Angel Fish In Trouble?

[andyG44]

I got a few Angel fish a couple of months ago, they seem to be fine, however one displays a weird behaviour. Firstly he would be isolated for periods of time staying on his own in very close to the back glass and behind an electrical cable (how he manages to fit there). Whereas his mates swim around normally. Then he has started pointing upwards, at any depth, first it was a small pitch up, but recently it is much more pronounced, Today he was almost vertical. When I feed the fish he eats. Is this fish dieing?

 

[Far_King]

It could be stressed.  Any idea if it's a male or a female?  Do you know the ratio of males to females?  It is a good sign that it's eating.  Does it compete with the others for food? Do you have any where you could isolate it from the others?
 
It's possible it has a swim bladder issue which can be brought on by bacteria.  Do you do regular water changes?  What are the water parameters? Just because one is showing signs at the moment and the others aren't doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a wider problem to investigate.

 

[andyG44]

Water just measured perfect. There are 3 Angels in total, and the other two, although spooked very, very easily, are OK. Unfortunately he has stopped eating. The food was floting around him earlier on and he did not make any attempts.
 
Last time I had a weird disease killing a lot of fish, it was like fungus or ick and you could see visible "fur" on the fish, this time this fish looks sickly, his fins are retracted (compared to the others) and maybe he got stressed too far (only 6 weeks in this tank) but no other external signs.

 

[WILDER]

Not sounding to good for him I'm afraid.
Does he turn up side down.
Try feeding him some cooked peas.
Drop 2 peas into boiling water. Let cool down and pop out of shell.
Mush between fingers and add to the tank.
 
White fluffy cotton wool fur on fish can be columnaris.

 

[Far_King]

Are there any other external signs at all that you can discern?

 

[Akasha72]

oh no ... not another. It sounds suspiciously like Hexamita. Have you seen any stringy white poo? Like white cotton thread? 
 
If it's stopped eating and it is Hex it's more than likely too late to save it
 
 
I'm wondering if I should do a thread about this disease. It's not well known and we've had a few fish just lately with all the symptoms and if you don't catch it early enough it's fatal

 

[WILDER]

Signs of hole in the head.
Pitting in the head region. Look like pencil pricks.
Large sores that can ulcerate into a hole.
Pimples on the head region.
Small white nodules.
White, or yellow strands coming out the the large sores.

 

[andyG44]

Hmm. An hour ago he ate. He was chasing food at the top, and at the bottom, but he looked as if he cannot maintain his straight floating position and he tilts to the sides, his fins are retracted, top and bottom. I cannot see anything on him suspicious, I have looked as best as I can. His colours appear dull.

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like swim bladder to me.
 
All you can do is isolate him and try a internal bacteria medication.
Try feeding some shelled peas.

 

[Akasha72]

andy, I've just done a write up about Hexamita as a new post. Have a read. At this stage I would be looking to treat with Epsom Salts only (usage and dose described in the thread) if it isn't Hex but is something internal (which it sounds like it is) it won't do him any harm. If this is Hex though he will need an anti-biotic medicine aswell

Sounds like swim bladder to me.
 
All you can do is isolate him and try a internal bacteria medication.
Try feeding some shelled peas.

 
I would agree it's either swim bladder or Hex ... similar symptoms to begin with

 

[WILDER]

andy, I've just done a write up about Hexamita as a new post. Have a read. At this stage I would be looking to treat with Epsom Salts only (usage and dose described in the thread) if it isn't Hex but is something internal (which it sounds like it is) it won't do him any harm. If this is Hex though he will need an anti-biotic medicine aswell

Sounds like swim bladder to me.
 
All you can do is isolate him and try a internal bacteria medication.
Try feeding some shelled peas.

 
I would agree it's either swim bladder or Hex ... similar symptoms to begin with
 
Swim bladder can be caused by internal parasites as well as other things like bacterial infection of the swim bladder, injury,
birth defect, poor diet, drieds foods, internal parasites, bad water quality.
 
Signs of internal parasites are.
long stringy white waste.
Clear waste.
Fish will look bloated, or thin like there wasting away.
Enlarged anus, red inflamed anus.
Fish will sometimes tilt to oneside when swimming.
Sunken in belly.
Secondary bacterial infections.

 

[andyG44]

On the other tank, one of the veterans black phantoms, has a red belly, and a super extended bottom jaw. He did not eat. No fish, plants or ornaments have been added to the tanks the past few weeks. Water tests OK. On the big tank the Angel has recovered but he ate very little, only once or twice he chased food while all around him the others were going at it like crazy.

 

[WILDER]

The black phantoms. Did the mouth look really bright red and swollen?
The belly did it look like bleeding beneath the skin?