Angelfish Weak?

[KathyM]

As some of you might have read on the emergencies board, we've been having problems with our angels, culminating in one dying and the other three starting to recover.

As none of our other fish have been ill at all, I read into things online and found out that some types of angels (including kois which ours are) are more susceptible to disease.

I was wondering if anyone could confirm or refute this for me? The LFS also said silvers are more hardy, is this true? Which types are more/less hardy if this is the case?

It'd be handy to know more about this to help us weigh up any future decisions whether it be with these fish or (God forbid should these not make it) future angels.

Thanks

Kathy
xx

 

[Tolak]

Silver angels are the ones found in the wild. Due to wild fish being more genetically diverse, they are a stronger strain. Add in the ruthless culling of mother nature & you end up with a strong fish.

Starting in the 1950's, different color mutations started showing up in captive fish. To maintain these colors you have to inbreed. Koi & black angels are some of the more inbred, resulting in a weaker fish. No breeder I know of culls like nature does, where only the strongest survive.

Since line breeding involves breeding siblings together, or parents to siblings, weaker fish result if it is taken too many generations without outbreeding. If you outbreed it takes 2 or 3 generations to get back to the strain you are working with, though you end up with stronger fish. Some people are not this patient, or don't have the facilities to maintain a few strains of the same fish with a different genetic background. The best way around this is for smaller breeders to contact other breeders & swap potential breeders. I do this on a regular basis.

I've been keeping track of your angel dilemma, Wilder is more familiar with UK meds, and is really knowledgeable with fish diseases in general. If you buy any angels in the future, try to deal directly with a breeder, they will know the genetic background of the fish you are purchasing. You generally end up with a healthier fish due to them being bred locally, in the same water that you have.

 

[KathyM]

Thank you very much Tolak, that was a really interesting and helpful post.

I think if in future we end up getting more angels (like I said, let's hope it doesn't come to that) we'll go for well bred silvers. I'm pretty sure these kois were bred locally but that doesn't mean properly. There were a lot of them in the one tank and they seemed healthy when we got them, but the one angel left in the shop had the same problem as these when we went back a couple of weeks ago.

I just try to be grateful that none of the other fish have been ill at all - whatever it is seems to be limited to these angels.