barbels missing

hi everyone.

I have noticed something a bit strange going on with my bronze cories, they all seem to have very short barbels or none at all...

I know you are all probably laughing at me and its probably something really simple but whats going on#


my water is PH 6.5-7.0

its a bare bottom tank with some slate caves and some bog wood.

Do you think that water could be too acid for them should I up the PH.

also my TDS sits very low....and at the moment I have it on a natural rise due to breeding conditions of some hypans.

TDS 98. normally 46 and below.

regards
mark.

Barbel loss in bare tanks is usually bacterial as the bare bottom can build up a thin layer of scum very quickly (run your hand along the botton and you can feel it) even if your water conditions are otherwise spot on which yours appear to be. If you get them on sand you have a good chance they will grow back again or if thats now possible be extra vigilant at wiping the bottom and keep a close eye on them.

Cheers
Gemma

Get a bit of sand in there Mark

Jozebs said:

Get a bit of sand in there Mark

Click to expand...

That will also help with their love of foraging.
Alternately you could regularly use a squeegee on the bottom to clear the film of scum.

I kept some bandit cories in a bare bottom tank for a while and they lost their barbels so added a thin layer of sand. Unfortunately they never grew back but since using sand i've never had a problem with any of my other cories and its great to see them whiffle through the sand

Interesting stuff. I have 2 groups(robinae & Delphax)in bare bottom tanks and they have full grown barbels. I never clean the bottom of the tanks & they have been in the tanks for nearly a year.

Cheers

thegeeman

you see gee this is why im a bit confuzzled. I thought it could be due to the low ph.

now I know synodontis can have trouble with the barbels if the get damaged they could get infections and it could end up killing the fish. I have never heard of it happen with cories. im actually thinking that this could be bacterial.

I dont really want to use sand in the tank as this defeats the purpose of me having the bare **** tank (its so easy to clean while doing a water change)

I move in three weeks and will put a small amount of sand in the tanks I will let you know what happens.

actually I've just had a thought.....

right I'm off tomorrow to the place where I bought these from to have a look in the tanks. and see if the cories they have are barbel-less because Im thinking this could be bad stock/breeding

once again I will let you know what I find lol.

mine lost there barbels with sand going anorobic(sp)i have now switched to a fine gravel,and they are all growing back now

intrepidmax said:

actually I've just had a thought.....

right I'm off tomorrow to the place where I bought these from to have a look in the tanks. and see if the cories they have are barbel-less because Im thinking this could be bad stock/breeding

once again I will let you know what I find lol.

Click to expand...

And?

sorry I did go and check aswell. I had just forgot to write in this thread.

right turns out that the shop I got them from have exactly the same problem.....yeps they sell barbel-less bronze cories. but the peppers and albino they have all have barbels...

also I noticed that the platies and mollies have that mystery disease, the one where they go all limp cant swim, look skinny, then pass it on to all the rest of your live bearers and they all die.....not a white spot or trace of velvet in sight.

very strange but true....oh btw this is the same shop that sell community fish (apparently accustomised) to go in cold water tanks ....thus meaning pmsfl they have 2 tanks of guppies lol one for tropical tanks and one for cold water.....its a funny old world.

add sand anyway cos they love it and deserve it (only very thin layer - <0.5 cm) then if still worried add a bit of melafix as slight fin-rot type infection can loose barbles. they take a long while to grow back.

Im going to add sand Irene as soon as I move houses. I have some massive tanks on the way so I'm going to need alot of sand and alot of cories lol. and alot of hypans to fill them.

I really wish I could find my digital camera. I think it's been stolen out my garden. Im lost without it.

playpit sand is cheep and safe, £3 for 25kilos, i wouldnt keep corries in bb tanks as they forrage and are libel to barbel damage if the substrate is sharp or missing.

are you moving far? dont envy you -it is hard work moving with fishes to consider.