Peppered Cory "panting"

[Asmodaues]

Im wanting to see if Charlie, my big female is ok. The other night I was watching them and was able to get some pictures of her. When I did so i noticed she seemed like she was panting.

She is active otherwise, eats good and swims all over without any problems it seems. She plays with the other 3 peppered cories in the tank as well.

I did do a water test with what i have for a kit. Ammonia was 0, ph was 7.4 nitrites were 1 and i did a 25% water change immediately when I saw that. I will test again tonight and do another 25% change. Im ordering a full api test this weekend to replace my pos drop test.

Here is a short video showing what I mean. Seems like a rapid panting motion and Im scared for her.

http/s95.photobucket.com/user/lordrebelx/media/VIDEO0027_zpsgadndgki.mp4.html

 

[Akasha72]

she's certainly breathing heavily and your right to be concerned. I'd be concerned about those Nitrites. Cories are quite sensitive to nitrites so it could be that. Good that you did the water change to reduce them. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't rise again .... maybe check your tank to see if you've got a dead fish or rotting food/plants that could be causing the Nitrites.
 
I'd also be considering adding an airstone to see if there's a lack of oxygen in the tank.
 
How long has your tank been running? 

 

[Asmodaues]

I moved in july and before that it was setup over a year. Im sure it went through a mini cycle after i moved. I plan on adding some live plants to help combat the nitrite issue. Ive got some extra air pumps and will put a stone in to help with more oxygen untill this issue is resolved.

Currently there are no live plants. I failed to do proper research when i got Charlie. I am now playing catch up, researching, reading as much as i can. Im trying to give them better care since i failed to at first.

When i did my water change i did pull alot of gunk from the sand. Im not afraid to dig in and really clean it. I checked aqadvisor and found out my filter is barely supplying enough filtration. I will be upgrading that as well. There is another change scheduled for tommorrow as well.

There was some un eaten wafers i found behind one of their rocks. I was trying a new kind and apparently they hated it so much they tried to bury it. Would feeding then on a slate slab help? Keep the food centered in one area ma.ybe

 

[Akasha72]

my cories have been on New Era catfish pellets for nearly a year and they go crazy for them. Since going on to those my panda's have started spawning more regularily so I can recommend them to you.
 
If you've had food rotting in the tank that'll most likely be the cause of the nitrites, now you've corrected that they should stabilize - although if the filter is insufficiant your on a knife edge. Good that your sorting that too. It sounds like your doing what you can but in the meantime keep testing the water and keep an eye on the cory and hopefully all will be well

 

[Asmodaues]

I did another change today and have been letting the tank "settle" since i was stirring up the sand and sucking as much debris out as i can.

Im looking at the Fluval C3 power filter as a replacement. I also put in 4 love plants today. 2 primrose, 1 aquatic combo and 1 anacharis from petco.

Not happy with the black looking sand, but searching says its normal.

 

[RCA]

Well done on your vigilance. With sand you need to ensure anaerobic bacteria does not build up underneath it, which causes the black. I tend to stick my tweezers in the sand each time I am working in the tank. I will often see air released which is the cause of the AB. I added MTS snails to turn over the substrate, although personally have found them more hassle as they get into everything, including the filter. How many cories do you have? Just checking as my female Harborus showed this behaviour prior to laying her eggs. I was worried at the time as she got very fat, and I originally thought it may have been the start of dropsy! I now have nine mature fry from two separate spawns. That said, it probably was the water quality in your case.

 

[Akasha72]

I also keep MTS in my tank for the same reason RCA mentions - they save me the job of de-gassing the sand. Agreed though that they can be a hassle. I happened to get up and come into my living room last night at midnight. The tank and the room had been in darkness for two hours. Snails were everywhere ... they were climbing the glass, crawling over the decor, sitting on my plants en-mass ... it looked like a snail invasion! They can and will get out of control and you need to be cruel at some stage and start removing some and killing them. 

 

[Asmodaues]

RCA,I have 4 peppered cories in my tank currently. Charlie is my oldest at 1.5yrs ive had her. The other 3 were added back in late june when i changed the base from gravel to sand. I want more and I have a 46gallon bowfront in storage for when I have room to set it up.

Thats good to know i should be stirring the sand at least once a week.

Im hesitant to get snails for that reason of a population explosion.

They seem to be enjoying the new plants. As im typing this, im sitting in my living room watching them swim all over and play. More active than they had been previously. Even my tri banded sumo loach is playing with them.

I will be adding more plants as i go. I want some amazon swords, anubias with big leaves for them to lounge on. Jungle val is on the list and some marimo moss balls.

 

[Akasha72]

from my experience with cories they like to have somewhere to rest in the shade and an open area to play. So by adding some plants for them to rest in they're going to be more relaxed and more likely to want to play 

 

[RCA]

Kuhlis may also go in the sand and turn it, although I have found mine just prefer to hide under bogwood.