# Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/tail?



## gregalon (28 Mar 2011)

Hello I have had 2 cory sterbai's for 4 months now and one is very active, happy and has a beautiful sickle tail whilst the other one after a month had no barbles and now I left for a while (school) and when I came back (after being fed, good water etc by my parents) the tail is clamped/rotting!!!

The other tank mates are two cherry shrimp, 2 otos and a betta that isn't at all aggressive and only chases if they come too close to him (he is too slow anyways 

please what is it and what do I do?


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## m_attt (28 Mar 2011)

*Re: Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/t*

what substrate do you have? as corys like a soft fine one pref sand so they can dig around in it, normally barbels get damaged from rough substrate.


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## gregalon (28 Mar 2011)

*Re: Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/t*

hello i have aquatic plant soil substrate so that can't be it?


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## bigmatt (28 Mar 2011)

*Re: Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/t*

Sound like an unhappy fish!  If you can seperate him off into a hospital tank that might be best 
Matt


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## gregalon (28 Mar 2011)

*Re: Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/t*

How do you know he is unhappy? I have an 8 litre bowl that I could set up with a heater should I leave him in that? won't he be even more unhappy as the other one has another cory, substrate, plants bogwood and well filtered water?


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## nayr88 (28 Mar 2011)

*Re: Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/t*

Do you think it could be fighting between the pair, I've always read that they should be kept in groups of 6, you could probably do 4 atleast if you stuck for space, but then again why compamise the fish, get a fish that is happy with what you can provide, but any less and being both males or both females could maybe cause some friction?I don't know forsure, just an idea.

I've only ever owned one cory, he/she was one of my 1st fish, and lost the barbs and had bad fin rot. It was purely down to poor water quality because of my lazy self, it was a terrible sight and It changed my attitude towards keeping fish. I understand you say you water is well filtered but do you mind giving more details?

what I thought was good at 1st turned out to be pretty crappy.


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## gregalon (1 Apr 2011)

*Re: Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/t*

Hello well I spent a lot of time gazing at my tank and have never seen them fight. I have an eheim 2211 with 300 litre per hour for a 30 litre tank (x10 turnover) and I change the water every week (40 percent) and I use aquasafe. They are fed hikari sinking wafer and any flakes that the rummynoses dont snap up. The other one is super healthy but this one isn't as active. I find it strange that my rummy noses and otos (both quite delicate fish are v. healthy but only one cory isnt)?

I completely agree with you but I don't have the space (it was a stupid beginner mistake, I saw them at the shop as babies and they looked v. handsome and small so I took two  the other one is happy though 

regards, 
greg


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## bigmatt (1 Apr 2011)

*Re: Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/t*



			
				gregalon said:
			
		

> How do you know he is unhappy? I have an 8 litre bowl that I could set up with a heater should I leave him in that? won't he be even more unhappy as the other one has another cory, substrate, plants bogwood and well filtered water?


Clamped fins and rotting tail sounds unhappy to me!  By seperating him off into another tank (filled with same water and filter with mature media obviously) you can eliminate fighting as the cause, as well as ensuring he has no competition for food. Put some cover in so he doesn't get stressed either.  And if it is an infective cause your other fish won't be affected
Cheers
Matt


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## nayr88 (1 Apr 2011)

*Re: Corydoras (cory) sterbai catfish clamped/rotting mouth/t*

Your clearly keeping up tank maintenance, and have adequate filtration, diet seems good, and you have a relatively soft substrate.

I did have a look around other forums for an answer, and found that barbs get simply wear down even on a soft substrate, but then this doesn't explain the rotting fins...

Is there anyway you can set up a docter tank, use water from the main tank and a small heater or at least in a warm room, do you have floating plants? These will help filter the tank and keep the fish feeling safe. Then use some aquarium salt and or medicine. I did this for a torn up oscar and worked so well. try and do small water changes daily to keep the water good. 

Good luck mate hope his still holding on.


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