fishay

I just added my first angelfish, a black angelfish, to my 29gallong tank 3 days ago and ever since I got it its been swimming at the top opening and closing its mouth like its gulping for air. I thought it was just stress from being transferred but he is still gulping and hes not very active (are angels just like this?), just hovers around in the corner and goes for the occasional swim along the top.

I've had my tank set up for around 2 months now. It was properly cycled and even now its showing no ammonia or nitrites. pH is at about 7. Temp is 78 degrees C. The rest of my fish are doing fine. I have 2 powerfilters running, a whisper 30 and a penguin 150 biowheel. Could oxygen be a problem even though my other fish don't show the same symptoms? Are angels particularly sensitive to oxygen concentration in the water? I'm thinking of getting an air pump and bubble wall but I don't wanna buy it if I don't need it.

Thanks,
fishay

Lucy

Hi fishay
Welcome to Fish Lore

How many and what other kinds of fish do you have in the tank?
Did you mean the tank temp is 78F not C?

I don't know about angels, but it wouldn't hurt to add an air stone.

We have a several members who keep them, I'm sure they'll be able to help you.

Good luck

Butterfly

Fishay- are there plants available for your angel to hide in if it wants too? They get stressed very easily it seems like. I keep my angels at 80F and no they don't usually act like that. Usually they are little piggies swimming around begging for food.
As Lucy asked -what else is in the tank?
Carol

Shawnie

aww poor angel..and yes they are super sensitive to new tanks...im wondering what test kit you are using and could you be getting a false reading? gasping for air is usually ammonia or hes being totally stressed by something in the tank..I hope he comes out of it!!

mattcogdell

i no my angle fish is healthy and everything i have had him for about 3-4 years and he has always been like yours. he just hides and hovers. swims every now and then. active when hungry though. i wouldnt worry to much about him. they are very sensitive to new tanks. i would suggest to raise the temp to 82F. they arent very picky at all about ph or algae or anything like that.

Shawnie

thats not normal for an angel..what are some of the angels tankmates? maybe he/she needs a playmate? either that or mine are totally nosey ...they never ever hide and always interact with humans or other fish in their tank

pepetj

Hi fishey, welcome to fishlore!

During one emergency -a pair was formed out of six juveniles Angelfish raised in the same tank and aggression over territory turned nasty, I kept for a few days four Angelfish at 76F in my chiller cooled Rainbowfish tank.

It took me a while to acclimate them, this tank has higher pH (7.7 at that moment) , harder water (15dGH, 9dKH), and lower temperature than they were used to (81F, pH 6.8, 6dGH, 4dKH). They all survived, but behaved like they were not comfortable at all there, despite this being a well planted tank with peaceful schooling fish. Not much swimming around, lots of hiding, not going after food as usually, I can say they sulk. Likely a hostile set up for them.

I was finishing a fishless cycle in another tank at the time. That tank has soft-acidic water (pH 6.8, 5dGH, 2.5dKH) and higher temp -steady at 82.4F with a heater (I only have heaters in two tanks since I live in the Caribbean: The hospital tank and that one). When I moved them there, it was like... we're home again!

Pepe
Santo Domingo

fishay

hey guys thanks for all the replies!

I used a master test kit to get my readings and yes I meant degrees farenheit lol. The corners of the tank have a bunch of artificial plants where the angelfish does like to hide. I just added a bubble wall too, goes along the entire back of the tank so if oxygen is the issue I think that should solve it.

Other fish in the tank are a betta, red tail black shark, 6x cardinal tetras, honey gourami, 2x leopard corey. The betta is really good because he only picks on the red tail, nobody else. He doesn't even chase after the cardinals which nip at his fins. In fact I think he keeps the red tail in check because the red tail patrols the tank every now and then, never chasing any fish before hiding in his cave.

Should I try upping the temperature to 80-82 deg F like some of you have in your tanks?

Shawnie

that betta needs his own small tank..3-5 gals is best...they dont play well with others and between him and the shark, and eventually the angels fins, someone will end up hurt...what size tank is it? if you parims are good, your angel is probably scared of the territorial fish in the tank....and yes id up the temps to 80f and I bet the bubble wand looks good! I love them! do you have any pics of your tank?

Lucy

This really isn't a good situation for your betta or your redtail.
It sounds like you have quite a stressful tank. Stress reduces a fish's immune system making them more susceptable to disease.
I don't know about angels, but this could very well be why he isn't acting normally.

I agree with Shawnie, the betta should have a heated filtered tank by himself. You'd be surprised how reducing stress can change the dynamics of your tank.

Good luck.

fishay

bad news...I lost the angelfish . Upon closer examination I noticed that his fins were withering away, maybe a parasite? They were turning white and slow disappearing. I had transferred it to a 10gallon quarantine and saw no change in behavior for a few hours and then when I went to check on it again the poor guy was stuck to the filter intake. By the time I got him free he was already gone

No pictures of my tank yet but I will post some in the intro section soon. About the betta, I've heard that many people keep them in community tanks. I added the betta after having established cardinals, gourami and corys and I saw no difference in their behavior after introducing the betta. But I may try putting the betta in the quarantine for a few days to check again, see if it makes a difference.

Shawnie

im sorry for your loss...it really is awful to loose our fish babies...

I dont think it was a parasite....what are your tank readings? I still think its ammonia and I hope things work out better...if he died in the night, the others probably ate off him and caused the fins to be nipped....the white is something that happens when fish pass away..you said he had no signs prior so again I dont think its a parasite

the fish in your tank could be adjusted to the water parims but that can change overnight....

each betta is different but for the most part, they are not community fish and it can change overnight....goodluck!

Lucy

I'm really sorry you lost your angel, they're such beautiful fish.

fishay

Yeah the fact that it was an angelfish makes it especially hard...it was my first one too. I noticed the withering fins a little before it died, thats the reason why I quarantined it. It was hard to tell because he was black and silver. I thought it was just his normal coloring but when I finally got a good look at him out in the open it looked more like withering fins.