Angelfish won't eat

[Guest]

I have bought 4 quarter sized angelfish. 2 appear healthy and eat but the other 2 don't eat. The other two that don't eat also try to scratch themselves against the aquarium sealent and plants. They don't eat the bloodworms that I throw in like the other 2 angelfish do but I see them pecking on algae tabs that I throw in for the pleco. They have no visible parasites that I can see. And their poo is black so it can't be internal either? Anyone have an idea what it could be? If it is velvet, could it go away by treating the fish with just heat & salt?

 

[Menagerie]

I would watch them for another day or so before treating. Scratching and flashing are symptoms of ich, which can be treated with heat and salt.

You know the drill :
When did you get these fish? Were they QTed before introduction to other fish? What size tank are they in? What are the water parameters? What other fish are in the tank?

 

[Guest]

Flashing & scrathing can be symtomps of any parasite. I am just trying to figure out which & how to treat. It can't be ick since there are no visible signs. I am not sure if it is velvet, the white angel kind of looks golden on the top but I am not sure...I am wondering if salt and heat will work on velvet the same way it works on ick.

Water conditions are good. They are all currently in my "10 gallon QT tank" with a black tip shark, a female betta, a pleco & a guppy. Iam planning on transfering out some fish soon but just don't want to bring in some kind of parasite to the main tank.

 

[Menagerie]

It can't be ick since there are no visible signs.

That's not true. Ich can affect only the gills and be deadly to all fish without your knowledge.

Mongbay[/url]]
Velvet Disease (Oodinium)
S: Velvet disease is characterized by a cover of a fine gold to gray film on the fish’s body. The affected fish may gasp for air and rub against rocks. The gills may be flared.
A: When Velvet disease has been confirmed, raise the water temperature of the tank. If possible, the temperature should be brought to 88-93°F (31-34°C). Turn off the lights and treat fish with copper sulfate, Trypaflavine, methylene blue, a malachite green-formalin combination, or Quinine Hydrochloride. An alternative is to immerse the infected fish in a salt bath.

 

[Menagerie]

Is the bala shark still ill?


Since you have a plethora of fish in the QT tank and I do not believe they can all handle the same meds, try the heat first. Give the heat a chance to work before moving on to any meds. You may see a worsening of the illness at first. The heat may speed up the life cycle of whatever is infecting your fish.

 

[Guest]

You mean there would be white dots on their gills?

What bala shark?

 

[Menagerie]

What bala shark?

Sorry, whatever fish were in this thread:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=33800&start=0

You mean there would be white dots on their gills?

You would not see them.

Allivymar[/url]]
Easiest way to diagnose Ich is to look carefully at your fish. If you see little, white, slightly raised salt like spots on the fish?s fins or body, your fish has Ich. As mentioned previously, Ich can also infest the gills; sometimes it will infect ONLY the gills, making diagnosis difficult as its hard to see the parasites in there. Often, when Ich is primarily present in the gills, the only sign will be breathing problems as the fish starts having difficulty getting enough oxygen. Other signs include flashing. This is when the fish rub and scratch themselves with quick movements on objects in the tank, often showing the lighter bottom side (hence the term flashing). Sometimes the fish?s skin may look bumpy. Lethargy and appetite reduction can also be clues. Obviously diagnosing is much easier when Ich is visible on the body.

 

[Guest]

Well the angelfish doesn't seem to be having breathing problems. I just stated the condition of the shark in the "Dose for Scaleless Fish" thread.

 

[Guest]

quick question - can you use 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons with angelfish?