Are you noticing fin rot on your cory catfish? Do you need help to stop it from getting worse? In this article we’ll figure out how to stop, cure, treat and prevent fin rot on your cory catfish.
Cory Catfish With Fin Rot? It’s not uncommon for cory catfish to develop fin rot when water conditions are not pristine. These sensitive fish could have arrived with a bacterial infection or the substrate, decorations and fin nipping tankmates could have caused it. Medicate the tank only after performing daily water changes.
Why Does My Cory Catfish Have Fin Rot?
Possible reasons for fin rot on your cory catfish include:
- poor conditions in the local fish store
- an undetected sick batch of cories at the store
- stress during transport
- fin nipping tankmates
- rough or infected substrate
- sharp decorations
- high nitrates
Sometimes cory catfish arrive from local fish stores with bacterial growth that goes unnoticed. A stressed cory catfish releases toxins that could be present in the bag water during transport. A weakened immune system is going to make your cory catfish susceptible to fin rot.
Exterior conditions such as fin rot could be caused by fin nipping tankmates. Sharp substrate or rubbing up against pointy ornaments or decorations could also be the culprit. The combination of infection and abrasion from the fin being nipped may accelerate fin rot.
An increase in nitrates and poor water conditions are usually to blame for the weakening immune system and stress that could lead to fin rot. Fin rot should be regarded as a tank problem and not only treating the affected fish. Consider heavy water changes before deciding the medicate the entire tank.
How Can I Cure Fin Rot In My Cory Catfish?
- Remove fin nipping tankmates
- Perform daily water changes at 30%
- Change the substrate
- Add vitamin liquid to their meals
- Melafix
- Natural remedies
Remove Aggressors
If there is aggression or hyperactivity around your cory catfish that is leading to some fin nipping, these guilty perpetrators must be removed. The fins will continue to be damaged if this behavior doesn’t stop.
Change the Water
Water changes at 50% a week are recommended for some conditions, but fin rot requires daily changes at 30% or more. Be careful to not remove the beneficial bacteria stored in the filter’s media. Cory catfish prefer pristine water conditions and sometimes the water changes alone are enough to restore and regrow their fins.
Substrate Replacement
The substrate could contain harmful bacteria that goes unnoticed. Sometimes we’re unable to vacuum it all. Also the sharp gravel or rocks could be causing damage to the fins and barbells of your cory catfish. Consider changing the entire substrate when you notice fin rot to prevent other fish from getting it too.
Vitamins
Vitamin enriched food is meant to boost the immune systems of cory catfish. They will produce more natural and internal defenses when their immune systems are strong enough to fight fin rot.
Selcon is one such solution in a bottle that can be added to food. You can dip live or thawed out food in this solution before offering it to your cory catfish.
Medications
Melafix is the most common medication, but there are others that will be recommended when you visit your local fish store. You can resort to medicating your tank only after the daily water changes haven’t made any difference over the past 3-5 days. Melafix or other chemical treatments must be carefully administered by following the directions and dosages on the bottle or box.
Natural Remedies
Natural remedies continue to be encouraged by some fish keepers who wish to be less invasive with chemical treatments with their tank’s ecosystem.
- Tea tree oil at 1% mixed with 99% distilled water acts as a natural antibiotic in some cases to treat infections or skin irritations.
- Indian almond leaves are said to contain medical properties when placed in the tank. Your cory catfish may enjoy gathering or resting on them. The leaves are meant to help with fin rot or other skin diseases.
Should I Use Salt In My Cory Catfish Tank?
Aquarium salt is said to help with minor bacterial infections. Some fish keepers are against it for freshwater fish. Others proport that it works in small does. Mix in one teaspoon of salt per gallon of water.
You can try this salt treatment for 3-4 days to see if there’s any improvement in the fin rot on your cory catfish. After 3-4 days, consider moving on to medicating the tank with Melafix or continue large water changes each day for the next 5 days.
Does Alkaline Water Cause Fin Rot In Cory Catfish?
Your tank could contain too much alkaline if your pH balance isn’t between 7.0-8.0. If your cory catfish are swimming around in water that contains too much alkaline, you will notice them becoming more sluggish and lethargic.
This is when bacteria thrives and seeks to harm your cory catfish. The bacteria in alkaline water will sink into the substrate and may not show up during water tests. Perform daily water changes and vacuum the substrate to restore pH levels to hopefully clear up the fin rot.
What Does Fin Rot Look Like on Cory Catfish?
Fin rot can be displayed by the following physical features on your catfish:
- discolored edges of fins
- white, red or black color changes
- pale or transparent fins
- frayed
- uneven
- loose pieces of fins
- fins missing completely
6 Stages of Fin Rot
- The fins start to become discolored.
- The fins begin to look tattered or frayed.
- They begin to tear off in small pieces.
- The entire fin could rot away.
- The infection could attack the body next.
- Your cory catfish may die.
Conclusion
Fin rot is treatable, but it’s best to look at curing the tank instead of the one cory catfish that is affected. Start with daily water changes to keep the water pristine. The substrate could be replaced and aggressive fin nippers should be removed. You cory catfish could recover with a treatment of medicine or natural remedies, but focus mostly on the water changes for the first week.
We hope your cory catfish recovers soon. Thanks for visiting HelpUsFish.com and see you next time!
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