Angel - Rapid Breathing, Loss Of Appetite

[MoMa]

Request Help --Angelfish approx. 1 1/2inches

Tank size: --48 US gallons
pH: --7.4
ammonia: --0.25
nitrite: --0.05
nitrate:
kH: --60 ppm
gH: --75 ppm
tank temp: --85' F

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): No physical signs. Breathing is more rapid than other angel in tank. Uninterested in food (flake, frozen bloodworms, live mosquito larvae, cichlid "mix", frozen krill) since yesterday. Mostly hanging out at bottom of tank away from heater or in high corner next to heater.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: weekly, last water change was Sunday - 25%

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: N/A

Tank inhabitants: 2 clown loaches (both 2 3/4"), 5 neon tetras (all 1 1/8"), 3 oto. cats (all 1 1/4"), one other angel (1 1/2"), possibly a few small pond snails hiding out somewhere. Moneywort & 3 unidentified plants (labelled "plants" at lfs).

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): after full cycle, 1 angel & 2 oto. cats. All three quarantined for 1 week (added yesterday). 3 fake plastic plants, washed in extremely hot water, then soaked and drained several times, then air dried before added to tank.

Exposure to chemicals: N/A

Digital photo (include if possible): N/A


As mentioned above, the Angel is breathing faster than the new addition angel, about 2 breaths to the new angel's 1. When we added the new angel the old angel was a little bit aggressive at first, then the two hung out nicely. Later last night during feeding however, the old angel was uninterested in the food. We tried a few different kinds (see above) to no avail. The fish has since been hanging out near the bottom of the tank.


I have a hospital tank set up, with filter (will remove carbon), cave, plastic plants, and heater. I'm currently waiting for the temperature to get to the same as the Angel's tank.

Any ideas? I know the information doesn't help too much, as there is no easily identifiable markings/spots/fungus/etc on the fish.


Thanks in advance,
MoMa

 

[nadajdui]

My BN Pleco is acting in the same manner. A few people have suggested bacterial infections. I was thinking maybe some sort of parasite like gill flukes. But I'm still kinda new to the hobby, so that's just a wild guess.

 

[WILDER]

How long has the tank been set up as your stats are saying uncycled as ammonia and nitrite should be 0.
This is why the fish is heavy breathing, i would do a water change and increase aeration in the tank.
How big are the clown loaches.

 

[MoMa]

How long has the tank been set up as your stats are saying uncycled as ammonia and nitrite should be 0.
This is why the fish is heavy breathing, i would do a water change and increase aeration in the tank.
How big are the clown loaches.

The tank had been fully cycled and ran w/ ammonia & nitrite at 0 since late July. Readings before the addition of 2 oto. cats & new angel were also at 0 w/ pH of 7.0.
The clown loaches are 2 3/4 inches.
There is an airstone in the main tank, however not in the hospital tank.
I may be incorrect, but I had assumed a small spike in ammonia & nitrite were normal after adding new fish, as the filter bacteria had to "catch up".
Last water change was Sunday, before adding the fish.

I've moved the Angel to a hospital tank to be on the safe side. I'll set up a "bubbler" in there for extra aeration. The angel has been in the hospital tank for about an hour now, and seems to be concentrating around the heater (the H-tank is same temperature as main tank) and breathing is still rapid.

 

[WILDER]

She breathing heavy as she can't take an uncycled tank, what in the hospital tank as i would add some salt to help her, and what are the stats on the hospital tank.

 

[MoMa]

Hospital Tank....
pH -- 7.2
Nitrite -- 0
Ammonia -- 0
kH -- 60
gH -- 75
temp. -- 85' F

tank size - 10 US Gallons
over-the-back filter, w/ carbon removed, sponge from established tank
10g heater
2 tablespoons aquarium salt
no substrate
cave, 3 small plastic plants, unused

 

[WILDER]

That fine stats are good in the hospital tank, though i wouldn't added that much salt see if she handles it ok.
Hows she doing now.

 

[MoMa]

10% water change on main tank.
New ''stats''...
pH 7.0
Nitrite - 0
Ammonia - between 0 and 0.25
temp. 83' F

I turned all the lights off in the room with the Hospital Tank. She's moving around a bit more and her breathing has slowed (though it is still faster than the other Angel). I turned the lights off on a whim.
I may have had the lights on for too long. Yesterday (when symptoms started) the lights were on from 11am until 10pm and Today from 9am until 5:15. I don't normally spend this much time in the house, so the lights are on for less. Could this have contributed?? The main tank is 48 US gallons and has a 17w lamp (which I had intended to replace with a more powerful lamp and timer system).

 

[WILDER]

She was stressed it will take her a while to carm down the salt should help.
No the liglhting shouldnt of made any difference.

Ammonia is a killer it dosnt take much to kill some fish.

It damages the gills and stop the blood flow to them.

Look under ammonia poisoning just to watch out for signs.
http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

 

[Tolak]

The lighting should have no effect once an angel has settled in to it's environment. I leave the lights on in the fishroom overnight at least once a month, though not on purpose. I leave the lights on 24/7 for fry the first few weeks, it keeps them from settling to the bottom where bacteria tend to congregate.

Time once again for the metronidazole cut & paste;

Put the angel in a quar tank, I usually use a 10 gallon. Increase the temp over a day or so to 90-94F. Treat daily with 40 mg/gallon metronidazole, with 50% water changes daily. If the fish isn't eating, don't feed for the first 3 days. After 3 days, get some frozen brine shrimp. Take a portion about the size of a few match heads, and sprinkle on some metro. You have to eyeball this one, make the shrimp look kind of like a tiny powdered donut. Once it thaws, mix it in & feed. Sometimes they still don't eat for a few days, but once they start to mouth the food & spit it out, the meds seem to get in their system real good. Continue medicating the water & food for 7-10 days.

Metronidazole is sold as flagyl, het-a-mit, and a few other names I can't recall offhand, used to treat hexamita & hole in the head. They usually suggest 20mg/gallon, this often isn't enough. Metro deteriorates in 8 hours, so you could do twice daily water changes. I've done this on the weekends when I have time.

I've also added epsom salt while using metro, this helps with any constipation issues, cleans out the digestive tract. I start with 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons of water, increasing by 1 teaspoon daily for 2 more days to bring it up to 3 teaspoons per 10 gallon. You will have to adjust how much you use when doing water changes. You may want to give this a try.

 

[MoMa]

Time once again for the metronidazole cut & paste...

I read this elsewhere and am looking for metro tomorrow.
phew! thanks for the help.
it's appreciated!!

-MoMa

 

[MoMa]

Hospital Tank running, dosed w/ Metro. Angel now has "bloodshot" eyes and is laying on its side. Doesn't look good.

Thanks to everyone who responded!!

 

[WILDER]

No she isn't good she has a very bad bacteriial infection and the blood shot eyes is septicmia i will find you some info if i can.

Septicemia blood around the eyes but it still dosn't sound good.
Take a look at the link look under septicemia.
http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

 

[MoMa]

Sadly, everything moved to quickly, and she passed.
Thanks for the help, all.


-MoMa

 

[WILDER]

Sorry bless her. R.I.P.