Unexpected Cory death...

[PheonixKingZ]

As some of you may know, my 29g tank is very dense. Which means, I have a hard time finding fish sometimes.

I thought something was up a few days ago, when I couldn’t find 2 of my corys. (1 died previously, I had 5 in total)

But this morning, I see my shrimp all eating something, and it was a Cory body. Luckily I got it out before they really mangled it.

I now only have 2 Cory’s left. What’s going on here? All other stock seems to be doing OK. I did a 40% water change 2 days ago.

I wanted to do a WC last night, but the water company called saying they had fixed a pipe, and the water was unsafe to drink, which meant definitely not safe for fish. Thoughts?

(I can upload a picture of the carcass if needed)

 

[FishGuest5123]

Yours are pandas. They just don’t do well. I placed 28 cories in my tank. Pandas, bronze, and albino. My only losses have been the pandas. They have been so inbred that they just don’t live long. It’s not your fault. I have been keeping my nitrates below 20ppm at all times. This has stopped my deaths for now. Panda are obviously very sensitive to nitrates, IMO.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Yours are pandas. They just don’t do well. I placed 28 cories in my tank. Pandas, bronze, and albino. My only losses have been the pandas. They have been so inbred that they just don’t live long. It’s not your fault. I have been keeping my nitrates below 20ppm at all times. This has stopped my deaths for now. Panda are obviously very sensitive to nitrates, IMO.

I will test my nitrates ASAP. I wasn’t aware panda Cory’s were so fragile.

The two I have now seem to be OK, but one is looking a little ‘down’.

Should I move them to another tank? Say my 20g long? I will test both tanks nitrates and see which one has lower.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I think they are fine where they are. Why stress them more? I didn’t know about the Pandas when I bought mine either. They’ve gotten like the poor neon tetras. Bred and bred with no concern about the welfare of the species. Very sad for a lot of fish breeds.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Ok, so leave them in the 29g tank? I was afraid I had done something wrong, because they were doing perfectly and then just died.

Nirates in the 20g long: 10ppm - 12ppm
Nitrates in the 29g: Looks to be less than 5ppm. I usually do a good job with my parameters.

So it’s just genetics that killed them?

 

[CassCats]

Theyre weaker fish, you cant know unless you had a necropsy done. Unfortunately pandas are not a hardy corydoras.

I would instead look to increase your cories, but choose a different species.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I agree with NCaquatics.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Theyre weaker fish, you cant know unless you had a necropsy done. Unfortunately pandas are not a hardy corydoras.

I would instead look to increase your cories, but choose a different species.

Ok, will do. Of course this will be after the move.

I am bumming 1( That I lost the Cory’s, but 2( That I lost over $30 in livestock in the past 3 days.

I am keeping these two though. I’m pretty sure they will die on the way to my LFS, if I did take them in.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I'm sorry about your cories
I didn't know about their poor breeding before coming here either, and they were high on my list for when I have a larger tank, but bumped them for sterbai's now, especially since those will suit my tap water better and mean less RO needed.

At least you know that it's not likely to have been something you've done. Just one of those sad things. I am sorry though, it's always horrible to have losses.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Thank you.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Interesting. I never found pandas to be particularly fragile; I had the same ones for over two years, and they were going strong when I rehomed them. I suppose it depends on where they come from, too.

PK, here's something else to think about. In my rainbow tank, I lost several emerald cories early on, and the remaining ones looked pretty bad. I finally figured out that all my plants and hard-scape were creating dead zones with no circulation where toxins were accumulating. I put in a powerhead down low to move water around (and make sure any toxins made it to the filter) and things have really bounced back. Maybe that's what's going on with yours?

Thomas

 

[FishGuest5123]

Ok, will do. Of course this will be after the move.

I am bumming 1( That I lost the Cory’s, but 2( That I lost over $30 in livestock in the past 3 days.

I am keeping these two though. I’m pretty sure they will die on the way to my LFS, if I did take them in.

I understand the $$$ involved but don’t think about that part. I realize you have to work harder and longer to get your money but if I counted all of the money I have lost or spent in saving the livestock in just my 55G neon and Cory tank, I’d be ill for a month. Enjoy the hobby and don’t think about the loss. Think about what your gaining in knowledge, pleasure, and satisfaction instead.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Interesting. I never found pandas to be particularly fragile; I had the same ones for over two years, and they were going strong when I rehomed them. I suppose it depends on where they come from, too.

PK, here's something else to think about. In my rainbow tank, I lost several emerald cories early on, and the remaining ones looked pretty bad. I finally figured out that all my plants and hard-scape were creating dead zones with no circulation where toxins were accumulating. I put in a powerhead down low to move water around (and make sure any toxins made it to the filter) and things have really bounced back. Maybe that's what's going on with yours?

Thomas

That may be it, as the filter I have is an internal filter, which is only in one corner.

What should I do? I can’t buy a power head, for the reasons I have mentioned in other threads.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Some way to increase water movement down low. Please refresh my memory, since I don't read a lot of threads. A 29g is pretty tall, so if all you have is a corner filter, that could well be the issue. You can get an 80 gph powerhead on amazon for less than $10. Might help!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Some way to increase water movement down low. Please refresh my memory, since I don't read a lot of threads. A 29g is pretty tall, so if all you have is a corner filter, that could well be the issue. You can get an 80 gph powerhead on amazon for less than $10. Might help!

Would an airstone help? I think I can split the flow between my 20g long and my 29g.

Please refresh my memory, since I don't read a lot of threads.

I can’t buy any more “fish stuff” because my parents don’t want me buying anything before our big move, which should be in 6-8 months.