Angelfish Swollen And Ripped Up Papilla

[AngelFishGirl]

Hello all...

My full grown super veil Angelfish, Poseidon, is having a bit of an emergency and I don't know what to do!
I just got him three weeks ago at my LFS... he was expensive but beautiful. This whole time he was gotten along wonderfully with all of the other tank mates without a problem! However, this last week, I've found one of my other angelfish, Koi, chasing him around the tank and picking on him. Poseidon sometimes, but rarely, chases back. 90% of the time it's Koi doing the chasing and poor Poseidon can do nothing but swim away, even though Koi is only half dollar sized, and Poseidon is larger.

Now today I just realized that his papilla is ripped to shreds and on top of it, the whole area where it protrudes from is extremely swollen. It looks extremely painful.

It wasn't there yesterday, so it happened sometime today or last night. I just realized it about ten minutes ago. His behavior hasn't changed a lot, but Koi has since seemed to stop picking on him. They were added the same time, and up until they started bickering, there has been no aggression whatsoever with my angels. They have all gotten along great.

My big concern is how to treat Poseidon. I don't know if it is truly an injury from Koi or if it is an infection. If it is an infection, how do I treat it?

I have an empty 10 gallon I could seperate him into, or a 30 gallon tank that is currently finishing its cycle. I haven't checked in 3 days but if I did a large water change and continued them daily, I'm sure it would work out fine. I'm just concerned about what to do about him. He's my prized angel and on top of it, he was very expensive, since he's a super veil. He's the prize of my tank!

Please help!

Parameters:
55 Gallon tank
Ammonia: .50 (been doing 50% water changes every other day - I just moved and tank is cycling all over again. It bounces from .25-.50)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10

Tank inhabitants:
12x Angelfish
-1 full grown (Poseidon)
-4 half dollar sized/slightly larger
-7 quarter sized
2x female mollies (are leaving soon)
10x Cory Catfish
1x Upside Down Catfish


Side Note: the angels are overstocked to get breeding pairs. Breeding pairs will be removed once they form.

[AngelFishGirl]

If you look at the papilla from these last two pictures, you can see strings of skin hanging from it. Poor thing.

[AngelFishGirl]

Just found out they are callamanus worms. Can anyone help me out on this????


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[Fishdude3233]

I'd get him meds for internal parasites ASAP. They can die from this because they will stop eating. Good news is IME this is this disease is slowing moving and you can cure it fairly easily.

EDIT: this disease is contagious so I'd gt the angel.

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[AngelFishGirl]

Does that mean all the others already have it? Should I treat the whole tank?


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[Andy Sager]

You ,may want to check out this link: Freshwater Aquarium: Callamanus worms, litre tank, flubenol
Hope this helps

[AngelFishGirl]

Just an update. I am currently in the middle of switching him to the 30 gallon quarantine tank. He is very weak. He's hardly moving.. Netting him was very simple.
Did a 60% water change prior in his 30 gallon, and now doing a 50% in the 55 to be safe.
I hope he survives the night. Going to the trusty LFS that's 40 minutes away from my house just to go get meds. I have 5 closer LFS's and none of them have anything for worms. Then again, they aren't fish-only stores. They are large chains. I am so scared and worried and frustrated that there is nothing I can do for him now! I've dechlorinated the water but that's all I can do. I don't have any stress coat anymore.


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[AngelFishGirl]

Poseidon passed away last night. I am very heartbroken.
Will be getting meds to treat the rest of the tank today.


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[fishliker]

Very sorry about your fish.


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[Andy Sager]

Sorry for your loss.
Unfortunately, you can assume the whole tank may be infested so everyone should be treated. That's a nasty worm you have and highly contagious. I strongly recommend not adding any new fish to that tank for a while and definitely QT any new arrivals before adding to your main tank.