Bronze Cories always at surface

[Jammie]

I have a group of 6 bronze cories, out of the group of 6 about 3 or 4 of them are constantly at the surface gasping for air, also when they try to swim down they seems to float back up. Could they have swimbladder?

Here's a pic.



And

[scapegoat]

too much co2 in the water?

[Jammie]

I thought so as well at first but i have a 200ltr an hour air pump and a filter that pumps the water up instead of out the side so there is plenty of surface agitation. My other fish seem fine as well, i have a school of glass catfish and they are fine.

[fresh.salty]

If you have CO2 I would shut it off for a bit. Also might want to be sure of the temperature and check ammonia and nitrite levels. I think with SBD you also see them swimming on their sides and upside down. From the looks of it (can't see much) it looks as though they are gasping for O.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by fresh.salty

If you have CO2 I would shut it off for a bit. Also might want to be sure of the temperature and check ammonia and nitrite levels. I think with SBD you also see them swimming on their sides and upside down. From the looks of it (can't see much) it looks as though they are gasping for O.

I dont inject CO2 so i really shouldn't have much CO2 in there, ill check the levels a.s.a.p and do a water change, also one of them was swimming on it's side for a few seconds before leveling himself out.

I'm sorry about my phone camera but it's all i have on hand. If this was due to a lack of oxygen wouldn't my other fish be gasping?

[fresh.salty]

The pictures are fine. Just difficult to diagnose an illness from swimming patterns in a still picture.

How long have you had them and are there any recent additions or changes to the tank?

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by fresh.salty

The pictures are fine. Just difficult to diagnose an illness from swimming patterns in a still picture.

How long have you had them and are there any recent additions or changes to the tank?

I got them exactly a week ago and i've always seen one or two rushing to the surface for air which i presumed was normal but never have they stayed for so long.

[fresh.salty]

Yes, shooting to the top on occasion is normal. With them all up at the surface like that I'd say they do have a problem. Only being in the tank for a week I'd say they brought something home with them. Not sure if it's SBD or not though.

[Jammie]

Originally Posted by fresh.salty

Yes, shooting to the top on occasion is normal. With them all up at the surface like that I'd say they do have a problem. Only being in the tank for a week I'd say they brought something home with them. Not sure if it's SBD or not though.

Ok it appears i've just had an ammonia spike so i'll change the water and bring that down and see if it makes a difference, all of the other cories apart from one now are swimming at the bottom, so it appears that maybe one has swimbladder while the rest were reacting to the spike in ammonia.

[fresh.salty]

Sort of good to hear. Hopefully they all recover. If your ammonia spiked I'd keep a daily watch on it and continue with water daily changes if needed.

[Jammie]

I'm wondering where the ammonia spike could of come from, maybe my substrate is to deep (2-2.5 inches) or maybe it's because it's to complicated, see i like the look of normal sand but for sand to become fertile takes a long while, so i have a peat bottom with sand going around the edge of the tank 3 inches in and then i filled the remaning area with a flourite/laterite mix capped of by gravel, it's complicated but i means it looks how i like it but i'm wondering if this could have lead to the ammonia spike.

[fresh.salty]

How old is the tank? What was the source of the peat?

[Jammie]

Sphagnum Moss Peat

I got it from someone who used it as a substrate in their tank and for breeding killifish.

[fresh.salty]

Peat should be fine. I've just heard that some my have additives that could cause problems. I have no experience with it.

How long has the tank been running?

[Jammie]

About 8 months.