You might try this. Walmart sells garlic that has been crushed. It is in little glass jars. I buy these. There is a lot of garlic juice in the jar. I put flake or pellet foods in a cup with a tiny bit of tank water and drip garlic juice a few drops over the food and water. You should be able to smell the garlic. Then I feed this to the fish for a little while every few days. Not everyday. Garlic is also said to increase fish appetite. Just do not use too much, for everything in moderation ( A little goes a long way). If it is a parasite this should take care of it.

Sherry, you are probably waiting for an answer from Skygee, but since I specialized in corys for a very long time, I will give my thought from what you wrote.

Corys will flash for many reasons. One if the pH is too high. Another if the other water conditions arn't to their liking...to hard, to soft or what ever.

With what you discribed of your hospital tank....with the very fine gravel. Do you stir this fine gravel thoroughly? I know you vacumm the bottom and that is very good and you say this stops the flashing. However you must also stir fine gravel so ammonia and such doesn't get trapped under it and build up...Fine gravel, even a thin layer tends to pack. A bare bottom tank is best for a hospital tank. You can put in rock caves and such to make the fish more comfortable and able to hide....thats all they need.

If cleaning the gravel helps, then I suspect the gravel is the problem.

Good Luck,
Sierra

SierraAt any rate since all other earlier symptoms had cleared (from blind cave attacking) and only one or two flashed (I think mostly at feeding time) I with advice from pet store management decided he was a wild and crazy guy)(fish)

So, I put them all in established 20 long, low light with annubias and wood. Later added (oops one female betta already there) gourami. All seems fine now... if one kind of digs crazy into gravel (very small layer just for bacteria)I ignore. (well not really, but try not to worry wart)

There are strange things that occur with this nyc water. Even though I pre filter from shower head (or will be brown) and store and filter with chem remover (old pipes so on) I notice and so does pet store (a block or two away) changes. When it rains sewage backs up here into water incoming (YUCK) bacteria count high in summer (hear it on radio news) and it shows up as flex bacteria in tanks, theres and mine. so who knows.

But for these albinos (others (one) in larger tank flashed during same time) but stopped... I occasonally think I see one white spot that doesnt increase but think it is bit of sand as can't find it later. all seems fine now in both tanks so something during summer heat???

ONe main thing could have been fluvival filter (one of two) I used on storage water.... I thought with no fish could go longer (one month) before changing, but it was a bit rank one day and when I took it to clean all this white stuff?

So maybe the water I was using was nasty with something???? Maybe why other was flashing? So, maybe a combination of things, but I think in future, keeping fluvival cleaner might be helpful...

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Sandy: thanks for garlic idea... I actually used some oil after giving up on meds with rescue betta female after four months and it doesn't quit!

Was doing salt dips once day, (salt in tank)as if not it would cover her almost overnight.

Stopped with medicated food, and in water save for small amount of bettazing only now as it neared her gills. I took her out and used a garlic oil and water swab...on her side... salt dip then back..

I can hardly believe it on both sides now gone. also increased salt per Dr. Innes salt cure,(bettas can handle large doses of salt I have found, (just do slowly)...I increased this after doing commercial fish disease reserch, and went by their formulae for flex (really helps)

Only problem now is it went near gill (one area I don't spot treat, used mild water and mecurachome (the old with mecury I used as a kid worked wonders for spot treating) ANd It stopped strage growth on gourami (that caluflower growth many mentions when you reserach their diseases)

If you read this do you think garlic could be dabbed on or near gills, or maybe will feed her some garlic in food.

Actually think I answered my own question.. since flex works on muscles and goes inward this may lead to something.. someone else who post here also had success with the garlice. thanks for that suggestions.

And to both much thanks. A releif things are settling down... Best Sherry