What happened to my angelfish?

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Devilishturtles

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Jul 9, 2003
Messages
8,543
Location
Frederick, Maryland
Hi guys.

I'm baffled. I've had my beautiful koi angelfish for about 2 and a half years now (he was small, so I'm estimating he couldn't have been more than a year old when I got him). About a month ago, he stopped eating...as far as I could tell. At feeding time, he would look at the food, and swim away. I've tried flakes, crisps, worms, frozen, freeze-dried, everything, and nothing worked. Everyone else is fine, and this fish was too big for my QT tank, so he had to stay in the main tank. So, I didn't know what to do, figured he had to be eating, he was still alive after so long. Right before my vacation (May 19th) the fish turned on his side, and has been there ever since. He just floats flat on the surface...not swimming, but slowly flapping the one fin that is submerged. His eye has turned a bit cloudy, and he is withering away.

I've tried fungal meds (figured maybe it was an internal infection that defected the swim bladder), water changes, everything, but to no avail. Even if I try and guide the fish down into the water, he floats right back up. I'm assuming now that the time has come to end his suffering (Thanks for Fluff and Jchillin for the kind words of advice)...but it's going to be hard.

Any ideas what happened? Surely, three years isn't too old for an angel fish. I would appreciate any and all responses.
 
It would seem that possibly there was an internal infection or parasite. It is difficult to tell when there are no obvious symptoms. If it was a virus, there is not much you can do. It is very hard to treat a fish that isn't eating, at best it would be a guess and you could have tried an antibiotic such as Kanamyacin or Furazolidone. This of course is all conjecture. Even a course of treatments may not have saved it. I once lost 6 pearlscales, one after the other. they showed no sympyoms other than facing into a corner and not eating. No droopy fins or other obvious symptoms. They looked fine till the day they keeled over, about a month part. Some times it is tough.
 
Oh, I'm so sorry Devilish. Two years isn't very long, but if it were me I would have guessed old age. Wish I could help you out more.
 
This is so reminiscent of something that happenened to one of BrianNY's discus. Turned out to be an intestinal blockage - the fish ate a thick piece of plant that it could neither digest nor pass. Your angel could also have an internal parasite as BillD suggested. I'm sorry to hear, but I really don't know what you could do that you haven't already done. :(
 
Thanks alot guys. I appreciate the kind words. I told Fluff that I'd probably cry when I this fish finally died, but now it looks like I'm going to cry when I put it down myself. I looked at him this morning, and he is still alive, flapping the good fin.
This is so reminiscent of something that happenened to one of BrianNY's discus. Turned out to be an intestinal blockage

One thing I did notice that I didn't mention in my first post, was that now, the fish does seem to have a lump in it's stomach. But it only really showed up after he started floating. I have very few live plants in the tank, but I guess anything is possible.

Thanks again. :(
 
I got my angels about 15 months ago. One of them has always had a swim bladder problem since I got him. It never seemed to bother him, he just swam sideways or upside down. Recently, I had to start looking for him, and would find him laying sideways at the water line laying in some floating plants. I put him in a quarantine tank, and the breeder told me to treat him with metro (metronidazole) for the swim bladder problem. He also said in this case, that it was probably fatal. I could not find the metro anywhere, but did find "General Cure" made by AP, which contains metro as an ingredient. Now he has a bloated belly but is still hanging on. I have added 2 teaspoons of aquarium salt to the 10 gal. tank and will be adding some epsom salt today to try and get the bloating down. He is not eating, so I will be soaking some food in garlic juice today to try and get him to eat. Just do what you can, and at least you did what you could to save him. I'm gonna be so heartbroken if mine doesn't make it, but at least I tried to help him. :|
 
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