Newly shipped angelfish

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

SummerR

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Mar 23, 2023
Messages
8
We had 18 angelfish shipped to us a few days ago. We only bought 10 in a pack of assorted Phillipine Blues. They sent 8 extra. So far we've only lost 1, but we have another in a quarantine tank that's not looking too good. Both of the fish in question was found laying at the bottom on their side, gasping. I've tried to Google, but can't find alot of information on what could be the issue. The first couple of days they all looked excellent, then the first one started laying on its side. We quarantined with a little extra salt in the water. It kind of got better, but ended up dying a few hours later. The next day I noticed one was acting strange. Not gasping at first, but just swimming around in circles looking up. Today I found it laying at the bottom. It's still alive right now. I don't know what to do to help it.
 
Please take a read through the unhealthy fish sticky and give as much detail as you are able.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/before-posting-about-unhealthy-fish-read-this-32451.html

It sounds like a water quality issue and not cycling the tank prior to adding a lot of fish. Is it the 45g tank? That's way too small for 18 angelfish. You should either stick with a pair, or go with 6 if you arent stocking too many other fish. 2 or 6, nothing in between.

If you arent able to test your water then take a cupful of water to test later and do a big water change. Then change half the water every day until you are able to test.
 
Im sorry, I should have put more detail. The fish are dime size babies. 5-8 weeks old. We don't plan on keeping all, when they get older we plan on keeping a few pairs and have different tanks for the pairs. We only have 16 now. I test the water often, and do partial water changes as needed. All the water parameters are perfect, and have been since recieving the fish. We also have live plants. The tank was fully cycled for a few weeks prior to adding the fish. I really don't think it's a quality issue. Not all the fish are acting sick. Just the 2 and it happened on different days.
 
As said please read through the sticky and provide as much information as you are able. Things like perfect dont mean very much, numbers are important. We have no idea what you might consider perfect. We have many times found water quality issues when the parameters are given after the member has said they are perfect.

How did you cycle the tank?
 
1~5-8 week old angelfish, 2 are laying sideways and gasping
2~nitrites 0, nitrates 10, temp 78°, pH 7.2, ammonia 0)
3~ 45 gallon, 2 weeks cycled. Added filters from other tanks to setup bacteria.
4~topfin s40 sponge filter
5~16 dime size angelfish
6~last night, 25% water change. No Gravel or substrate, vacuumed the bottom
7~had them for 3 days, acclimated by doing the drip method for 1 hour and 30 minutes
8~nothing new added to the tank other than the fish
9~no diet change, feeding brine shrimp we are hatching
 
Unfortunately, dime sized Angels are still pretty delicate to be shipped imo. My Angel hatchery wouldn't ship anything smaller than nickel body size for this reason.
The acclimation time was a little long but if only these 2 fish are affected, it's more likely the fish themselves and not something you did or are doing.

If the rest of your fish start doing this same circling while facing upwards ( one by one or all at the same time) and your water parameters are not to blame, this is a common symptom of the Angelfish virus with others being gasping for air, laying on the bottom or surface and excess mucus on the body. The most effective treatment for that I've found is dylox (https://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquatronics.html#dyacide ) , Malachite green and Formalin. ( Malachite green and formalin are in many ICK treatments. ) Fare warning tho, it's a rough treatment and young fish don't always survive it but if left untreated, the fish are not going to survive anyway. :( I lost 75 pairs of Angelfish to this virus when it first hit the states before finding an adequate treatment that saved the last 25 pairs. You also want to raise the temp to 80-82.
If the fry survive this treatment, you need to be on the watch for secondary bacterial infections. The malachite green should help keep these at bay but it's still possible to get infections that are not treatable with Malachite green.

This treatment should be done in a bare hospital tank as the meds will effect your biological filter. You follow the medicine's directions for water changes and water parameters.
Hopefully it's just these 2 fish and it stops there but be aware that the virus is a real possibility and swift action needs to be taken.

Hope this helps. (y)
 
Thank you! That was very helpful. I've tried so hard to keep the water parameters in check. Other than the temperature, which I've increased to 80, is everything else okay?
 
Thank you! That was very helpful. I've tried so hard to keep the water parameters in check. Other than the temperature, which I've increased to 80, is everything else okay?
You are going to be doing a fair amount of water changes so that should help keep your nitrates down so other than that, you just need to watch for any ammonia from any excess food that doesn't get eaten. Make sure you have sponge filter(s) in the tanks. The fry don't get sucked into any of those ( unlike HOBs, Canisters and/or inside filters. ) :whistle: ;)
 
Back
Top Bottom