# Angelfish swimming diagnoally & not eating



## JenTN (Jan 11, 2008)

Hello- I've read in books and on the net and I'm stumped as to what is wrong with my poor Angel 

I got him in July 2009 as an adult, so I'm unsure how old his is.

Tank is 55 gallon standard planted tank. NitrAte: 40 Ammonia: 0 NitrIte: 0 Ph: 7.6 Temp: was 76F I have raised it to 79F.

Tankmates-Female adult Angel (they are a mated pair) 5 Bolivian Rames, 8 Cardinal Tetras, 6 Flame Tetras, 4 Otto Catfish, 6 Panda Corys, 1 Bristlenose Pleco

Tank has been set up since July 2009, monthly waterchanges (I was doing more frequently but plants were dying)

Water conditioner is Aqualife Complete- I have used since setup

Food- Variety O.S.I flakes, NLS, algae wafers, bloodworms sparingly (frozen)

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Beginnning Saturday night, he started swimming slightly odd. Yesterday, he is swimming diagonally constantly. He also refuses to eat now. He has occasionally seemed to go to the surface for a breath. He's always chasing the female around- they are never more than a few inches away- he's staying away from hernow.

He looks perfectly healthy otherwise- no cuts/ white spots that I can see, still beautiful colors (in fact he has breeding colors), healthy looking red eyes, no clamped fins. I did a water change and upped the temp. He pretty much hangs out at the top near the filter or at the bottom near a plant. Also, he's not "flashign" or scratchign per se, but he rubs his belly often on leaves, looks like when they are spawning. The only thing I could come up with is constipation. I have been ill lately so I have not been feeding their usual NLS as much and they have gotten more flakes. Alll other fish look fine (knock on wood). Last night the female started hanging near him and chasing the other fish away.

I did think that maybe he injured an eye somehow- he just looks like he can't swim & he is most active now when I turn the tank lights off.

My usual LFS is closed, another LFS said to quarantine him and treat with clout. Is this the best thing to do or unnecessary? Any help would be greatly appreciated, I would hate to lose him. He is really beautiful, I haven't seen any as pretty as my two around here since I got them and he's as big as the palm of my hand. I really, really like this fish and the pair's behavior is wonderful together.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

I think your instincts are right- clout is not needed for the symptoms you are describing. (imho, I would avoid listening to any advice from that person.)

You've ruled out any cycling or aggression issues, and there's no sign of bacterial, fungal or parasitic disease. Constipation doesn't seem likely- he's not bloated, right?
That leave us with a few, and much less treatable, diagnoses. I suspect some otherwise healthy fish can sometimes suffer something like a stroke. We have no way of knowing, and there's nothing we can do to help, really. Perhaps someone more familiar with fish physiology can chime in here.

I suggest keeping him comfortable: increasing the water change frequency a little (try to get the nitrates below 30), keep the lights off, and stop feeding for a few days. If he's letting the female closer to him, perhaps he's feeling a bit better.


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## JenTN (Jan 11, 2008)

Thank you. No, no bloating. It is really odd. Now he pretty much just lays on his side propped against a plant  My normal LFS said not to quarantine it would probably stress him out cycling him in a new tank and all. I am wondering if it's something natural (stroke, seizure, for example). It's almost as if he's blind and crazy- he swims so odd and almost acts like he tries to find the food but can't see it- kind of like vertigo or something.

I'm not sure now with him laying on his side if it's best to see if he gets better or to euthanize him.

Staring at him last night I could see a part of his top fin that looked a little torn maybe, but it's hard to tell since he's velitalied and their fins are raggeddy anyway. But if he's sick he may be being picked on (I have rams and he is laying on the bottom).

Also the female spawned and he tried his best to fertilize the eggs but just knocked them off so she may have beat up on him some. Sigh


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

JenTN said:


> Thank you. No, no bloating. It is really odd. Now he pretty much just lays on his side propped against a plant  My normal LFS said not to quarantine it would probably stress him out cycling him in a new tank and all. I am wondering if it's something natural (stroke, seizure, for example). It's almost as if he's blind and crazy- he swims so odd and almost acts like he tries to find the food but can't see it- kind of like vertigo or something.
> 
> I'm not sure now with him laying on his side if it's best to see if he gets better or to euthanize him.
> 
> ...


:[


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

TBH, it sounds like he might have damages his swimbladder.

ideally isolate him (doesnt have to be a new tank, a divider will do) and see if he starts recovering


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## JenTN (Jan 11, 2008)

Well he is doing better- not back 100 percent but he is swimming now some. Still swimming funny and not eating. He lays down when I feed the fish and mainly when I put the lights on (try to keep 1/2 tank dark for him at all times, have to keep some light for plants). I think he's laying down to avoid being picked on. The female is chasing the other fish away from him still.

I'm going tomorrow to get a divider to seperate him from the other fish and try the peas with garlic thing. I've been treating with an herbal remedy 1x a day that I got from the LFS, hopefully that is helping.

I really hope he'll pull thru.


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## JenTN (Jan 11, 2008)

I don't have a sick picture, but here's a pic from a couple of months ago. I think he's so pretty :fish:


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

Two meds that I do like and find quite easy and safe to use are also quite cheap. Since this is a favorite and given the situation, I might try these two together. Rather a shotgun approach and not to be done with most meds but I find Melafix and Pimafix to be two that I'm learning to trust more than most meds. I have had some fish that seemed to not fit any disease profile but just did not seem "right". Using a round of these may be worth the shot. They can be used together or seperate. Remove carbon from any filters before using them seems the only big thing. A 25% water change between uses is good just as general cure as well. Try to assure yourself that new water is as close to existing temp as you can. He does not need to be chilled! 
Good luck.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

JenTN said:


> I don't have a sick picture, but here's a pic from a couple of months ago. I think he's so pretty :fish:


really hope he makes it, keep us updated :]


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