Angelfish behaving strangely

HI there, any help here will really be appreciated...

My Angel Blakie is behaving in a very strange manner. Its like he's trying to "shake" something off himself, I've checked for any signs of disease or injury but can't find any. What could the matter be? He's eating fine , rushes for the food as usual and none of the other angels are behaving the same. The only trouble I had with the angels (or any of the fish) recently was a week ago. Firehead ,my biggest angel, had a bit of 'slime' on him. I treated him with salt in a separate tank for 3 days and put him back in the main tank yesterday as the slime was gone.
heres a video I took, not so clear but you can see the angel in the middle 'shaking now and then...
Thanks for any ideas

 

my only guess is an internal parasite...or maybe it has back spasms and needs a good massage

 

Try a water change, a rise in Nitrates will cause them to do this. Besides a water change is never a bad idea when there's a problem in the tank have water test readings ? ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?
Carol

 

Thanks for answering!
My water readings are in my "info page" link in my signiture. And I did a water change on monday, I'll do another tomro though. Could really be parastes??

 

The water readings on your info page is from the 4th, they could be drastically different now. I would recommend testing at least once a week. Parasites are a possibility but I would take care of teh easy stuff before I worry about them.
carol

 

he might have external parasites/worms or flukes maybe.. if you look closely at him, do you see any white strands/strings? especially around the gills? i'd get new readings too on the water parameters.

 

Ok, I done the water change this morning I'll test the nitrates and ph later today. Just to clearify, I "edit" or "modify" my post on the 'info page' and keep the infomation up to date. I had the ammonia and nitrite tested last wednesday. I'l try and get it tested again.

I tried to see for any strandish stuff by the gills of my angel but unless its very small I don't see it. I've noticed that he doesn't want to "let down" the... ventral fins... ,I think its called. He keeps it ,sort of, next to his body. Anyway i'm going to try and see if I can get pix of parasites/flukes or anything that it could be. And I'll check again for the 'white strands' flbcouple mentioned.

What i'm worried about is, isn't it likely to affect the other fish? Would you think it better maybe if I keep him separatly? I'm very afraid it might get the whole tank and that would be disastrous!

 

yea, sounds like he has his fins clamped, which is a sign of sickness or distress so a hospital tank might be good for him. If you have prime, treat the water with it to help.. a parasite clear tablet might be good to add.

 

Alright. I did the tests. Nitrate is 10 and ph is 7.5.
I took out all 4 angles from the tank. Blakie stopped 'shaking' himself but decided to stay in one place.
The other 2 angels also started to stay in one place. They just didnt want to swim and 'didnt look right'.
2 went into a cave and the other 1 in a corner. I got very worried and last night I had Blakie shifted to a 8gal.
All the angles seemed the same this morning, so I took the other 3 over to the 8gal too.
:'(However on top of everything the 8gal cracked somehow, so now the are in a 2/3gal tub along with the tanks filter and airstone. :'( :'(
Anyway my dad supposed to get the parasite medI this morning and he forgot. So now I'll have to wait till monday!
I'm really whaked! Everything is just happening!
So does it look like it is parasites?
Oh I really hope they all survive! The poor things are my favourites!!!
Thanks for your help!

 

I hope they will too.. it seems pretty certain that it's a parasite problem, but it's always possible i'm wrong. Just try to keep them in a warm area if you can.

 

Yes, i'm keeping the water warm, the heater's in there as well.

I've been having trouble with the internet, so I haven't been able to keep in touch, i'm afraid...

Saturday night I found something for internal bactereia that I had forgotten I had. I couldnt stand there doing nothing while they looked so bad, so I took a chance and treated them with it. Also saturday none of the 3 sick-ish angels ate. Sunday There was a time I thought Blakie will pull through but i'm very sad to say he died sunday night. However the other 2 angles looked much better by then. Instead of staying in one place they swimmed around a bit and last night (sunday) they ate!!!
I'm hoping that's a good sign, Do you think it is? Anyway they ate again this morning. Bu-uut, have ever heard of one angel nipping another? The one angel that didnt get sick (though I put him in with the rest because I was afraid he'l probably end up like them, I think i'm getting paranoind!! : ??? ) is nipping the others! I took him out and i'm keeping him separate for today. Do you think its safe to put him back into the main tank? And do I still treat them for parasites?
Thanks!

