I started a new thread, as the main thread seems different.

in responce to your last post (not sure why I don't get emails notices anymore either)

Skygee, regarding fusssing, I am almost afraid to look at my tanks, lol... always something... Yesterday the water even from filter head in shower came out rust brown! Ikes.

At any rate, the cories did well in general to recover their fins... One got whiter then normal white and I knew he wouldn't make it which he didn't. Another that had red spot near eye, lost his eye, but lived. I redid the tank, since (posted this on another thread) I saw bugs but not sure if ok or not. One was small wiggler (dark color and swam like snake very small) and others were little round things that flitted in water ugh. I started over, and even after saw them again. Saw wiggle worm thing when I fed frozen food (no more of that) it definately came from food as I was pouring it it. All seemed well (I reduced gravel a lot) until fish started flashing, flicking. no signs of ich but that doens't mean anything as they are white, and could be some other parasite.

Nitrates, nitrites, ammonia all zero. (I use aged water and filter from already established tank plus new water when setting/cycling)

I did have a very cold night in apt when heat at our end of building went out. Freezing, and I turned on space heater, but may have dropped temps. Heaters were in use elsewhere (hospital tanks) and now have them in place.

so not sure why albinos (and another cory in another tank flashing)... I thought all was well as I added a bit of salt and for a few days nothing. Today, one was going crazing so all are now back in hospital set up. I do this very gradually so as not to further stress.

I have no idea what to do now. treat for what?

I am also wondering if the wood I have in tank (same as all tanks red wood fully aged for decades outside in rainy Northern Ca) and not problem in other tanks (so far)... could be a place where these bugs are hard to erradicate?

On another post someone mentioned rust may be due to high phosphates, although the japanese takamisha (sp) said it can be some sort of fungus or viruses on plants (I did find information on this on land plants, looks the same?)

Should I take wood out (has very nice algae - short close and pretty) starting to grow on it though which I like. Scrub it a bit, soak in in something, get rid of ferns? I am overwhelmed I admit. Never had this sort of problem before. Thanks for any help at all. After searching for days this site is the best on the web mho. Sherry

PS... I agree problem may have started with cycling but same procedure as always (part of established water filter et al from aged tank) and discovered albino cories (weak ones at that) are not good starter fish. Dang as a kid just used rain water let it sit overnight, and hardly any fish problems... things have sure changed. (and my Dr. Innes books)

(one gourami died, after killer gourami stressed him. I will never get these fish again, after learning how the are raised in filth. One gourami and one kiler female betta alone in 20 long now, with wood and swords. I added 2 cats (larger about 2 inches) cory cats, and both dead now. He goes after anything... so those two will live together, seem matched for compatibility. I feel horrible as I had these cory cats with others in tall 20 for over one year now. Fish murderess (me)

Other gourami, and other betta and three blind cave fish, in one huge round (two feet wide or more) bowl thing I got in plastics shop on canal street that went out of business. All doing well toghether, wood and annubias plants.

Only real problem is this 'newer' later tank.

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Posted by skygee z7NY (My Page) on Fri, Oct 13, 06 at 6:51

Sherry - I work in the city and have a couple of tanks set up (have for about 5 years now). One, a 12 gallon, occasionally gets that same sort of rusty algae which gets on decorations and tank walls and fako plants. Like you said - it rubs off easily. That tank has a dwarf flame gourami, two glass cats and 4 cory cats. This comes and goes. I mean I wipe things down - since I'm at work, it's not like I can do massive cleaning - and things seem to clear up for a while. And then it starts to creep back into the tank. But the other tank - a 6 gallon with one betta in it and live plants - has never gotten this rusty algae. Go figure! I do use the same pad to clean the sides of the tanks, too. Both tanks are Eclipse tanks. I think the well established plant in the 6 gallon keeps that type of algae at bay. The bigger tank I've never been able to get plants growing well since gouramis tend to love to yank up plants and try to make nests up at the top with the leaves.

I think it didn't help that you got cories that weren't all that great stock to begin with. And - (some may disagree with me here) I think you're fussing too much! And not allowing your tank to really cycle.

Forget the tea tree stuff. I know they say it's safe for filters and such - but I've always found that it promotes algae growth whenever I've used it in my goldfish tank. Which I think then throws the whole bacteria balance off in the tank.

Sometimes with really stubborn bacterial infections you really just have to use something stronger to knock it out. Of course this means having to go through tank recycling, but you're already doing constant water changes, so it won't be anything new in your routine of late.

My guppies are mish-mash mutts! LOL I started out with some real beauties, but then you know how it goes! LOL