Angel In Dire Straits! Help!

[Imperata]

Ok 55 gallon us, temp 82 all stats nominal, stocking ;7 platies, 3 are babys, 2 clown loaches, 4 angels, 1 commmon plec,size 2 inches; 1 dwarf gourami, some snails,2 mollies, 4 fathead minnows,3 guppies, one cherry raspbora and one emperor tetra. The shoalers started as larger groups but as expected have been eaten.

Filtration:1 cascade 700 cannister filter, 1 emperor 350 HOB, And one good ole workhorse aqua-tech 30-60

My yellow veiltail angel has a huge swollen wound on her side that is also kinda fuzzy and the edges look like the scales have been pulled away. The only aggression towards her has been from the gourami who has the occasional go at her. Nothing the night before, morning=huge nasty wound. I have removed her to my hospital tank and dosed with aquarium salt, melafix and tetra lifeguard. She is willing to eat, just not with gusto.
Everyone else in the tank appear fine after a psychotic desperate prayer filled 2 hour observation period by me. No one has has the slightest blemish. All bright colors, good appetite and playful begging. This tank is about 4 months old. I fishless cycled plus use tetra safestart. I do 50 to 75% water change every week.

Anybody any ideas any help with medicine suggestions or anything........

 

[Crossfire]

might be sme sortof bacterial infection....the bloated scales sounds like it has dropsy. But the fuzzy growth sounds fungal....i'd treat it with all three just to safe. Hope she gets better

 

[This Old Spouse]

Have you tested your water lately (with a liquid test kit)? It sounds like you're doing the right things. If the single dwarf gourami is a male, that might be your answer. You should have 2-3 males and a female at least. And why is the temp so high? It should be around 75-78.

Sorry, just looked it up and angels need about 80. But the rest don't. If you could keep the temp at 80 and not above, that should bring the aggression of the DG in check a bit.

 

[karin]

A picture would really help. But it sounds like and infected wound. Lots of water changes. See if you can get a medicated food. Good work on being so observing. As for who did it? Could be another angel, could be a molly, could be the gourami, could be that the angel did it to itself on a decoration or something. But you may have to sort out this stocking too. Your pleco and clown loaches will get too big for that tank. And it is true that gourami and angels usually don't go well together. Also if you have an angel pair, they will start after the other angels too.

Good luck.

 

[Tolak]

Quar tank, 50% water changes daily for a week, every other day the second week. While angels do best in warmer temperatures, dealing with a probable bacterial issue means you want it a little cooler, 76F should be fine. The medicated food might help, feed lightly at cooler temperatures.

The biggest thing is fresh water, this heals injuries & such better than anything out there. I'm guessing it was a small wound started by the gourami, since it appeared overnight the plec probably had at it during the night.

 

[Imperata]

Thanks everybody! It is a male dwarf gourami. I have one male angel and the other three are female. I have a large pond the plec is gonna go in when he outgrows my tank. She looks better this morning with only part of the wound fuzzy. She is more active and has perked up considerably. I dosed my main tank this morning with melafix just to be safe. I tend to agree with the hypothesis that it started out a small wound and then got infected. She is not bloated at all, so no dropsy.
Honestly, it looks like something held her down and had a good vicious rooting around under her skin. I wish I could post a pic but my camera is broken. Should I do a 90% water change in my hospital tank and dose my lifeguard and melafix again? BTW, my hospital tank is about 76 degrees. How long should I keep her in hospital? The lifeguard protocol is five day treatment, while the melafix is seven. With the other angels being wild type, I am starting to wonder if my little veiltail beauty is gonna ever be able to go back in the tank.

My fish are my life...I would be shredded if I lost her........

 

[Imperata]

She is much, much better! All fuzziness from wound is gone, huge reduction in swelling. Well I think Melafix and Lifeguard is gonna be my treatment duo of choice from now on!