Sick Cory?

[ivnabru]

I just got a couple new Corys in my tank yesterday. One of them spends a lot of time upside down at the very top of the tank. The water quality was good (Nitrate/Nitrite both at zero, Ammonia about 2ppm), and I just did a big 25% change and he's still doing it after the change.

Is he sick? Is there anything I can do? Physically he looks the same as the others outside of his weird actions.

[ivnabru]

New behavior.

Now he's sitting on a plant at the top of the tank. No longer upside down, but he won't leave the top. I don't get it he's right under a light that has to be hotter than the rest of the water.

He doesn't look sick. Just really weird acting. But, I can't imagine he'd be doing what he's doing unless something was wrong.

[smaug]

It sounds like you are at the beginning of a cycle,is this a new tank?2ppm of ammonia is a real problem.If this tank is new please take your corys back to the store till you have cycled it properly.If its not new you are in the middle of a mini cycle and you have got some work to do.You need to start 20% water changes evry day to get that ammo down to o ,yes 0.There are some ammo removing chems on the market but I have not used them .There will be a flurry of suggestions coming to you shortly.

[nwnittany]

Seems to me that Smaug is right.

If your water measurements are 2ppm ammo, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, then it sounds like your tank is 'new' (by 'new', I don't necessarily brand new, just filled with water.....I mean that the biology inside the tank is new) and needs to be 'cycled'. In other words, you need to wait a while for the beneficial bacteria to grow so that the very toxic ammonia can get converted to nitrites (also toxic) and eventually to nitrates (not so toxic).

There is some good information here:

And, probably the place to start, is here

In my newbie opinion, I'd plan on using some ammo-lock (will make the ammonia less-toxic, but still keep it in the tank to facilitate the cycle) and doing alot of water changes if you want to keep the fish alive.

It would probably be helpful to give some more information, like:

- tank size
- type of filter
- stocking (what fish, etc)
- how long you've had fish in the tank
- history of your water quality measurements (if you happen to have kept records)
- maintenance routine (ie, how often you do water changes, etc).

Hope this helps. I've been through a pretty bad time with my tank and can tell you firsthand that if you're willing to put in the time, you can get your tank cycled and keep the fish alive. And, by the end of it, you'll be able to take the water measurements and do a water change in about the same time it takes a seasoned parent to change a diaper....lol..

[smaug]

Fantastic info nw!I have been fortunate to have never had cycling issues so I am a newby at solving them.

[ivnabru]

This tank is about 2-3 months old. I fully cycled it, but just changed the filter cartridge when I added the new fish which might pull back the bacteria... I'm not sure.

It's 10 gallon with 6 Peppered Corys, and 2 Honey Gouramis. I am currently in the process of cycling a 20 Gallon tank I bought recently but for now they're all small (less than an inch) so I don't think it's overstocked and shouldn't be in the month or so before the upgrade.

Not sure the Filter, it's just the 10G tropical kit they sell at Petsmart.

The fish that was at the top isn't right now, seems fine but goes up there sometimes and sits there. Never breathes the air. It's weird.

I had the 3 original Corys and 2 Gouramis in the tank for about a month before I added these 3 new ones.

Just tested the water and about the same as yesterday. I'll do another 25% change.

[smaug]

Its never good to get an ammo spike.Changing the filter at the same time you added the fish is the likely culprit.Keep up with the WCs and possibly get the chems that were advised by NW,good luck.Be dilligent,corys do not do well with ammo at all.

[nwnittany]

This tank is about 2-3 months old. I fully cycled it, but just changed the filter cartridge when I added the new fish which might pull back the bacteria... I'm not sure.

....

Just tested the water and about the same as yesterday. I'll do another 25% change.

Seems to me that changing the filter cartridge set your biology back and you probably need to do another cycle (I've heard it called a 'mini-cycle', since you're tank has been cycled in the past).

I still think you need to keep on top of the ammonia. It shouldn't get nearly that high, and, you should be seeing some nitrates (ie, to show that the ammonia is getting converted to nitrites and eventually to nitrates).

This is going to sound like major suckage, but I think you are going to need to be prepared to test daily (or every coupla days) and do frequent water changes. If you have any filter media from a cycled tank, that would help jump start the cycle. This may seem like overkill, but if you really want to keep the fish alive, this is what I'd do.

[Gemini]

Have you got much air in the tank? Maybe with the spike in ammonia your little guys are struggling with oxygen? Just a thought. Personally I would add a bubble wand or something if you don't have much air going in, just to help them. Sorry your struggling!!!! Water changes, and not distrubing the filter media or substrate much are your friend!

[nwnittany]

Have you got much air in the tank? Maybe with the spike in ammonia your little guys are struggling with oxygen? Just a thought.

Yup...I had the same thought....