Do you see your cory catfish turning pale or white? Will it be able to restore its color or is it dying? In this article, we’ll discuss why your cory catfish is turning white.
Why Is My Cory Catfish Turning White? Your cory catfish is white or pale due to stress or illness. A newly introduced cory catfish could turn white until it adjusts to the tank. Once there is comfort, no stress or illness, the color will restore itself.
Is My Cory Catfish White Because It’s Sick?
Your cory catfish could be turning white because of stress related to being transported to a new tank. If you’ve had your cory catfish for a while and suddenly you’ve noticed it turning white, it could be getting sick.
It’s time to act quickly to help alleviate the problem in your cory catfish and your tank as a whole. The color change could be a result of a microbial or fungal infection.
Is The Water Temperature Turning My Cory Catfish White?
A sudden temperature change could be harmful to the point where your cory catfish turns pale or white. This condition could be temporary or a sign of worse symptoms to come.
Restore the temperature to a range between 72°-80°F. It’s better to stay on the lower side of that range. A heatwave or rise in humidity outside could affect your cories inside the tank.
We are concerned about heating the tank in cold temperatures, but when there’s a heatwave going on, we hope that your aquarium is located somewhere where air conditioning can support its temperature from rising above 80°F.
Do Lights Make Cory Catfish Change Color?
The lights in your tank are not strong enough to cause a color change in your cory catfish. Nevertheless, corydoras do not prefer brightly lit tanks and enjoy being active in the dark. Remember to keep the lights off for at least 8 hours each night to keep your cories from becoming stressed.
If you are able to adjust the lights, try to set it at a dimmer setting because your cory catfish will be more comfortable and you’ll avoid the stress that caused them to change color in the first place. If your cory catfish is eating and not getting thinner, you will hopefully be able to notice their color restored within a few days.
What Is Causing My Cory Catfish To Turn White?
Your cory catfish is turning white and you want to know the cause for it. The following list details some possible reasons why this is happening:
- poor acclimation to a new tank
- high temperatures
- pH is too alkaline
- fungal and bacterial infections through the substrate
- overnight spikes in ammonia, nitrite or nitrates
- protozoan
- white spot disease
- Ich
If you don’t think your cory catfish is showing any other sign of illness, then give it a couple of days to see if the color restores itself. In the meantime, perform large water changes at 30-50% daily to improve the water conditions. This should help restore pH, nitrates and eliminate ammonia and nitrites.
Diseases are a big issue. This is when your cory catfish is turning white and dying. They are not the most hardiest of fish. Pristine water is a must, but at this point it’s time to consider medication.
Which Medicine Is Good For Cory Catfish Turning White?
It’s hard to diagnose your cory catfish without seeing it. Protozoan, white spot disease, Ich and other microbial or fungal infections have products on the market to treat them.
The tank must be treated, but you can also try to soak their favorite food in this medical solution to allow it to enter their bloodstream directly and not just through the tank water.
Always check the dosage and speak to someone at the location where you purchase the medication. The following medications have worked for illnesses that cause your cory catfish to turn white:
- Nitrofurazone (API Furan, Fungus Guard)
- Kanamycin (Seachem, Kanplex)
- Minocycline (Maracyn 2)
- Broad spectrum antibiotics
- Melafix
Is My Cory Catfish Dying?
Your cory catfish will not only turn white or pale when it is dying or sick. It will display other symptoms as well such as:
- sluggish or lethargic behavior
- refusal of food
- lying motionless all day
- tilted to its side or upside down
- hiding all day
- skin irritation
- cloudy or bulging eyes
Some illnesses with kill in 24 hours. Others take a few days. Your cory catfish may have reached the point of no return. It may be more beneficial to treat the tank to make sure no other fish gets inflicted.
Water changes are your best friend. Cycling a tank with cory catfish inside is not going to work well for fish that aren’t as hardy as guppies or danios.
Conclusion
No one wants to see their cory catfish lose color or turn white when they are not naturally supposed to be that way like the albino varieties. Hopefully your cories will adjust to the conditions in their tank and their immune systems will be strong enough to allow their color to be restored.
If a disease has spread, this cory catfish may have to sacrifice itself for you to know that there is a tank issue to be addressed to prevent further deaths from occurring.
Taking care of cory catfish may not be the easiest task, but we are grateful to anyone who is willing to do what it takes to restore their health in times of stress and illness.
We hope your cory catfish recovers soon or helps you promote the healthiest tank ecosystem possible for all of your fish to thrive.
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