Death of my Corry Catfish & Help With the Other 1

[Jediagh]

I'm so depressed right now. One of my corry catfish died this weekend. I left my apt on Sat. afternoon after feeding them (2 corries) and came back sunday evening and saw that one of my corries was on the bottom tilted on its side.

I'm a newbi and I got my 1st 10g tank two weeks ago and ONLY waited one week before I placed both of my Corries, and an aqua fern. (Following the dumb instructions of the Video in the starter kit tank I got). This all started becuase I got a betta fish in a VERY TINY bowl as a gift and felt bad for the betta and wanted to give him a bigger home and some friends...

Once I learned about cycling, cleaning, and all that stuff I should have read before getting a tank it was too late. So now I only got one corry left and here is my situation.

After taking out the dead corry I placed him in the baggie that Petsmart sold him to me. However, I am NOT sure how to dispose of him? In the toliet? Dumpster? I really cannot bury him as I live in an Apt. complex.

Also I checked the Ammonia levels last night for the 3rd time since I got the tank and it was at 4ppm! (My last 2 readings were at .25PPM). Knowing that is way TOO HIGH I took out him out and placed him in a double betta tank (.30 gallons) that I got my betta. (The betta is STILL in the tiny bowl.

I know that I made a MISTAKE by not doing the cycling of the tank first without no fish but now I'm in a jam. So can I keep my corry in the .3 gal betta tank until my tank finish cycling?

Also I've been reading up on these forums and don't have any clue what substrate is? Is that gravel? I got gravel in my 10g tank and some gravel like rocks in the .3 gal betta bowl. I say gravel like becuase the box said it was a gravel that would help OVER TIME keep the water clean. It's bluish and I've noticed that the rocks are getting smaller with every water change.

Also I am now realizing that corries should be in schools (I'm NEVER going back to Petsmart... those fools DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!). But in the current conditins I don't have the room for more corys in that small tank so will he make it all alone for another 4 - 6 weeks till the cycling gets done?

Lastly, how often should I do a water change in that .30 gal where my corry is temp. at? Every day? Do 20% water change? I've noticed that since I moved him to the small .3 gal betta tank he still swims around all over the place, going up and down and every now and then resting on the bottom before he starts the up & down motion again. So I take it he is okay? RIGHT?

I'm so paranoided right now. I feel like such a loser for killing my corry. I don't want ANYTHING to happen to the other one. I feel that I let them down.

Any help and advise anyone can give me would be GREATLY appreciated. I have the fishless cycling information and started it today. Now my concern is the welfare of the corry in the smaller .3 gal betta bowl.

Thanks

 

[clutterydrawer]

Heya

Don't feel bad, it sounds like you were misled and that you want the best for you fish. I'd wrap the dead one up well in like plastic food bags or something and put him in with the rest of the household rubbish.

Is this betta bowl heated and filtered? If it's not heated you will have some problems cos the cory will be stressed if the temp. keeps changing. If it's not filtered, water changes _every_ day. Monitor the ammonia and nitrite in the bowl to to makes sure it's not too high.

Substrate means whatever is on the bottom of the tank - gravel, sand, etc. What is the texture of the substrate in teh betta bowl? If it's sharp/jagged then the cory could damage his barbels, leading to infection.

If you keep the water in the .3gal tank scrupulously clean (as many water changes as necessary) and the same temperature, I think he might make it. If you could get gravel/filter media from a mature tank, like off a friend/lfs or whatever, it would speed up the cycle, minimising the time the main tank takes to cycle. good luck.

 

[fatbobsufc]

Best thing for the Cory is if you have a friend with a tank who can re-home him for a while til your own tank is cycled.

Otherwise, maybe the lfs will take himback? After all they sold him to you when they shouldn't have. I guess you would feel even worse i another one died.

Maybe it's the lesser of two evils?

Good luck.

 

[Jediagh]

Thanks all!

Hum a full water change on the .3 gal beta tank or 20%? The beta tank is NOT FILTERED and NO TEMP HEATER. It's too small fo either.

I have gravel (the little rocks that PetsMart) sold me in the beta bowl with the corry. Should I just remove it and leave the bowl empty?

I don't think PetsMart will take him back but I will call tonght to find out.

 

[clutterydrawer]

Is the gravel in the bowl smooth, or rough? If it looks jagged enough to damage the cory's barbels, take it out. otherwise leave it in.

I'd probably do 30%-40% water change minimum every day, but test for ammonia and nitrite to make sure you're doing enough.