Angel Fish Behaving Oddly

[DanButterworth]

Request Help

Tank size:60 liter
pH:6.5
ammonia: dont know
nitrite:dont know
kH:
gH: dont know
tank temp:24 degrees dropped from 27

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):the fish has no changes in appearance but it is just behaving erratically ie swimming in to the side of the tank, randomly starting and stopping and turning   

Volume and Frequency of water changes:1/3 of tank once a month

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:i recently added a home made decoration and used araldite epoxy resin to glue it together, added treatment today for some fin rot that the guppy is suffering from

Tank inhabitants:1xpleco 1xangel 1xkribensis 2x guppies

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):that decoration i added mentioned earlier

Exposure to chemicals:none other than the potential from the resin
 

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

Hi.
 
I have a few questions for you that would make it easier to figure out what is going on.
Do you have ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate test kits?  It would be really helpful to know those, because if those are too high then that could be the problem.  
How quickly did the temperature drop?  If it dropped too fast it could be temperature shock.  1/3 water change a month isn't really good, ideally you should be doing 25% water changes a week.  
What kind of pleco is it?  Depended on the type it could get way too big for your tank, and it could become stunted if you keep it in that size tank for too long.  It sounds like you may be a little overstocked in that size tank.
I don't know if the araldite epoxy resin is safe for the aquarium or not, someone else would have to answer that for you.
I hope your fish gets well soon! 

 

[DanButterworth]

I think it was the temperature as i plugged the heater in (don't know why or how it was unplugged). I have read about the pleco before and think its probably best to re-home him at some point but i don't know where he's only small at the moment but i dont want to cause him any harm i will start to do a more regular water change. I don't own these test kits and so do you recommend that i buy one? I have read on other discussions that epoxy resin is inert but wasn't 100%. but all is good now and he seems a lot calmer, thank you very much for your advice p.s. if the ammonia and nitrate levels are too high would planting the tank help? thanks Dan

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

The temperature could have been it.  
 
Well it really depends on what kind of pleco, you think he'll get too big?  Some plecos stay under 5", and while 60 liters might not be ideal still (plecos are messy) it would be doable if you kept up with regular water changes.  
 
I would recommend a test kit, yes.  You can get them online for $15-20.  
 
Glad he's doing better! If the nitrates were high then planting would help a little, plants use nitrates for nutrients, but if the ammonia is high you'll need to do daily water changes to keep it from getting too high, and poisoning your fish, until the nitrifying bacteria can grow in your filter.. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/224306-fish-in-cycling/ Go there and read about fish-in cycling.
 
Good luck!

 

[DanButterworth]

thank you very much for the advice

 

[TallTree01]

I think that the angel is being weird because the tank is too small and because of the dirty water.

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

You're welcome.  
 
I agree that the tank is too small for all those fish, though.  If you can you should upgrade! 

 

[DanButterworth]

yeah i'm getting another tank 90 liter, leaving the krib and guppies in the 60, might add tetras to that as well, and then move the plec and angel to the 90. thanks so much