Need help to identify disease?

[kailath]

Hi guys, I have a 1.5 ft tank with 4 hengel's rasbora and 4 sterbai cories. Recently I have noticed that 2 of the cories have developed a sort of "white-coating" around them, they swim and eat fine but it doesn't look natural. It doesn't look like ick at all and I haven't been able to find a picture or similar description of the disease on the net. One of them also seems to have slightly reddish gills, although he was like this at the LFS.

Meanwhile, I have just spotted a tiny amount of white fluff around one of the hengel's rasbora. I suspect it is cottonmouth.

Am running a dazs filter with advertised flowrate of 380L/h, tank temp throughout the day is 24-27. 27+ on a hot afternoon and 24 at night. Water change is 15%-20% twice every week. Take all the necessary precautions and dechlorinate water etc. Plants include java fern, nanas and flame moss, all of them are fine. No pics up , hopefully I can get some soon. Posting here in hopes that someone might have a clue on what is going on and how to treat before I lose any of the fish.

[stormhawk]

The slime coat thing could be a Costia infection, and the "cottonmouth" is probably a Saprolegnia infection. In the case of the cottonmouth, it is a sign of a bacterial infection, which led to the fungi attacking.

When buying corys, you should not purchase those with inflamed gills. That's why you could see the gills clearly turning red. As always photos will help more.

Sera Protazol should be sufficient for treating your fish. I've used it to good effect so far in minor cases.

[kailath]

Thanks stormhawk, took a look at some pictures of costia and it definitely looks like a minor form of costia infection. The white cottonmouth like substance is gone, I don't see it on my rasbora anymore, perhaps it was a piece of dust that somehow got in.

Most of the LFS should carry Sera Protazol right? Will probably head down to aquastar to grab a bottle when it is possible for me.

[stormhawk]

Good that the "cottonmouth" is gone. Note that some Corydoras are sensitive to certain types of medication, so please take time to read the text on the box before purchasing. If Aquastar stocks Sera products, it should have Protazol in stock.

It is necessary not to overdose with this medication since it is fairly strong.