[EvilFish]

Hi,

I have 4 corydoras sterbai. 3 doing great, but I have mouth damaged.
What it can be, there is any treatment?

My substance is Eco-Complete.

Thanks

 

[greaser84]

I would think its the substrate. They are little diggers and ruff substrate will do damaged. I have a tank with cories and use eco complete but I capped it with about 1.5 inches of sand.

 

[EvilFish]

It's not dangerous for their lives?

 

[Kitsune_Gem]

I've never had a problem with this substrate, and many others haven't either, they get mouth damage when the water quality.

 

[JessJesting]

They can get barbel damage from bad substrate but I don't know if its this one in particular. I have dwarf cories on the same for about a year and I haven't experienced any problems. So in this case it might be water. Hard to say. Have you checked your water parameters lately?


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[EvilFish]

Have you checked your water parameters lately?

Ammonia/Nitrite 0. Nitrate hard to read, something between 20-40.

 

[acitydweller]

Whats the TDS? high concentrations of organic waste may cause problems. Its the stuff that is beneath the substrate that isnt purged during all water changes.

 

[EvilFish]

So, I need to syphon my eco-complete. That's not easy in planted tank...

 

[Diana]

Keep the NO3 a lot lower.
No more than about 10ppm.

 

[thomeski]

Are this new fish? I had a same problem with petsmart sterbai cories, all barbels grew back and no more problems. My sub is play sand with eco mixed in.

 

[EvilFish]

thomeski

Are this new fish?

6 months.

Diana

Keep the NO3 a lot lower.
No more than about 10ppm.

First I need to test it with something else than API test kit (very hard to read). After I'll try to deal with nitrates.

 

[Solcielo lawrencia]

It's not the water parameters. It's the substrate. Their barbels get damaged on it since it's very sharp and rough. Change it to #30 silica sand and they'll be a lot happier.

 

[hippotangamus]

I really don't think it's the substrate. I actually have exactly the same, sterbais on eco-complete. I've got 18 cories and not one has any problems. My money would be on water quality.

 

[thomeski]

Did the problems started just recently? Since you have the fish 6 monts I would guess its the water quality.

 

[Solcielo lawrencia]

I really don't think it's the substrate. I actually have exactly the same, sterbais on eco-complete. I've got 18 cories and not one has any problems. My money would be on water quality.

Is the ecocomplete fine grain or large grain?

Also, if they aren't being fed well enough, they'll dig through the eco and injure themselves.

 

[hippotangamus]

Are there different eco-complete's? When I got mine I thought there was only one. Then again that was I think a little over 3 years ago so I could be remembering wrong.

I was a little worried when I decided to put cories in that tank but it's worked out well. They don't dig in it quite the same obviously but they still go face first into it and it doesn't seem to cause problems. And the oldest ones are the same age as the tank.

I would still look at water quality but who knows. Maybe the op's fish dig a little more vigorously than mine.