 

:'( we're sorry to hear that Blake didn't make it. Angels can sometimes be aggressive with other fish or each other. Giving the troublemaker a timeout is a good thing to try and you can see if it's adjusted his attitude by putting him back in - just rearrange the decor some to help lower his territorialness.

As far as treating them for parasites, I couldn't say. That's really a judgement call to make by observing them.

 

Oh nooooo. Sorry about your angel, Sabi.

 

Nice to hear from you again armadillo!
Yip its sad. :'( My poor boy!

I have returned the 2 angles (Firehead and Survivor) back to the main tank. I'll put The last chap in today as he's swimming around and eating. The thing that's now worrying me is poor fireheads fins are nipped badly. The last thing I expected was for one angel to turn on the other! He was the biggest and most beautiful from them all, and now the poor things fins are chopped short! And I don't want to treat him as i'm afraid it migt do more bad than good! If they had/ stiil have parasites would they be eating etc or would they be lethargic? How do I know, more or less, if whatever it was has cleared up for sure?
Thanks flbcouple for your help!
Really I think this forum would be v. quiet if it werent fr you!

 

Do you have VitaChem? we get it at the DFS website and it's very helpful in fin regrowth when used daily. Angels unfortunately can be aggressive, even with other angels if they buddy up. It's not unheard of for a pair to kill every other fish in a tank. Hopefully they're over that and Firehead can have time to regrow his fins. A product like might help in disease preventative. that and the vitachem would be good and aren't meds but safe for adding to the tank.

oops.. copy & paste goof.. the right link is in now.

 

I've looked and looked for the medis you showed previously and now, but I can't find things like that at my lfs's. Maybe because I live in a small city. And my dad says to buy online, the postage will cost more than the product. But I won't give up checking, maybe I'll strike lucky one day.
Just one thing, the link you gave above brings me to a 'post' window....

 

lol...post the wrong link

 

lol.. yea, I fixed that link error I made. the DFS site is pretty good on shipping and a lot of times 1/2 the price of the store, so when you order a few things (you can order up to $60 for $9.99 shipping), the shipping works out to not be too bad.

 

Just wanted to say hows my 3 angels (Fire-Head, Blotch and Survivor) going.
Good!
Fire-head is well on the mend for his nipped fins and back to normal. The other angel (Blotch) that was lethargic due to this mysterious thing has also come right! I'd treated all the angels with something for internal bacteria.

I thought i'd mention this as its a bit odd...

Just before all this started I had bought 'Tetra Prima granules' as I had been told that it was good for the biggish fish and catfish. I fed them a bit of this and i'm not too sure but pretty soon after, this funny behavior started.
When I said that I put Fire-Head back into the main tank he looked and acted fine but for the nipped fins. A day after that I fed the tetra prima granules again and the next day he too was shaking like Blakie. I took him out and quarantined him for 3 days alone and then released him back into the main tank ,HE WAS BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN! Survivor is the only angel that didnt get this thing yet he grabs all the granules he can get! Now i'm not sure if I must try the granules on them again. Could it be that they are overeating the granules, that's making them get this?....

 

I have the two angelfish. they have always got along with each other and the other fish in the tank. the last couple days their behaviour has changed. they have started chasing other fish in the tank. ive seen them actually catch and nip a couple. they are nipping each other a bit and ripping at my plants. they have uprooted more lately then my yoyo loaches!!
anyone know what's going on?

 

could be a mating pair grown up and its behavoir prior to spawning...how old are they? they will lip lock eachother, chase eachother , clean off a big leaf or area over and over prior to spawning...

 

ive had them for about 6 months. haven't seen a lip lock. they have been picking over a large java fern leaf and attacking my pennywort. also one chasin the other and niping his tail a bit

how do I tell the sexes?

 

post pics and maybe we can help what are their body sizes? compared to a quarter to a bottom of a soda can etc....females usually have a slimer pointy face to their mouth area and the males have a more rounded face and some have a bump on their forhead (well a fish forhead LOL)

 

I'm uploading some pictures now. I would say Rex's body is about 1.25 inches and Twinkles is closer to 1.75 inches.

here is Rex, you can see where his tail is chewed



and Twinkles

 

so still too small to spawn...hmmm are you sure its the other angel nipping the fins and not the tetras? they actually look both males but I'm not 100% sure....if the angels are doing the tail damage , you probably will have to separate them...but tetras can be nippy fish so make sure before hand

 

Ya, it does sound like mating behavior.. but the other possibilities Shawnie brought up seem more likely given their current sizes.

