Angel fish sucked onto filter intake cage

[dmthornl]

My flame angel got sucked onto the filter cage about a month ago. I turned off the filter and he swam away fine...now a month later he did the same and don't know how long he was there. Was swimming great this morning...and now is just laying on the bottom very lethargic with his tail frayed.

Anyone have this issue with angels?


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[Sniperhank]

What are the parameters of the tank? How long has the tank been set up?
Basically, there is no reason for a healthy fish to get sucked in like you have mentioned. The tail being frayed suggests bullying.

 

[dmthornl]

8.1 ph
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
0 nitrate
1.23 salinity

2 months setup and did a water change of 15-20 percent last Friday... Do one every two weeks.

The fray I thought appeared from the filter sucking on it.


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[mr_X]

I agree with Hank. There's more to this story. What other fish are in the tank? What size tank are we talking? Was this occurrence anywhere near the water changes?

 

[dmthornl]

56 gallon column and a flame hawkfish and a ocellaris clown....the hawkfish is all over the tank but never seen him aggressive. The clown and angel swim together everywhere and never seen aggression.


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[mr_X]

How much rock is in the tank? Can I see a picture of the tank showing the filter?

 

[dmthornl]

The water change was Friday and this happened Monday. He is still hanging on as of this morning (occasionally swimming) but just sitting in a live rock cave on his side now...debating if it is safer for the tank to just get him out as I don't have a quarantine setup.


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[mr_X]

I would leave him in if he's still breathing.

 

[dmthornl]

About 50 pounds of rock

Black background so the filter is hard to see...in the far back corner.


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[dmthornl]

There is a cleaner skunk shrimp you can see his reflection as well.


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[dmthornl]

The other point of note is I am upgrading my awful sea clone skimmer to a reef octopus hob 90...I turned off the sea clone for a few days as I was tired of hearing it run. Have since set it back up...maybe lowered the oxygen levels In the tank? Was off about 2 days....reef octopus will he here Thursday.


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[mr_X]

Possibly. It looks like you have a power head pointed towards the surface though.....if there is a decent amount of turbulence, I think you should be ok with oxygen levels.

 

[dmthornl]

Just strange he gets stuck a month ago and appears fine then gets stuck again. I guess he could have been bullied and stressed so got sucked in and got hurt while being sucked by the filter for who knows how long. Still hanging in there and swimming around once in a while...not sure how long to give him like this. Ever seen a fish recover?


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[Sniperhank]

Recovery can be easy, simply making sure that the parameters in the tank are good and that there isn't bullying going on.

 

[mr_X]

IMO, a healthy fish should 1- not get sucked into a filter, and 2- be able to pull himself off.