# Cory cats: sensitive to Excel and other additives for plants?



## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

Hi there,

over the last 3 days I lost one Cory julli and now there is another that seems to be a goner... or maybe not, after spasmodic head first trashing at the surface and loss of balance, seems to have retreated to the bottom. Other than the behavior, no external signs of disease, no bloating... looks OK.

I have this 110g tank, originally 6 Cory julli (down to 4, maybe 3 soon?). Tank was set-up in February, the Corys plus dozens of tetra (cardinal, neon, serpae) and a dozen harlequim rasbora and 3 silver hatchet arrived in April. ph is close to 8.0 (tap water, high, I know, but fairly constant), just measured N02 and ammonia (zero for both). Tetras are doing fine and happily swimming at all levels of the water column. No major water changes recently to speak of (I usually change 15% to 20% once a month). Water is crystal clear, odorless, moderate algae growth controlled by glass scrubbing.

Temperature is hitting the 80-82 range by the end of the lighting cycle from a low of 78 - but this is not new and currently is only 79. Stuff I've been adding to the water: flourish excel every 2 or 3 days (3 caps vs 2 recommended) plus 2 products from brightwell aquatics: Florin-K (potassium source) and FlorinMulti (14 elements including iron and iodine). Perhaps worth noting that the crazy behavior started within 1 hour of adding the 3 additives to the water. I only add FlorinMulti once a week so we can treat this one as a "super dose" in the system. But again, not the first time and everyone else (including the other cats) look OK.

Any thoughts?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

We have cories in most of our tanks and we add excel. We have not problems with it. I don't know about the Brightwell products.

The first thing I would do is a water change. I'd change 50%. I have noticed that my daughter Betta tank which has cories has schooling cory behavior at the filter HOB outflow from time to time. Going from top to bottom over and over again. We do a water change of 50% and the behavior stops. It does not resume. I always assume, correctly or not, that frantic behavior means they are trying to swim away from a problem. There may be some chemical build up in your tank from time that is not related to nitrite or ammonia that is bothersome to them. Not sure...


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## mindnova (Jan 22, 2008)

Actually I have had the same experience with my Corie's and Black Ghost. I've tried adding small quantities after the first attempt went bad. I used flourish excel and the Black Ghost turned white, which meant the slime coat was affected. I had two cories die even with water changes.

The next time I dare I'm cutting the dose way down. Of course my plants are growing like mad so I'm not sure I need it. 
There are so many opinions on how to grow plants with and without additives. I've been lax in recording my parameters but am going to do before and afters if I get the nerve up.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi marcio,

+1 for TexGal's comments, my Cory's have not problems with Excel....even dosed at 2X the recommended daily dosage. When I have a problem in a tank I always start with water changes.

Hi mindnova,

I have read that scaleless fish, like knifefish and elephantnose (and relatives) have trouble with Excel/Glutaraldehyde.


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

I agree with the others on water changes, but if that is not the problem you might try a cooler tank. According to PlanetCatfish most Julii are really Trilineatus, and they come from a bit cooler water. It could be a combination of minor stresses adding up to too much. 
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=508
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=378


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## marcio (Jan 18, 2011)

hi everybody,

thanks for the answers. Work kept me away from the board until now. As good news, the Cory that looked like a goner is still around and the little band of 4 still shows up from the shadows due feeding time. So it is funny that the chemistry hits the Corys so hard... will be more careful going forward cause I want to keep them well... cute fellows, aren't they?


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## H2OAggie (Jan 10, 2011)

I did a 5X Excel OD and my cories survived. The only fauna lost was a single tiger barb.


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