Strange Angels - Can anyone help me??

[Firephoenix]

I have a 30 gallon tank - 2 of my fish are Angel fish and they are full grown 4". They are very fancy, and colouring like Gil from Finding Nemo. One of them has injured both fins but has seemed to recover from his injuries fairly well. He moves well and can get himself unstuck when he chooses to do so. My problem now is that he keeps going to one corner of my tank, head down and staying stationary. I have thought him dead many times. Now over the last couple of days, his partner fish sits on top of him in the same position, face down. Anyone know what's going on??? I have never owned Angel Fish and can't find anything on the net giving me a reason for this strange behaviour.

Info about the tank. Set up a year ago, never had any diseases. Contains 9 Blue and Red Columbian Tetra's (2"), 1 Sunburst Platy (2"), 1 rubberlip pleco (2") and a golden snail. We have taken out most of the plants as that is how the Angel got damaged in the first place and we've been waiting for him to heal. Has a bubble tube in the back and one large decent formation with a smaller one on either side of the tank. Any more info you need please post. I'm very confused. Thanks

 

[Morgie]

The only thing I can answer is that 4" is certainly not full grown..
Hopefully an experienced angelfish keeper will chime in soon.

 

[Firephoenix]

When I bought them, they were 2" and the in the stores profile of them it said that they were full grown at 4". I wish I could remember what kind of Angel Fish they are. It's just weird - I get them out of the corner and they go right back in. Confusing as all get out

 

[Firephoenix]

Here are 2 pics, one of them in their corner position and the other just out and about. Maybe someone will know what they are

 

[Viper]

Fins won't get that "injured" from fake plants. That looks more like tail/fin rot and could be the cause of the angels' lethargy.

 

[Firephoenix]

It's not fin rot. His fins we're really big and he has been getting himself caught in the plants shortly after I got him. There used to be pointier ones in there and when my spouse took out the plant he was still wedged in the corner, we figure he was attached to the plant when my husband took it out and we didn't realize. I thought about fin rot myself but none of the other fish have been affected including the other Angel Fish,and this has been going on for over a month. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[Viper]

It may be true that the tearing fins started out from the fake plants, but with torn fins like that, the door is left open for illnesses to creep in. If its been over a month, the fins should have healed by now.

It very well could be that the torn fins from the plants allowed fin/tail rot to take place. And with the angles having longer/flowing fins, they are more susceptible to the fin/tail rot, which could explain why none of your other fish have it or are showing signs of it.

Perform some daily water changes to see if the angles perk up.

 

[Firephoenix]

You can't see the fins in question from the pictures. I bought them looking the way they are now, as they have grown, the spaces between their fins have increased. They are a type of fancy Angels if there is such a thing. The only ones in the store I bought them from that looked like that. All the other Angels fins we're smooth. And been through water changes, filter changes, and nothing has worked. I'm not new to the world of aquariums just to Angel Fish.

 

[Viper]

OK

 

[severum mama]

You can't see the fins in question from the pictures. I bought them looking the way they are now, as they have grown, the spaces between their fins have increased. They are a type of fancy Angels if there is such a thing. The only ones in the store I bought them from that looked like that. All the other Angels fins we're smooth. And been through water changes, filter changes, and nothing has worked. I'm not new to the world of aquariums just to Angel Fish.

They're superveils, if I'm not mistaken.

My first thought would be that the plants are tearing their fins. IMO it won't be possible to recover from the tearing, if they keep tearing their fins on the same plants. I would suggest either silk plants or trying out some live ones- java fern, java moss, and some anubias will grow under pretty much any lighting and are very easy to keep.

My other thought is the Colombian tetras. I kept Colombians for several years and, believe it or not, I had to rehome the ones I had because their activity level was stressing a severum pair. It got to the point where the severums would barely get any food. A week after I rehomed them the severums spawned. I think that Colombians with angels would be very stressful for the angels and that may be why you are seeing the odd behavior from them.

Is there any way you can isolate the angels?

 

[aquabeast]

those are veil tail angels, and the stress from the plants ripping at their fins may be too much, but veils always have those problems with delicate fins.. or maybe your currents too strong for them to swim? whats your temp on the tank?

 

[Firephoenix]

Response to Mama


There is no way to separate the Angels, my other tank is also filled with colombians and is only a 10g. You bring up some valid points but can it happen suddenly?? These fish have all been together for over 6 months now, and it's only been in the last month that the Angels behaviour has been happening. The fin tears haven't reoccurred thankfully and only the one was damaged, the one with more black on him, and he seems to swim ok. The Angels are also the "kings" of the tanks, all the other fish let them eat what they want and they eat the scraps, I watch feedings closely so I can monitor how much everyone is eating. Now I tested the water and the Nitrates are a tad on the high side, so I'm going to do a water change, it's due anyways, and see what happens. If anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear them.

Thank you so much

 

[Firephoenix]

those are veil tail angels, and the stress from the plants ripping at their fins may be too much, but veils always have those problems with delicate fins.. or maybe your currents too strong for them to swim? whats your temp on the tank?

Temp is around 78/80- a little low for the Angels I know but anything higher and it would be unhealthy for the other fish. The thing is all of this is SUDDEN, they have been fine and healthy except for the tear on the one, and the tank cornering has only been happening for a few weeks a month at most and there has been no significant change to the tank.

 

[severum mama]

Response to Mama


There is no way to separate the Angels, my other tank is also filled with colombians and is only a 10g. You bring up some valid points but can it happen suddenly?? These fish have all been together for over 6 months now, and it's only been in the last month that the Angels behaviour has been happening. The fin tears haven't reoccurred thankfully and only the one was damaged, the one with more black on him, and he seems to swim ok. The Angels are also the "kings" of the tanks, all the other fish let them eat what they want and they eat the scraps, I watch feedings closely so I can monitor how much everyone is eating. Now I tested the water and the Nitrates are a tad on the high side, so I'm going to do a water change, it's due anyways, and see what happens. If anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear them.



Thank you so much

Yes, it can happen suddenly. The tetras will become more bold in time. At least, that is my experience with them. By the time I rehomed mine, they were easily 3 inches long and quite bulky for a tetra. At the very least I would suggest rehoming the ones in the 10 gallon.

If you cannot separate your angels, maybe you could try a tank divider, to at least see if it helps.

 

[Firephoenix]

Yes, it can happen suddenly. The tetras will become more bold in time. At least, that is my experience with them. By the time I rehomed mine, they were easily 3 inches long and quite bulky for a tetra. At the very least I would suggest rehoming the ones in the 10 gallon.

If you cannot separate your angels, maybe you could try a tank divider, to at least see if it helps.

Just talked to my hubby and we're going to try switching the Angels to the 10g and the 7 tetra's over to the 30 gallon and see what happens. Thanks for the suggestion. I never thought when I bought these tetra's they would be such a problem, first having fry's now this - how frustrating. I don't think I will get them again despite how beautiful they are. Thanks Mama

 

[JackSpadesSI]

Instead, could you move the tetras so that the bigger angels could stay in the bigger tank?

 

[Kat1103]

What has your ph been?

 

[Firephoenix]

Instead, could you move the tetras so that the bigger angels could stay in the bigger tank?

That would be great, but can't the total number of tetra's is 17 and that's too much for the 10g

They would be the only fish in the 10g minus a snail.

 

[Firephoenix]

What has your ph been?

Ph is normal and always has been. Like I posted earlier the Nitrates are a tad high, not overly so, going to do a water change and see what happens