Oh! My Pepper!

[jollysue]

Did someone say a prayer for Rocky today?

I had delayed a second round of salt treatments. Rocky almost didn't survive the last one. I had to hold him in my hand and keep him upright after, because he kept keeling over. I had continued the Mela/Pimafix daily treatment with a slightly stronger dose too. This fungus/bacteria just wasn't responding right and going away.

But after the 'Do It Or Die" last salt treatment, the cotton tuft began to recede. This morning he was waiting expectantly for me and looking me straight in the eye, without running when I came.

Tonight when I came to see him, his little Q-Tip tuft had fallen off and there is no cotton left.



Thanks for the encouragement to keep trying to get him out of the 100 usg to treat him. Now I have to decide where he and his mate will make their home. For now and until I get moved I think he will remain in a smaller tank. Maybe I will put him with Platinum Lady who was bloodied in the Alpha Betta Sorority tank. He has come to like his black worms. haha

 

[Inchworm]

Hi jollysue

Thank goodness the crisis has passed for Rocky! What a tough little fish.

Now he can have a well deserved rest and recuperation period. Just be sure to keep his stress levels low and his nutrition high. He should have a few friends to keep him company too.

 

[jollysue]

Do you think that Rocky and his old pepper mate (who is still hiding out very lonely like in the 100 usg) with the Platinum Lady in a split 10 usg would be friendly enough?

All my other Cory tanks are pretty full, and I think lots of new housing arraingements can wait until "I" rehome.

The latest is that "closing" on the house could be as soon as next week. I have managed to get one room moved so far.

I have my eye out for another 40 long. I like the Sea Clear 36" 40 usg tank for the cories. I have about 8-10 of the pandas, 10 bronze, and the 5 small skunks/Arcuatus, 5 Melini, and 5 bilineatus/San Juans plus the 2 peppers that all need to be rehomed. In addition are the 5 virginae/Sangama, 5 leucomelas, and 5 Pulcher variant #3, who are at present in the 40 long with 2 spotted unknowns, the 10 visiting bronze, a cockatoo, and a VT Betta Pretty Boy.

Would the pandas be happy with any other species?

Right now I am using a 40 long, a 20 usg, and a 10 (which is being prepped for the scarlet breeding tank.) I thought I would add another 40 long on a double stand. I'm thinking the 2 peppers with the bronze and keep the other three groups together as is. But that requires four tanks or three 40's. I need more, many more tanks to keep the Cories together!

BTW, should I wait and continue to medicate Rocky or, actually Platinum Lady is a bit torn up, maybe I could medicate them both? Should I go ahead and add the other pepper during this time? I wondered if there might be any residual from the Rocky infection to affect Platnum

 

[woodie]

really glad he's doing well he's a little fighter so a very ap name for him Rocky

 

[WILDER]

Congrats that he's on the mend, well done, put alot of time and effort in wth him.

 

[jollysue]

Thanks, He's worth it.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi jollysue

Yes, until you know that whatever bacteria caused Rocky's infection, he could be contagious. Of course this would only be a problem if the other fish in the tank with him have weak immune systems. I'd be careful until I'm sure about it.

As far as your pandas go, they can be a problem keeping with other fish, but not always. They like cooler water, so the logical ones to put them with would be the C. aeneus and the peppered. But, on the other hand, those are much bigger fish. You have C. pygmaeus too, don't you? They go nicely with the pandas. Your melinis and arcuatus are possibilities too.

Right now, my panda tank is over crowded, but I have had no problems with it. I have them in a 29 gallon tank with a few C. pygmaeus and some C. guapores and C. caudiomaculatus. I think it's a strange combination, but they seem to enjoy each other's company and school together. It's fun to see the whole bunch of similar looking, but actually very different fish, swim in a big bunch across the tank.

Right now, your first concern will have to be getting the fish moved, since you have a deadline coming up. The way they get put in might not be ideal, but you can sort them out, and decorate them later. Preserving the beneficial bacteria and keeping your peaceful fish safe from any more aggressive ones are the top priority.

One factor that might have bearing on the way you set your tanks up is the temperature of your apartment. Is Fresno in the warmer part of California, or does it get cold? Being in New York, it's cold and I just have one control on the heat. Naturally, the way my luck goes, the warmest room in my house (where the heat first comes up) is the fishroom. I can't get the temperature of the tanks down below around 72 degrees, but that's just about right for the cooler water fish. Anyway, the way your heat is, in an apartment, could have some influence in where you place your tanks, and how you arrange the fish in them. After buying a lot of corys during the summer, I'm still trying get things right, and it might still be a while longer until I'm happy with them.

And to think, fish are just a small part of everything you have to get packed an moved!

 

[jollysue]

Ugh! I think I still have the option to wait uintil the 15th, but each day after closing will cost me big bucks in interest, insurance, etc., I suppose.

Oh yeah, Happy Turkeys!

 

[demonmagus]

this is an excuse for some pics!

 

[jollysue]

Hmmm

Yes, I have actually been thinking about that. Rocky deserves to be honored.

I may work on that later today.

Interestingly, his mate, who has been on a deep undercover mission since Rocky was evacuated from their tank, has come out of hiding since the infected fin dropped off like he expects to be helecoptered out any minute.

I actually did put Rocky in Platinum's tank overnight with Mela/Pimafix until I read Inchworm's post. Then I realized also that the dosage for Bettas is different than that for Cories. ) so I took him out again.

 

[jollysue]

Sorry, I just realized that my camera is in the apartment packed for the Virginia trip.