Help...my Cory Can't Get Upright!

[Scott_T_27]

Hi
Need some advice please

I have just come in and noticed one of my panda cory's is flapping about on the bottom swimming about sideways and can't seem to balance or get upright!
Help please, my cory's are my favourite

Thanks in advance
Scott

 

[snazy]

When fish get like that it could be near end Sorry.
The first thing to do when you don't know what to do is do a huge water change with temperature matched dechlorinated water. Also, test for ammonia and nitrItes, if any of them is not 0, then that's your problem and you need to see why your tank is not cycled.
Also, a picture of the cory and other symptoms if any, like torn fins, spots, etc.. would be helpful.
Without any signs it's hard to know whether it's bacterial, parasitic or even fungus problem.

How long have you had the tank for?
How big is the tank and what other fish are in there?
Have you added anything recently, new plants, new decoration, new fish?

 

[Scott_T_27]

Update:
Unfortunately my cory has passed before I had chance to do anything
This is the 5th fish I have lost since Saturday!
Put 5 new male guppies into the tank on Saturday an made sure they were acclimatised properly. Then 2 of them passed Sunday, went out for the day and when I got back one was on the bottom and the other was floating at the top! Just assumed they didn't like the move as tank levels are ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 25 and ph between 6.8 & 7.2.
Monday another guppy passed, Tuesday one of my glowlight tetras passed (that went through fish in cycle to start tank up)' today lost on of my panda corys

Can anyone suggest what to do going forward, don't want any of my other fish to suffer

Tank is 62 x 37 x 30 cm, 64 litre

Had tank just over a month

Current stock
5 glowlights
2 male guppies
5 harlequin rasbora
Now only 2 panda cory's

Thanks
Scott

 

[gilaesther]

Was your tank cycled in advance? If not, they're all being poisoned by ammonia and nitrite.

 

[Scott_T_27]

Yes through lack of knowledge I had tetras in tank after 3 days then cories a week later on advice of local fish store!
But then after coming on here learnt about cycling and had to do a fish in cycle which took just over 2 weeks. All fish cam through fine as I was doing regular water changes.
Didn't add any more fish until nitrite and ammonia were 0

 

[WILDER]

Can you list the symptoms the fish showed before death.

Was the cory bloated. As if he was unable to maintain balance in the water it sounds like a swim bladder problem.
Swim bladder can be caused by bad water quality, internal parasites, injury, poor diet, bacterial infection of the swim bladder.

Sorry for your losses.

 

[snazy]

No corys always lose balance before they die and swirl around and it's not exactly a symptom. It's just the way they die.
Since symptoms and deaths appeared since the addition of new fish, I would suspect they introduced something.
The best way is to describe the exact symptoms before they died, otherwise it's like shooting in the dark.
It could be bacterial, protozoa, fungi or viral which is a broad range.
Is there external visible signs like spots or growths, etc..?
Is their poop normal or white and stringy?
Are they scratching themselves of objects?
Are they eating normally?

 

[WILDER]

No corys always lose balance before they die and swirl around and it's not exactly a symptom. It's just the way they die.

I agree. They do show these signs before death.
Just needed to check the cory hadn't been showing these symptoms for quite a while.

 

[Scott_T_27]

Cory didn't show any signs of abnormality over last few days as I always sit and watch them every night, I find it so peaceful
Has been swimming fine, eating fine, no abnormal markings or growths. Although in it's (unsure of sex, only little) final hours did seem to look a little more transparent than the others
When I got in today was just laid on it's side, so at first glance I thought it had already gone. U
On closer inspection though was still breathing, then started trying to swim but was just swimming on its side in circles and couldn't get back upright. Then over the following 30mins breathing became slower and less frequent until it passed, bless it

After speaking to a friend I thinks it may be something one of the guppies brought to the tank, as apparently the store I bought the guppies from aren't shy of selling diseased fish! Going to do some research and find myself a reccomended supplier before purchasing any future fish.
If one of the guppies was diseased do I need to treat my tank in any way?? If so, how??

 

[WILDER]

OK.

Water changes. If no signs of external parasites signs listed below, maybe add a bacterial medication to the tank,
Keep a look out for when your fish go to the toilet.

If no parasite signs like-
Flickiing and rubbing,
Darting, erratic swimming.
Laboured breathing, gasping as surface of tank,
Greyish film on fish fins, or body.
Tiny white spots,

 

[Scott_T_27]

Hi checked tank. All seems to be in order apart from it looks like one of the guppies is doing white curly poo's? What does this mean??

Going to do a water change now as well though

 

[WILDER]

White stringy poo can mean the fish is constipated, internal parasites, bacterial infection.
Other signs of internal parasites are -
Clear mucas poo. Red poo.
Sunken in belly.
Fish will look skinny, or bloated.
Sometimes a curved spine.
Enlarged anus. Red inflamed anus.
Worms sticking out of the anus.
Fish will sometimes swim on there sides.
Spitting food out.
Secondary bacterial infections.

Feed your fish some shelled peas.
If this doesn't clear it up get back to your thread.

Good Luck.

 

[Scott_T_27]

Shelled peas really?
Thanks I'll give it a try.
Will frozen garden peas be ok?

 

[WILDER]

Frozen garden peas are good to feed.

Place the peas in boiling water for a few minutes.
Let the peas cool down.
Pop out of shell. (Fish can't digest the shell)
Chop into fine pieces and feed to fish.
The fish might turn there noses up at the peas the 1st time, so keep trying.
Remove uneaten peas.

 

[Scott_T_27]

Ok brill cheers.
I'll give it a go