Life Span???

[lissa1794]

Ok...so I have an Angel fish (bout lil over a year now) who is belly up--BUT still breathing and blinking, fins moving slightly. I had him in a 55 gal. with some others (yeah I know....shouldn't have an Angel in with African Cichlids) but they were doing soooo well, all of them. They have all been co-habitating for awhile now....it doesn't appear to have a disease (but who knows really)--not visual anyways. So...could it be old age? Anyone know how long a typical life span is for such a lil guy ? thanks....

 

[semper fi]

what kind of cichlids? he could of been beat on

 

[lissa1794]

Malawi's....red tops and some blue ones (don't know scientific names)....

 

[semper fi]

i don't think it is old age. did you move him? if he was beat on, they will more than likely continue to do so. i would move him to a hospital tank with atleast some salt in it.

 

[lissa1794]

yes he's in a hospital tank....with 'stuff'. I am just surprised, he's been in there for a while, and they've all gotten along before. I just hope he'll recover......I will add salt, I do have some. Any other suggestions....I don't want to lose him!?

 

[juanveldez]

I agree with semper probably getting beat on, wouldn't surpise me if they were flanking it and ended up doing some internal damage, sorry to say that it will probably die unless it is moved, even then it isn't 100% that it will recover. then again after looking at your fish list it could be any of the fish in there

 

[lissa1794]

He's all alone in his separate tank.....crossing my fingers!

 

[semper fi]

depending on the size of the tank, you want to add one well rounded tablespoon of salt for every 5 gallons of water.

he may or may not survive, but atleast you tried. i have gotten some to survive where others did not. hard to tell how bad they are by looking at them.

 

[lissa1794]

His fins are shredded pretty bad.....no ich, eyes seem ok-but still belly up and breathing. I added the recommended amount of salt and some Melafix and stress coat. We'll just wait and see now.....I just am soooo sad to lose him!

 

[lissa1794]

In the hospital tank....do you recommend that the light be left on or off?

 

[juanveldez]

if I had to guess the culprit it would have to be the BP, not that I dislike them because its a hybird it is that I have heard too many stories of people that don't think that they have it in them to be agressive, but like I said before it could be any of the fish in that tank but for the damage you are talking about I would think it would be from a larger cichlid. oh and leave the light off for a bit so that the fish also doesn't have to deal with the stress as much from being moved to a new tank as well

 

[lissa1794]

RIP dear Angel......