Whats Wrong With My Angelfish?

[SLIM]

Hi everyone

On thursday last week, i noticed that one of my angelfish was acting strange.
Hiding, clamped fins, rapid gill and mouth movment but not gasping at the surface and strange swimming pattens.
He kept drifting backwards then darting forwards over n over again.
He couldnt stay still even whilst hiding.

Unfortunately i had to go away on the friday for 5 days so i couldnt keep an eye on him.

Anyway i arrived back home yesterday to find that both my angelfish are now hiding.
Neither of them really dart about now but still have strange swimming pattens when they do come out. Like swimming back n forth against the glass which they NEVER did before.

They also now appear to be covered in some kind of white matt substance, kinda makes them look abit wrinkly. Like when you stay in the bath for too long. Theyve lost alot of colour.
Excess slim coat maybe?? It dosent look anything like a fungus what so ever
.
There fins are still clamped but they unclamp when i feed which is strange. And yes they are eating but not as much as they did.

One hides at the bottom behind plants and the other hides near the water surface with his nose facing up.

All my other fish are absolutely fine and my water is perfect 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and nitrate is 20.

Any ideas as i aint got a clue where to start??


Thanx for any help or advice

Paul

 

[Crossfire]

Your nitrate is a high. Good nitrate levels are below 20ppm. I'd do some 40-50% water changes. As for the wrinkly skin, get some antifungal treatment for your angels, or a medicine thats treats fungual, bacterial, and parasitic infections

 

[fluttermoth]

A nitrate level of 20ppm is not too high; it's fine.

The excess slime is just a symptom of general stress and ill health; it's not a sign of any particular disease. I'd be inclined to try an anti parasitc med; I know some kinds of parasites, even in very low infestations can cause excess slime coat production; or maybe theyre being stressed bu one of the other fish.

It's not common, but you do get the occasional plec that develops a taste for other fish's slime and they attach to the fish (usually slow swimming, flat bodied fish like angels) at night, so you might want to stay up after lights out and see if anything like that's happening.

 

[minnnt]

A nitrate level of 20ppm is not too high; it's fine.

The excess slime is just a symptom of general stress and ill health; it's not a sign of any particular disease. I'd be inclined to try an anti parasitc med; I know some kinds of parasites, even in very low infestations can cause excess slime coat production; or maybe theyre being stressed bu one of the other fish.

It's not common, but you do get the occasional plec that develops a taste for other fish's slime and they attach to the fish (usually slow swimming, flat bodied fish like angels) at night, so you might want to stay up after lights out and see if anything like that's happening.

+1.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Remote diagnosis of illness, especially in the absence of pictures is very dicey. However, one illness you might want to research is "Chilodonella". This can be treated much the same way as ich. Please do not just assume that your fish have this problem until you have done some research and are convinced that this is what they have.

This would be a good place to start http/www.fishdoc.co.uk/disease/chilodonella.htm

 

[SLIM]

20ppm of nitrates isnt high i agree. My nitrates drop all the time, i actually dose nitrates and try to keep it at 20ppm for my plants. High nitrates is more like 80-100ppm

Anyway thanks to everyone who replied its much appreciated

Fluttermoth, thanx for the great advice. Iv read that excess slime coat is usually down to stress, i just wasnt sure if this was indeed what they have. Iv never seen excess slime coat before. Just cant think what could be stressing them. I really dont think there are being bullied by any other fish as they normally are the "daddys" of the tank and the largest fish. Pleco sucking on them is a possibility but unlikely i recon as i watch them all the time and iv never seen this. Normally if the plecos get too close, even after lights out, the fish just swim away.
I do however have waterlifes sterazin to hand which is anti parasite so i will give that a go as its a gentle med. (Doesnt harm fish plants or filter)
Saying that tho, if it is parasites wouldnt the other fish be showing signs of illness by now? Il give the med a try all the same

Twotankamin, i would post a pic but the camera doesnt really pic up on the "excess slimecoat" so all your be looking at is a fish with clamped fins
Im goning to check out your link on Chilodonella now. Il get back to you to let you all know if this is what it is

Thanx everyone once again

 

[SLIM]

Hmmm well that link does seem to sum up all the syptoms. I still cant help to think tho, if it is parasites how comes all my other fish are uneffected? Im going to be safe tho and kinda take both twotankamin's and fluttermoths advice and treat with anti parasite (sterazin)

If anybody else feels they have anything more to add then please do so

 

[hamfist]

Sterazin is a great first line treament option for suspected external parasites. If that fails, I'd recommend flubendazole (available online as discus "wormer plus").
I'd put my life savings on the fact that your angels are suffering from some infection. Unfortunately, treating fish infections without good diagnostic facilities (which virtually none of us have available to us) is a complete guessing game most of the time. You just have to try something and see if it works. Usually if it's going to work, you will see an improvement within 4-5 days, maybe earlier.

For your problem I'd try things in this order...

Sterazin
flubendazole
praziquantel
Octozin

Obviously not overlapping the treatments together, but one at a time with a couple of days in between. If none of that has worked, I suspect your fish would be dead by then anyway.

Good luck !

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Flubendazole, Praziquantel and Metronidazole can all be used simultaneously. In fact, many importers use this combo almost automatically with certain fish.