Angels Not Eating

[ruthie77]

As in title, over the past couple of days I've noticed that my angels haven't been eating anything. I don't know what's causing it at all.

Tank is steady temp, kept in a cool place away from direct sunlight etc. Water perameters are fine, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0, ph 6.8. 20% water change done on a weekly basis. They both look healthy enough.

Any ideas as to what's causing it? I'm totally confused.

Ruth

 

[KathyM]

What kind of testing kit are you using to test your water? It's just I've never heard of a cycled tank having 0 for nitrates.

 

[Majjie]

No NO3 is unusual.

My two angelfish stopped eating dry or frozen food a few weeks ago and then one of them died suddenly from a mystery illness - possibly bacterial. The survivor is fit and well now and has returned to eating anything and everything.

None of that is any help to you - but during the "no eating" phase - both of them could always be tempted by live bloodworm. May or may not be a help.

I also upped the number of water changes.

 

[RadaR]

Is the Angelfish under stress from the other Angles? Noticed any chasing or dominance?

 

[ruthie77]

duh stupid me read the nitrates wrong, nitrates reading 5

not noticed any chasing of any sort, they seem quite happy apart from lack of appetite

 

[Tolak]

What temperature is the tank, what do you have for tankmates, any whitish feces, and is there any hiding towards the back or corners of the tank?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

First, are they pooping? If not, the odds are good something has them constipated as the most probable place to look. Treatment for this is benign for the whole tank and plants as well- dose 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons of Epsom Salt. If this gets em pooping and eating again fairly fast- a day or two- great. You can then try to figure the cause and the solution- it is usually dietary.

If they are not pooping or eating, and Epsom doesnt work, then something else is causing the problem. This can be parasites, worms or some sort of infection. Other symptoms would help indicate which of these is most likely. Are the fish bloated at all- are they at all thin- worms often come from fishes anus. How is their swimming? Also, have you introduced anything living to the tank recently?

I have never had any of my angels who are healthy fail to eat like a pig no matter what food hit the water.

Note: I got the dose wrong initially above as 1 teaspoon/gal. It has been corrected. Sorry for that error.

 

[Tolak]

1 teaspoon per gallon of epsom is pretty strong. I start with 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons, increasing by a teaspoon per 10 gallons daily for a maximum of 3 teaspoons per 10 gallons.

Many people will start off with 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons, which is around 2 teaspoons. I like to start with a little less and work my way up. Epsom salt does increase hardness, as well as pH, a sudden change with a fish that is already sick can do them in.

Like I posted previously, temp, tankmates, feces, and any hiding.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Yes Epsom will increase hardness but is should not increase pH. Here is a recipe for making rift lake tank water from [/url]http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php[/url]

The amount of Baking Soda and Epsom Salt that you will need varies from household to household and depends upon the tap water. Start by adding 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda to five gallons of dechlorinated water and see how much this raises your pH. Then adjust your dosage so as to attain a desired level (somewhere in the neighborhood of 8.2-8.6). Repeat this procedure for Epsom Salt, starting out with ½ teaspoon. Try to achieve a GH between 15 and 25 dgh. Then add 1 teaspoon of salt.

If the Epsom effected the pH that recipe would likely be toxic to fish I think.

 

[ruthie77]

thanks all for your replies, tried everything that wa suggested but to no avail, sadly jack and victor didn't make it. went back to lfs to fnd out if they could shed any light and they told me that most of the angels that were sold from that particular delivery had died in similar circumstances so they think that they had either become too stressed in transit from their suppliers or there was some sort of infection that they were not aware of.
i must admit i do trust them, i've had no problems with any other fish i have bought from them.
i am terribly sad at jack and victor passing hence why i am only posting now.
thanks again to everyone who tried to help.

ruth

 

[Majjie]

Sorry to hear about your loss ruthie, it's horrible when things like that happen. Jack and Victor