PlanetCatfish.com

Hi all
I currently keep 4 leopard corys in my 180L with the following mates.
10 leapord danios
6 Mollies
4 chain loaches.

The tank substrate is pea gravel and is decorated with wood and plastic plants..(I am a beginner and so far the fish husbandary worries me enough never mind adding real plants )
The tank ph is 7.6 and the water is extremely hard but as I bought the corys locally and have had them for over 3 months this does not seem to be an issue. I feed pellet food always allowing extra for the Corys.
My concern is as follows. The bigger of the Corys always seemed to have a white "nose" but lately this has gotten larger almost like a skinned patch or a wart. The other corys are now developong this. The Barbels look fine from what I can tell as they are very shy and seem to dart to the back of the tank whenever I approach.I don't wish to stress the fish but am concerned that this my be a health issue for them? Does anyone have any experience of this or suggestions. As I am new to corys I would appreciate help.

Thanks
H

I have seen this but alas i have no idea what it is. My axelrodi develped it about 5 months ago I have had no problems with it but I entirely agree, it looks like a white spot/wart dead centre of the snout. I thought it was just me. There surely must be more with this problem, if indeed it is a problem

have read previous posts on what seemed to be an identical problem with pics which got the reply that it may be a injury due to a bash against glass or decor. This rings true with me as my guys are particularly flighty and have been known to wholp glass in their haste. I had another look at the older and more sociable guy and it is almost as if the nose has been eaten away. Therefore I have treated with a anti fungus/ mouth rot treatment just in case there is any infection. The other guy with this issue seems to has lost his barbels and just has the two inner whiskers under the lip left. Can the main ones grow back and could this affect his eating


Hyperconcerned Mammy!!!!!

hearlis

I think the biggest source of the problem is the pea gravel, although some Cory species live in pebbled streams the base substrate will be sand or even clay. Their barbels are sensory organs used to feel for and detect food items, with the heavier pea gravel they are having to use their barbels and mouths to move the gravel to access food, this can and will cause serious damage to the barbels and mouth often resulting in secondary bacterial and fungal infections. I would recommend moving the Corys to a recovery tank on their own with a thin layer of sand and treat them with Primafix. Without seeing the extent of the damage it is difficult to say if they will recover, it is doubtful that barbels that have disappeared altogether will ever regenerate.

Ian