Angelfish x2 with white dots in a perfect row on fin.

[Lucy155]

I have two adult Angelfish that I have been treating for over three months for a series of white dots in a straight line on one fin and a few scattered dots in the other fin.

I moved them from my 75 gallon to a 10 gallon quarantine tank. They are eating, acting normal. I am doing 50% water changes three times a week. I have treated with Kanaflex, Metroplex, API Fungus Cure, Lavamisol, and lastly General Cure. I even treated with methamine blue. I want to put them back in the 75 gallon. Nothing is getting rid of the dots.

Can these “dots” be normal for the fins. Below is picture of one... the bigger one just wouldn’t stay still. It looks the same!

Water:
Nitrate: 20
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
PH: 7
GH: 180

75 gallon (4 Angels, 4 Turquoise Rainbows, 4 Albino Cory’s, 1 Clown Loach, 6 Nerite Snails ) filter: Cascade 1200
30 gallon (Angels, Bolivian Ram, Cory’s)
10 quarantine tank

Lucy155
(fish keeper for 35 years & still learning!)


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[Colin_T]

I can't see anything on the picture except a really unhappy angelfish with clamped fins and excess mucous, either caused by too many chemicals or a protozoan infection. But considering what you have treated, I am going with chemical poisoning.

If you can post a picture that clearly shows the dots or circle them or something it will help because I can only see white specs in the water.

 

[Lucy155]

Hi Colin.... the dots are visible in the picture. They are a “straight” line on one of the fins next to the gills. I sure hope I haven’t given them chemical poisoning. I’ll try and get better shots tomorrow.

Last summer I had to move from my home quickly and consequently my fish went through quite a change from their 25 year stable environment. At the time I had chose 10 angels, including the original pair, my Cory’s, bristle nose and a few rainbows to make the move. The remainder I re-homed. Then eight weeks after the move, my 65 gallon blew. I awoke to see my angels barely being able to swim upright, water saturating everything. That was October.

I got a new 75 gallon, but my only recourse was to hold my fish in plastic bins and buckets with filtration and heaters until the 75 gallon was cycled.

There’s no doubt I have struggled to get stability since. All of my fish except one made it. The one that didn’t, I accidentally stepped on when I missed one of the buckets. Needless to say, it was not a good day, nor has it been an easy nine months, but I love this hobby.

Yes, I also was struggling with chemistry. I was doing water changes weekly, the tank “looked” good, but my tank had high nitrates. I got it back to 20, but it I couldn’t establish a rhythm of water changes that worked. So, I decided to invest in a new filter. I replaced a penguin 350 and two Aqua Clear 70’s with a Cascade 1200. I’m happy to say my Cascade is working well! I feel like my 75 is on the road to stability.

In all this chaos, these two Angels have struggled. They were picked on by other Angels.... torn fins, etc. then these dots appeared! I thought they might be contagious. Put them in the quarantine and then back in the 75 and then back in quarantine. I was trying everything to get rid of the white linear dots. Nothing has worked. BUT they are acting normal!!! I think the fins look clamped because she was swimming forward toward the camera.

You are right. I am really need to be done with medicines. I’ll continue to do 50% water changes in quarantine twice a week.

I’ll take pics tomorrow.




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[Lucy155]

Here are some more pics. The fins are jagged from Angel tank mate aggression in 75 gallon. They were both picked on by two pairs spawning. Lookin’ much better, but still not back to normal.

. ...

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[Colin_T]

Picture 3 and 4 show angelfish from the front. Pic 3 is the black marble angel with 4 white dots on the pectoral fin on the left side of the picture. Pic 4 is the gold marble angel and shows 2 white dots on the pectoral fin on the left side of the picture. These white dots are calcium growths in the fin ray and nothing to worry about.

Picture 3 (black marble angel), the fish has a cream/ white worm shaped mark on the body between the eye and the start of the dorsal fin. Is that on the fish or is it a mark on the glass?

 

[Lucy155]

Calcium spots! Finally a diagnosis that makes sense. Thank you! I am puzzled that there isn’t anything I could find on calcium deposits on the Internet. Should have posted here months ago.

I did have parasites. With all meds, most recently used General Cure, I hope they are gone. I’ll check on a visible worm.

Now for the possible chemical poisoning caused by over medicating. Frequent Water changes? Could my Angels be permanently damaged?

It is so inspiring when someone like you and others on this site, shared their knowledge so others can learn. Appreciate it!

Lucy




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[Colin_T]

Chemicals normally collect in the liver and damage that. They can also damage other organs but if the chemicals are removed from the water and the fish fed a well balanced diet, they can repair their liver and most other organs.

The best treatment for possible chemical poisoning is big water changes. Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate each day for a week. The water changes will dilute any remaining chemicals in the water and help leach them out of the fish. Then feed the fish well on a varied diet and they should recover.

 

[Lucy155]

Thank you, Colin. I started more frequent water change regimen.


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