch him very very carefully and if you think his tail is getting the slightest bit shorter, medicate.

 

[Jediagh]

Thanks.

I think he is just a bit CRAZY! Yesterday when I got home from work I stood near the door of the room where the tank is at and from the distance could see him moving about close to the barrel he likes to hide. The other corries were swimming all over the place.

As I got closer to the tank the other corries ignored me but the "odd fin" one went and hide behind the potted plant sticking his head out from around the corner every now and then. It seems like he KNOWS when I get close to the tank. The other just ignore me and go about their bussiness. strange hu?

For now what I have done it split there food levels into 2. I typically feed them 2 food pellets at 5PM. However since the tank lighst are still on everyone except "odd fin" comes to eat. So yesterday I only dropped 1 pellet at 5PM and then another one at midnight (when the lights are out). "odd fin" came out and ate that pellet while the rest ignored it.

So at least I know he is eating. I've been thinking of a way of measuring his back fin but I don't want to stress him.

I know Petsmart (lfs) sells some type of liquid for stress fish called strezz soemthing i think. Do you think I should use that? Does it harm my cycled tank?

 

[sylvia]

I think I know what you're talking about and it probably wouldn't harm your bacteria but it probably ont do much for the fish either so I'd just stick to clean water and watch carefuly.