My 2 biggest angelfish have had missing scales in the head area over the past few weeks. Yesterday, I finally QT one of them, who was hiding in a castle, hasn't eaten for 2 days (the day before she tried to eat, but just spit it back out), and had slimy, clear poo. It sounds like hex, but I have confirmed that the tank has camallanus worms, and am awaiting the levamisole I ordered. Today, my favorite fish started hiding. He did come out to eat, and I noticed a patch on his head on both sides of his dorsal fin. If anyone has seen this before: is this a secondary bacterial infection, due to the stress of the worms? Or is it something else? Is there anything I can do to help them? I'm so upset. It almost looks like someone scraped a patch of scales off each side of his head under the dorsal. 0 ammonia/nitrites. 10 nitrates. Ph-7.2. Kh-6, gh-8. Please help.
Bacteria? HTTL? Grey patch below angelfish dorsal fin
- Thread starter Kelly5978
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Someone suggested columnarus to me. I had a golden marble die (only fish I actually "lost" that I tried to save) with similar symptoms. That was over 6 months ago, in a different tank. When he died, I stopped medicating. The other fish lived. They were angels also. Can they be carriers? This long after, in a diff tank? Also, I think I remember everyone telling me it couldn't be columnarus, because its more a cold water problem. I keep my tank above 80....always. I wish someone would see my pics, say "oh...it's ******. I cured my fish with this med. I love angelfish and rams. But every time they get a little big, they either stop growing, or get sick. I bend over backwards trying to make the perfect tank for them, but I fail. Then, I watch others never even change their water....and have beautiful, big fish! Maybe it's just me. 
either way, if anyone can help....I'm listening.
either way, if anyone can help....I'm listening.Attachments
Mebbid
Aquarium Advice Addict
Columnaris tends to be more of a fuzzy fungus looking infection so I doubt that's what it is although it's a possibility.
I think you're right mebbid. It's surely bacterial. Probably secondary to the camallanus. My big black angel looked much better after using Pimafix and doing a big water change last night The QT one is still not eating, but I have her in kanaplex and metronidazole. She at least Unclamped. Weird...I noticed holes in the sides of the Bolivian rams (both of them) right beside their eyes. I keep going back to hole-in-the-head or lateral line, but, they've eaten metronidazole food from angels plus, twice a day for 6 days. I took the only one who wouldn't eat out. I understand that I have to fix the primary issue (camallanus), but they keep getting other symptoms. It's extremely frustrating! And, this morning, my gold lace angel didn't eat. I just wish I could hurry up and receive the levamisole. But, I seriously don't know what I'll do if they have further issues. I keep checking different fish disease charts, but so many symptoms are the same. So, to summarize::
ANGELFISH: started having scrapes/missing scales a week ago. One of my big black angels started hiding in the castle, stopped eating, turned more brown than black, and sat in the dark in the castle nose up, tail pointed down until I put her in QT. the other big black showed patches on both sides of his head below dorsal fin...that are no longer visible after a night in Pimafix, and a water change. The gold veil stopped eating (after 6 days of medicated food, 3 days of melafix, and 1 night of Pimafix. It's beathing heavy, hiding, and looks like its face is caving in between the eyes (malnutrition from not eating?)
Rams: the males are the ones with visible camallanus worms. They are much meaner, especially at meal time, but the DO eat. Yesterday, I did a salt/methylne blue bath on the Bolivian, because I noticed a hole beside/behind each eye, and his face/gills turned a green color. The blue ram male is very pale with stress marks, and sits on top of the bubble wall.
I did add vita-chem and aquarium salt to the tank with the water change. I pray they don't mess with my ph or gh. Anyone who has saved fish with these symptoms....please chime in. I really will be devastated to lose any of my fish! Thanks, and sorry for the long post.
ANGELFISH: started having scrapes/missing scales a week ago. One of my big black angels started hiding in the castle, stopped eating, turned more brown than black, and sat in the dark in the castle nose up, tail pointed down until I put her in QT. the other big black showed patches on both sides of his head below dorsal fin...that are no longer visible after a night in Pimafix, and a water change. The gold veil stopped eating (after 6 days of medicated food, 3 days of melafix, and 1 night of Pimafix. It's beathing heavy, hiding, and looks like its face is caving in between the eyes (malnutrition from not eating?)
Rams: the males are the ones with visible camallanus worms. They are much meaner, especially at meal time, but the DO eat. Yesterday, I did a salt/methylne blue bath on the Bolivian, because I noticed a hole beside/behind each eye, and his face/gills turned a green color. The blue ram male is very pale with stress marks, and sits on top of the bubble wall.
I did add vita-chem and aquarium salt to the tank with the water change. I pray they don't mess with my ph or gh. Anyone who has saved fish with these symptoms....please chime in. I really will be devastated to lose any of my fish! Thanks, and sorry for the long post.
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One more thing...the angelfish keep lifting their bottom fin, and using their (now I sound stupid, cause I don't know the name of the 2 long tentacle like "fins" that hang underneath the angelfish), to flick their bottom tail. Looks like their tapping upwards on a drum. The drum just happens to be the underneath of their body. I'm guessing this has to do with the camallanus worms (which don't show on the angels...yet), but I'm trying to give as much info as possible...in hopes someone can tell me what the heck is going on! When I came home, I couldn't even find the golden veil angel, I had to lift the castle (figuring he she was dead up underneath it). She is still Alive, but again wouldn't eat, and went back to hiding. I hate this!
