Ailing Corydoras Aeneas; Please help

[Timberwolf]

I have a group of 5 Albino Cories, who are one of the highlights of my tank (18 gallon Via Aqua VA-680), which they share with a pair of Parotocinclus Jumbo and various tetras and live-bearers. Yestarday, I lost one (resting on the bottom is one thing, resting on your side- not cool). and today two others are showing equilibrium issues. This morning I found two of them laying on their sides, like the dead one, but they swam away when I tried to remove them. I observed one of them swimming in odd, vertical loops, like he was having swim bladder problems.

Are equilibrium problems like this something that just happens and will work itself out, or should I quarentine these guys? They're all juveniles, the largest being under 2".

My tank is staying stable at about 77 degrees Fareneit and 7.2/7.4 pH. The water is fairly hard (don't have exact measurements) well water. Everybody else appears happy and healthy.

I would be thankful for any hints, suggestions, or ideas.

[Cory_lover]

Hmm I usually tend to keep my corys around the 6.4-6.8 pH mark coz I find them happier in slightly acidic water. However, since yours are albino aeneus, aka one of the hardiest corys around, I doubt its a pH problem. It could possibly be the well water being too hard. Also, how long has your tank been running for? Is it just the swimming problem that you can see (ie: no fungus or finrot or any other kinds of illnesses?) Hate to say it, but swimming problems are far harder to treat than skin problems/water problems and the prognosis usually isn't good, but you never know!

If there are no parasites/fungus/finrot kinda thing, don't bother quarantining them. The act of moving them into a separate tank will be more stressful. I'd suggest taking a water sample to your lfs and see if they can get a good water test. If the water turns out not to be ideal for corys, gradually change the water chemistry over a couple of days. If you do have to change water chemistry, note that the new parameters should be acceptable to your Paratocinclus too (I haven't kept them before so can't help you out with them sorry).

[Cory_lover]

Hey i just realised you have a picture and description of your tank in your profile, and it says it's been running for 5 days. Just wondering, but did you buy the tank like 5 days ago, set up the filter, added water, then immediately added all those fish in (ie: 'It is (over) populated with platies, corys, mollys, tetras, shiners, and pitbull plecos.")

Cause if you did, I'm pretty sure its cause you haven't run through the nitrogen cycle in your tank yet and ammonia levels will be quite high. But like I said, until more info is provided, and a water test actually performed, it's hard for us to say more

[Timberwolf]

The tank has been running longer than that; closer to a month. I only uploaded it to PlanetCatfish in the last 5 days and I'm still learning the controls for the site. Also, when I started the tank, I used a starter culture/water treatment (I believe from AquaSafe, if I remember correctly). The water is tested before and after changes (25% at least once a week) and, except in the first week, has never shown any measurable ammonia and very little nitrite. Nitrate levels today tested at around 2.5 ppm, which I think is as low as it is, because it's heavily planted with live plants. I took a sample, along with two of the sickest cories back to the Petco where the fish came from and they agreed with my test numbers. I did also notice that half of the cories in the tank my guys came out of were either dead, or showing the same symptoms. Something is going through their tanks! It's a sad day, when the healthiest looking fish they have are the feeder goldfish.

I try to minimize any kind of water treatments, figuring that the fewer the chemicals I can put into the tank, the better off everyone will be, but short of buying 5 gallons at a time from the RO dispenser at the local Walmart, is there anything That you might suggest to reduce the hardness and pH in the water? The Odessa Aquifer, from which this well draws, has a fairly sulphuric smell to it, so it's pretty easy to guess what the dissolved solids in it are.

Everyone else in the tank seems to be happy and healthy (it's really something watching the "bottom-dwelling" Corydoras chasing the zeba danios arond the tank!).

Thank you for the input! I don't know if it is a pH issue (it tested today at 7.6) but it is probably something I need to figure out how to address.

[MatsP]

pH is not an issue - I see C. aeneus in the shops around here, where pH is commonly around 7.5 or more.

And, yes, the only meaningful way to solve high pH is to use demineralized water - usually RO water in the common case.

It sounds like you got some bad fish - which unfortunately is something that is hard to do much about.

