# Help needed: Fungus on corys



## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Hi,

I noticed a bit of white fungus growing on one of my corydoras habrosus a few days ago.
I treated the whole tank with Kanaplex and infused some food with kanaplex as well.
Today the fungus has grown a bunch and one other corys is infected.

The tank is 12G planted with betta, 2 types of corys, amanos and sunkist shrimps, and nerite snail.

Not sure about what to do next - Isolate the sick fish in hospital tank ? use another medication ?
Some ppl online seem to mention salt baths in a small container for 10-20 minutes ? Any feedback on this ?

Any helkpd-advice welcome!!!

Thanks,

Nicolas


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

I am planning on doing a good gravel clean, keep feeding them food infused with Kanaplex and will get Paraguard today as a new treatment.


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

It looks like one of my Sunkist shrimps has a fungus spot as well...

Anybody has some advice on this ? best medication to use ?


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## Matt & Larissa (Sep 1, 2011)

I suggest a quarantine tank as any meds you use will put your shrimp at risk. Fungal cures are readily available but it wont stem the cause of the infection. A test of your water parameters will help point you in the right direction. Listing them out here will help get you there even quicker. Good luck!


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Help us help you if you can tell us how many livestock in your tank, how often you do water change, what type of filtration, how often you feed? Tank temperature? pH? 

I'm only guessing but perhaps the tank's water conditions may not be ideal. Poor water quality decreases the fish health.

Sent from my mobile phone


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## Sploosh (Nov 19, 2012)

Does the "fungus" look anything like this;?















If so, it is not a fungus, it's a parasite. Micro-Leech (Vorticella). I found these in my tank some time ago. ID'd with help from site members. Recently tried using meds to get rid of them. ParaGuard at recommended dosage did not do much. I am currently treating at almost triple the recommended dosage, just now seeing some diminishing (after treating for 4 days) The shrimp are a bit stressed from the meds though.

Here are a couple links with some info about them (nothing about treating though)
The Vorticella
Nikon MicroscopyU | Pond Life Digital Video Gallery | Vorticella (Protozoan)

Hope this helps


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Hey, thanks for all the answers, and sorry if I didn't give enough info.

I do water changes every week, about 20% of the water.
My tank is probably way overstocked ... its a Fluval Edge 12G and I have 6 Otos, 6 Cories Habrosus, 6 pigmy cories, 2 Sunkist shrimps, 6 Amanos, and 1 Betta....
I have a Eheim 2211 for filtration, tank is planted and I did a rescape recently which might have caused some stress - poor water quality.

I did a gravel clean 2 weeks ago and noticed a white fuzzy spot under the substrate (fluval stratum)
I tried to suck it all out but right after one of my corys got fungus and I had to put him out 2 days later as he was dying.

Water temp is 76, PH is 6.5, 0 Amonia. I feed twice a day, but thinking of reducing to once a day and less food.


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Also, I think I was wrong for the Sunkist shrimp, it looks more like the shell is turning whitish than any sort of fungus or disease.


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

sometimes it will happen on cory. It happens more so when they are being netter and get stuck with their fins on the net and you gentlely pull them out. Normally, with clean water, it will heal rather quickly. If you have shrimp, I would not try to use medication.

Also, you can spot treat the fungus. Depends on where the fungus is at, you can net the fish, drop a drop of fungus cure on the fungus. Then release the fish back in the water. However, try not to get the drop into its gills.


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Thanks Charles for the advice,

I am thinking of spot treating with water saturated with salt maybe ? Not sure if that would work but that's just what I have right now.
I will keep the water really clean and see if there is any improvement, but it seems to grow pretty fast.
Its always on the side fins and nowhere else. I have 2 infected right now, one is on his way out and the other one seems ok for now.
Thinking of trying to spot treat the least affected one with water saturated with salt to see if it can help...


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Actually, not salt, but maybe spot treat with Kanaplex ? Thats all I have at the moment...


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

I found the ATI fungus cure works great with spot treatment.


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Ok, thanks a lot, I'll buy that on Monday! 

I scooped out the little guy and once I looked into the net no more trace of fungus ???
While the fish was jumping around in the net the fungus broke off the fin, I found it right next to the fish.
The Cory is back in the water now, I didn't put anything on his fin, it looks damaged but no more fungus on it...weird...


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## Matt & Larissa (Sep 1, 2011)

It does seem like there's a lot of fish in there. I've got a planted edge on my desk at work with shrimp, and we've had a number of different occupants in that tank. Great tanks to catch the eye and look really cool, but tough to keep clean especially with that bioload. Plus hard for the betta when the only access to the surface involve swimming into the filter current. Plus if they have a chance, they'll go after your shrimp. 

That tank with Pygmy Cories and shrimp would look great and have a ton of character. With little stress on the fish... Or You. Good luck and post pics! Planted Edge tanks are great.


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Thanks for the feedback, I'll take a pic tmr!

It's the Fluval Edge 12G. I also have an Eheim 2211 and directed the current on the side so my betta can swim around.
I also haven't filled the tank to the top so he can have more room, 
I tried filling up the tank a few times but every time the betta gets in panic mode and tries to breath out of the glass...


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Hey again,

I have lost 2 corydoras habrosus already, and a third one is on his way out.
Always the same symptoms - white fuzz on their side fins only - grows real fast.

I have tried to spot treat with the API fungus cure but it didn't do anything.
I have tried to treat with Paraguard for 3 days, it didnt do anything either (I used low doses - about 50% of recommended doses)
Lost 2 Amanos as well but I'm suspecting it might be because of Paraguard?

I am keeping the water clean - 25% water changes every 4-5 days, the substrate is super clean too.
All my water params are fine, *only weird thing is the PH at 6.0?*

I dont want to treat the whole tank with some heavy medication that could kill shrimps or betta,
so I guess I'll try salt baths or QT tank from now on.

I took a photo of the tank as well...


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

Do you use CO2? Your photo suggest very little if any surface moment.


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

In don't use CO2, and there is a little bit of surface agitation.
None of the fish seem to be gasping or looking for air, so I'm assuming they are OK on that level ?

I'm suspecting the KH to be very low - close to zero, which could explain the low PH? I will test tomorrow.
I vacuumed my substrate 3 times over the last 2 weeks, to make sure I would get anything rotting that could cause fungus.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

The same thing happen to a bunch of cory's in my dads tank. I treated them with API Melafix Antibacterial and Pimafix Antifungal. They can be used together or individually. It worked within days. All the cory's lived. Your best bet is to look at the pictures on the bottle and try to decide which one will work on your fish. I prefer to use both if I cant decide if its bacterial or a fungal infection. Im no fish doctor so it can be hard figuring out what they have. I also use the Antibacterial on my African tank on a regular basis to help with torn fins and scrapes. The stuff works awesome

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Pimafix Antifungal Fish Remedy (16oz.)
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Melafix Antibacterial Fish Remedy (16oz.)

Good luck. I hope this info isnt too late to save your fish. These products are all natural so dont worry about treating the whole tank. It wont harm your other fish or shrimp.


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## Youmakemesohappy (Mar 19, 2012)

Thanks for the info!

3 cories died, the other ones seem fine now.
Im nervous about putting these medications in my tank because of the Amanos and Sunkist shrimps.
Im making water changes every 3-4 days to keep the water really clean and they seem happier now,
hopefully it will stay like this!


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