 

its not the tetras, I'm almost 100% sure of that. ive seen twinkles go after rex. ive also seen the loaches go after the angelfish....which I find odd

 

Then they may need to be separated asap. That would also give you the chance to help speed up the healing of the fin damage with vita-chem, garlic guard and fish protector.

If they can't be separated right now, would a bunch of tall plants be an option?

 

. I have nowhere to separate them to! I did discuss with my husband last night that we may need to rehome them if htis continues.

there are tons of tall plants in there.

whats the scoop with vita-chem and garlic guard? ive never used either

 

Vita-chem is a really great liquid multi-vitamin for fish and is good not only for recovering from illness or injury but as a regular addition to the water for better health.

Garlic Guard works as an appetite stimulant and to help fight infection. I like to add it once a week, as I do the Vita-chem.

Fish Protector is a professional level water conditioner that works wonders for fin/scale damage, lowers stress (ideal for transporting fish) and enhances slime coating. It also treats the water and helps boost the effectiveness of antibiotics.

 

Yo,

so I’ve had my angels for a while. (Two for like 1 year plus and other two 6 months plus). The four of them have always been fine- no aggression and no pairing off either.

Today two of them (the younger two) seem to be fighting. There is lip locking (never more than two seconds) and “circling” where they swim in a tight circle around one another.

Is this aggression finally kicking in? Is it mating related?

I went to the LfS quickly and bought same val to Place in the middle of the tank to cut line off sight but they both seem to go to the same side of the tank.

do I need to pull out anyone? Do I wait and see?

 

Sorry to say, but aggressive circling and lip locking IME means fighting. I have seen a courting pair touch lips and push (as if to test strength) but never twist and circling. Do they also bounce off eachother and strike again?

I can't make out the breeding tubes, but a courting pair will show a bit of tubing. The male's tube is very skinny and pointy, the female angel will have a blunt and thick breeding tube.

If those two are not forming a pair, it's possible they are fighting for alfa status to spawn with another angel in the tank. They all look well fed

 

Thanks. Photo taken literally after they just had some blood worms - that’s how I noticed them fighting

 

If those two are not forming a pair, it's possible they are fighting for alfa status to spawn with another angel in the tank.

I wondered this but one of the others is the big bloke in the tank and clearly alpha. Could they be fighting for betta status?... is that a thing?

 

In the first set o pics the Kio looks male IMO as I think I see his vent ..Very small and pointy ..Male .
I can't see any sign of vent on the other two in pics but will guess the fighting two are females ..
He is ready so one of them should be also ...
It seems looking at all the pics he is around both when fighting also ?
That being noted I go he is male and the other two females and your fourth is a smart younger male hiding for his life !

 

The alfa angel is the fourth I think.
This

View attachment 656857

Definitely seems like two angels fighting over another. How long has this been going on for? If it's two females, I hope the male picks one of them and the odd one out gets pushed away to stop this shenanigans. I have never seen two angels fight like that (for very long anyway) in my angel schools that I've kept. Usually the males fight to be with the female who is gravid. Or they just fight to be top fish. But it usually resolves itself without too much issue. Depends on how relentless they are....seems weird one just wouldn't swim away. What size of tank are they in?

 

angelcraze

Yeah he is def Alpha Male hahaha and he knows it

Only today. First time.

 

angelcraze

Yeah he is def Alpha Male hahaha and he knows it

Only today. First time.

Hmmmm, so we are thinking two males (the koi) and two females? And the females are fighting....
Just trying to figure this out. Why would they be fighting? Nobody wants the alfa? Or he won't have it?

 

angelcraze there is another fish... there’s four angels. Same as alpha - it’s the one in the first picture in post #1

 

Yeah Alfa is a koi angelfish and so is the angel in the first pic that the two angels are fighting over. If you have two females fighting over the male in the first pic, and the Alfa is also male, then you have 2 males and 2 females? Or am I messing it up? You have two koi angelfish right? And a platinum and blue zebra angel (presumably female).