dead cory mellini - diagnosis?

[wayne]

I had 4 cory mellini in a community tank, now I have 3. One died a little while ago. I've been away but home for 2 days and didn't see anything wrong. Symptoms - red swollen belly, enlarged,reddened vent, also very small red marks at base dorsal fin.
They've never quite schooled, three always swam together, the other just hung around by itself - this is one of the three.
Any guesses - is it contagious? I don\t want to lose the other 3, let alone anything else. I've had them approx 8 months, nothing has gone in since the angels 3 weeks ago

tank - 1m *40 cms wide, 28 c, no ammonia,nitrite, 10 ppm nitrate. pH 7.2 , gH 4, kH 1
6 emporer tetras
6 cardinal tetras
3 apisto cacatuoides , 1m,2f
4 small angels 5cms
1 bad tempered discus (12cms)
2 ancistrus
1 gold nugget


Any guesses clothahump - female with ovary problems, or bacterial

[clothahump]

As you have said it could have been Ovary related, probably egg bound and necrosis set in, if you have still got it (frozen) very carefully disect and see if any eggs are present.
Have you got any pics of it before and after?

[colesea]

Gastric parasite comes to mind, as well as egg bound, or perhaps intestinal blockage of some kind, or constipation. Without a necropsy your guess is as good s mine.
~~Colesea

[wayne]

Unfortunately I threw the body. The other 3 seem fine which is good as I like them very much. Death was very fast - all 4 semed fine one day, the next I didn't see this tank till the evening and noticed the fish on it's back, breathing heavily, and very red round the vent. Euthanasia followed as it looked painful for the fish. Not nice. Thank you for your help.