Sadly, cory catfish have the potential to get sick just the same as all other fish. You might be wondering just how many diseases and illnesses these fish have to deal with.
Below, you’ll get information about various cory catfish diseases and illnesses. This will allow you to have an understanding of the basic types of illnesses that you need to look out for.
Knowing about diseases ahead of time will make it easier to watch out for symptoms. You can also learn a bit about ways to prevent your fish from getting sick.
Anyone who cares about keeping their fish as healthy as possible should take the potential diseases seriously. It’ll help you to enjoy your cory catfish in your fish tank for as long as you can.
1 – Ich
Ich is one of the most common diseases that fish have to deal with. It can be a real problem since it has the potential to kill the fish.
This disease is characterized by white spots that cover the body and the gills. It’s caused by a parasite, and it generally happens when fish become stressed and are kept in dirty water.
There are medications that can kill the parasite and help your fish get back to normal. As soon as you notice white spots appearing on your fish, it’s going to be wise to start treatment.
Fish that have been infected with this disease will often become sluggish. The fish might even stop eating.
Sometimes secondary infections will become a problem. The ich might cause different parts of the fish’s body to get infected, but that can be taken care of with antibiotics.
Try to avoid ich by keeping infected fish from entering the fish tank. Quarantine new fish and aquatic plants for several weeks to be on the safe side.
2 – Fin Rot
Fin rot is a problem that many fish will encounter. It’s a type of bacterial disease that will cause the fins to look as if they’re rotting away.
If you ever notice that your cory catfish has ragged fins, then there’s a good chance that it is dealing with fin rot. You should check to see if the pH balance of the fish tank is in the right range.
Water quality issues can make it more likely for a fish to get infected. It will allow bacteria to thrive in the tank, and your fish can wind up suffering.
Treating a fish that has fin rot is as simple as giving them over-the-counter antibiotics. Follow the instructions on the antibiotics and the infection should clear up over time.
It’s better to prevent fin rot, though. Keep your fish tank clean, regularly check the pH balance of the water, and do water changes on a weekly basis.
3 – Red Blotch Disease
Red blotch disease is something that is most closely associated with cory catfish. This is a disease that causes bloody sores to appear on the skin of a fish.
Typically, these red sores will appear along the belly. The sores might be fairly clean, but they can also have dead skin on them.
You might find that the sores will look a bit like blisters. This type of infection might take a while to spread.
Sometimes fish will show symptoms for several weeks or even months before they eventually die. In some ways, this infection is similar to fin rot.
A fish can be treated if you manage to catch this disease early. If you catch it late, then the fish is likely going to die.
Treating the fish involves using antibiotics to get rid of the infection. It’s also going to be imperative to solve any water parameter issues that led to the fish getting infected in the first place.
4 – Gill Flukes
Gill flukes can be another problem for cory catfish. These fish seem to be very susceptible to gill flukes, and that’s why you should be ready to look out for them.
This is another type of parasitic disease. Gill flukes enter the skin and gills of the cory catfish.
When the fish is infected with gill flukes, it can make it incredibly difficult for it to breathe. You’ll likely notice the fish struggling to breathe when it’s dealing with this condition.
Many different things can be used to treat gill flukes. Formalin is a very popular treatment option, but some people also use aquarium salt.
If you catch things fast, you should be able to eliminate the gill flukes and nurse your cory catfish back to health. Catching things late could make it tough for the cory catfish to survive.
This is why it pays to be a proactive fish owner. Do your best to prevent gill fluke infestations in the future.
Gill flukes are known to be caused by poor water conditions. You must keep the fish tank clean and monitor the water parameters.
Overcrowding the fish tank will make cory catfish more susceptible to gill flukes, too. Try to lessen the stress of the fish to keep it strong and healthy.
5 – Popeye Disease
Popeye disease is something to watch out for. When a fish gets this disease, it’s going to look as if its eyes are bulging.
This is a disease that is caused by a bacterial infection. In some cases, fish will lose an eye because of severe complications with the disease.
Thankfully, treating the disease is fairly straightforward. You’re just going to need to give the fish antibiotics to clear the infection up.
You should be able to get what you need very easily. Standard antibiotics such as penicillin work to treat popeye.
6 – Issues with Nitrates
This isn’t exactly a disease, but cory catfish are known to have issues with nitrates. If the nitrate levels get too high in your fish tank, then the fish could wind up dying.
These fish are more susceptible to being killed by nitrate concentrations than other fish. This is why monitoring the pH balance of the water is so important.
If you don’t pay attention, then you could allow the nitrate levels to get too high. This will kill your fish very fast and you might not even get a chance to correct things before they die.
Always monitor the pH balance of the water when caring for cory catfish. Use your pH balance testing kit regularly to keep an eye on ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels.
If you need to make adjustments, then you’ll be able to do so using special chemicals. It might take a bit of effort, but it should be easy enough to protect your fish from harm.
Tips for Preventing Disease in Cory Catfish
Preventing disease in cory catfish will be easier when you take the right approach. You want to ensure that you’re doing a good job keeping the tank clean.
Water quality matters when caring for these fish. You need to keep a close eye on things to ensure that there are no issues.
You already learned that these fish are susceptible to issues with nitrate concentrations. It’s also important to keep in mind that water parameter problems can stress the fish.
When fish get stressed, they’re going to develop compromised immune systems. Fish with immune systems that aren’t as strong will be far more likely to get sick.
Try to ensure that your fish are being cared for well. Feed them properly and avoid putting them in a community fish tank with fish that can harm them.
If you make good decisions, then your cory catfish should be less likely to get sick. You’ll be able to enjoy keeping them healthy and alive in your fish tank for many years when you do things well.
How to Tell When a Cory Catfish Is Sick
You might have a hard time figuring out exactly when the cory catfish is sick. It’s really just about looking out for symptoms and paying attention.
Each type of illness mentioned above is going to have symptoms. When a fish gets ich, you’re going to see white spots all over its body.
Fish that have contracted red blotch disease will have obvious sores on their bodies that will look sort of like blisters. There are also some signs of sickness that aren’t as obvious.
For example, your fish might start acting more sluggish than usual. It’s possible that the fish might stop eating normally as well.
Some fish will lose a bit of color when they start getting sick. Essentially, you’re just looking out for things that are different.
There might be physical changes or there could be behavioral changes. If you’re paying attention to the fish, then it’ll be easier to catch problems early and give it treatment.
Final Thoughts
Learning about the various types of diseases and illnesses that cory catfish have to deal with will help you. You now know what you should be looking out for.
Try to be careful so that you can keep your fish healthy. Simply monitoring the water parameters and taking good care of the fish tank will help to prevent disease.
If your fish does happen to get sick, then try to figure out what is going on early. This will give you the best chance of treating the issue and getting the fish healthy again.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.
Sandy Rice
Sunday 18th of June 2023
We have two Cory catfish, one who is a large adult and one who is young and smaller. The small one has started to lay on its side not moving for periods of time then will swim around, eat then go back to being still. We thought it had died at one point but it got startled by a tap on the glass and began swimming again. Definitely not dead.
Any idea what is going on?