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Mats

[Timberwolf]

Thanks, Mats.

i can't help but wonder if the chemicals that are disolved in our water might be part of the issue. It's one thing to test for pH and hardness, but how likely might it be the the other chemicals in the water are issues? Water from the Odessa Aquifer tends to have a fairly sulphuric smell to it. Dan Miner, the owner of the local PetLand has offered to let me come draw from his in-store taps. They have an RO system there, so that will save a nice chunk of change. After returning the two obviously sick ones, I now have 3 that are incredibly entertaining. Never knew that corys were jumpers, but I am thankful for a tight-fitting hood!

The next obvious fix will be to move everybody into a larger tank, but that will come after we're done gettingmy father-in-law through his liver transplant. He was transplanted at the end of September and, as soon as he has recovered enough to return to the farm, my wife and i will return to the Portland, Oregon area. Once there, i hope to have at least 75 gallons up and running as soon as I can put it together.

[MatsP]

"sulphuric smell" would indicate Hydrogen sulphide ("rotten eggs smell"). Are you on well-water or city water? If you are on City water, it's not supposed to have much hydrogen sulphide in it.

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Mats

[Timberwolf]

It's a well that draws from the Odessa Aquifer in the Central (Mid-Columbia) Region of Washington. The sulphrous, or sulphuric smell is not the "rotten egg" smell of hydrogen sulphide, but the "brimstone" smell that is more often associated with black powder. Sulphur dioxide, I believe, or possibly nitrates of sulphur that leach into the aquifer in the Grand Couley Region that is to the Northeast of here, except my water test show reasonably low nitrate levels in the tank, so I tend to rule that idea out.

I am beginning to wonder if a good dose of activated charcoal would clear it up. This is where my neophyte status begins to frustrate me, I do know enough to know that getting "ham-fisted" with any water treatments is likely to be far worse for my gang than sitting back and letting things run their course (other than fairly aggressive maintenance to make sure they have the cleanest practical environment).

Thanks again, Mats

[MatsP]

Sulphur dioxide is (nearly) infinitely soluble in water, as it form Sulphurous acid. So you shouldn't be able so smell that. But you are right that the "gunpowder" smell is indeed Sulphur dioxide.

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Mats

[Timberwolf]

Now I am even more baffled. When I read your reply, the lightbulb went off in my dim little mind about the Sulphuric acid (used to make the stuff in Junior High). You're right, of course, but wouldn't you expect that to make my water more acidic than it is? It test yesterday at a pH of 7.6.

[MatsP]

Yes, under the right conditions, it will make sulphuric acid too. But sulphurous acid is a much weaker acid, and I suspect your water is fairly weak an acid.

I did a google search on "Odessa Aquifer sulphur", and it seems to indicate there is an amount of Hydrogen sulphide in the water.

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Mats

[Timberwolf]

Thanks! I'll check it out. That might explain why one of the comets in my better half's tank has been clamping his dorsal fin since we brought him home. Would some form of chemical filtration, like activated carbon help, do you think?

[MatsP]

Sorry, but there is not "easy" way to remove H2S from water - RO is the only feasible method "at home".

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Mats

[Timberwolf]

Not the answer I was looking for, but Thanks: At least I know what I have to do. It will be awkward, but at least I have a means.

When I get back from Seattle, I will go grab a couple of plastic carboys and start bringing water home from Petland. I'm still learning the rules and ettiquet of these forums; is it ok to put in a plug for Dan and the gang at PetLand? I really think they deserve it.

Thank you, Mats and also Cory_Lover. I think this one is solved.

By the way, Huey, Louey, and Dewey, the 3 Aeneas in my tank seem to be doing beautifully at last.

[MatsP]

As long as it's "these guys are great" once in a while, sure, you can promote companies. Obviously, if every post you make starts sounding like you are being paid to write it, then that's a different matter.

Of course, it's entirely possible that these fish have come from the wholesaler/importer in poor condition, and they are just showing the symptoms. If someone comes home from a holiday and then gets swine-flu, doesn't mean the water or food they had when they got home is what caused them to feel rotten, if you see what I mean. If you take fish that are stressed and in poor condition and move them to a new tank, the stress of being moved may be all that is needed to make them ill - even if they are in PERFECT water.

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Mats