Trouble with angelfish please help

HI everyone
So in worried (extremely worried) about my angelfish. I found him laying at the back of the tank, towards the bottom. He seems pretty unresponsive. He is laying on his side, not moving at all. Every once in a when he will move his fins. He also isn't eating, he didn't eat yesterday either.

I'm pretty sure he had an internal parasite so I treated with prazipro three days ago. He was improving until today.

I just treated with pH up to get the alkalinity upa little bit since it was low. Temp is 78°. 29 Gal tank.

There is tank mates but I set up this little breeder thing inside the tank so he is protected while he is sick since I don't have a QT tank.

Please help, I love him so much and really will be crushed to lose him

 

HI everyone
So in worried (extremely worried) about my angelfish. I found him laying at the back of the tank, towards the bottom. He seems pretty unresponsive. He is laying on his side, not moving at all. Every once in a when he will move his fins. He also isn't eating, he didn't eat yesterday either.

I'm pretty sure he had an internal parasite so I treated with prazipro three days ago. He was improving until today.

I just treated with pH up to get the alkalinity upa little bit since it was low. Temp is 78°. 29 Gal tank.

There is tank mates but I set up this little breeder thing inside the tank so he is protected while he is sick since I don't have a QT tank.

Please help, I love him so much and really will be crushed to lose him

How far did you alkalinity drop? If it drops pretty low it could lower the pH making it lethal to fish.

 

How far did you alkalinity drop? If it drops pretty low it could lower the pH making it lethal to fish.

It's pretty low, under 40

 

Bellow 50 mg/L you need to do 50% water changes until fixed. 50 and lower is where it gets lethal. How are his tank mates doing?

 

Bellow 50 mg/L you need to do 50% water changes until fixed. 50 and lower is where it gets lethal. How are his tank mates doing?

His tank mates seem completely unaffected.

So do I do a 50% water change, then add the pH up to that?

 

What is your alkalinity out of the tap?

 

The strip says it's below 0-none on the strip so just where the tank was at all

 

Have you tested your other parameters?

 

If your pH is below 7 is would recommend using crushed coral to help buffer your water

 

Have you tested your other parameters?

Yes everything else shows that it's fine, just the alkalinity is too low

 

What is your pH at?

 

If your pH is below 7 is would recommend using crushed coral to help buffer your water

Crushed coral? Is there anything else?

 

What is your pH at?

I'm not sure, I just ran out of the strips. It's not 100% but I believe it's somewhere between 6.8 and 7.2

 

Crushed coral? Is there anything else?

So the only other way I know is to buy a buffer or use baking soda (1 Teaspoon per 5 Gallons) in your water change water

 

So the only other way I know is to buy a buffer or use baking soda (1 Teaspoon per 5 Gallons) in your water change water

And crushed coral and all that should get to where it needs to be, right ?
Sorry my brain is very scattered I am really terrified for him

 

I'm not sure, I just ran out of the strips. It's not 100% but I believe it's somewhere between 6.8 and 7.2

Since your out now is the best time to get a liquid test kit! They are much more accurate and are a great investment. API is the most common

 

Yes everything else shows that it's fine, just the alkalinity is too low

What does "fine" mean?

I wouldnt trust strips in this situation. And messing with PH can do more harm than good. So I'd be careful with that.

I don't have any good suggestions for you because I've never had an angelfish recover when it is so far gone it is on its side on the bottom. And I'm really sorry to be saying that.

The most likely scenario is hexamita. Which is very common in cichlids like angelfish. The medicine for that would be metronidazole. Not praziquantel.

You can try cranking the heat to 88-90 and treating with metronidazole. But I'm afraid he may be too far gone at this point. And I'm not sure how the tank mates would handle the heat.

 

Since your out now is the best time to get a liquid test kit! They are much more accurate and are a great investment. API is the most common

I definitely have plans on it I just don't really have the money to pick up a liquid one but it's on my list for my next paycheck for sure. Aren't they more accurate and last longer too?

 

And crushed coral and all that should get to where it needs to be, right ?
Sorry my brain is very scattered I am really terrified for him

It’s cool, so if you have a hang on the back filter you can drop some crushed coral in there or you can lay it out on the substrate or even buy a filter bag and hang it on the side of the tank

 

What does "fine" mean?

I wouldnt trust strips in this situation. And messing with PH can do more harm than good. So I'd be careful with that.

I don't have any good suggestions for you because I've never had an angelfish recover when it is so far gone it is on its side on the bottom. And I'm really sorry to be saying that.

The most likely scenario is hexamita. Which is very common in cichlids like angelfish. The medicine for that would be metronidazole. Not praziquantel.

You can try cranking the heat to 88-90 and treating with metronidazole. But I'm afraid he may be too far gone at this point. And I'm not sure how the tank mates would handle the heat.

Definitely couldn't handle 88-90. But 82 they could handle. Metronidazole? Is there any chance he could make it if I do that ?

 

I definitely have plans on it I just don't really have the money to pick up a liquid one but it's on my list for my next paycheck for sure. Aren't they more accurate and last longer too?

Much more accurate. Do your strips even test for ammonia? Many do not. Which is insane.

 

It’s cool, so if you have a hang on the back filter you can drop some crushed coral in there or you can lay it out on the substrate or even buy a filter bag and hang it on the side of the tank

Okay sounds good thank you for your help even tho it sounds like he isn't gonna make it

 

Definitely couldn't handle 88-90. But 82 they could handle. Metronidazole? Is there any chance he could make it if I do that ?

API General Cure has prozie and Metronidazole. It’s possible but I have to agree with bizaliz3, after it gets that low it’s kinda hard to get them back up. If you have a adjustable heater start raising the temperature every two hours and monitor your fish, that way if anything happens you can quickly shut it off and lower it

 

Much more accurate. Do your strips even test for ammonia? Many do not. Which is insane.

You can't have an ammonia test with other tests because the chemicals from the other test will contaminate the ammonia pad

 

Much more accurate. Do your strips even test for ammonia? Many do not. Which is insane.

API General Cure has prozie and Metronidazole. It’s possible but I have to agree with bizaliz3, after it gets that low it’s kinda hard to get them back up. If you have a adjustable heater start raising the temperature every two hours and monitor your fish, that way if anything happens you can quickly shut it off and lower it

Okay I'll try that

 

Okay I'll try that

Best of luck mate, please let us know what happens!

 

Best of luck mate, please let us know what happens!

Thank you, I will
I really hope he makes he is my first and only angel fish, I really don't want to lose him

 

Definitely couldn't handle 88-90. But 82 they could handle. Metronidazole? Is there any chance he could make it if I do that ?

82 will not accomplish what I suggested the heat for. The hex cannot survive and continue to multiply in temps 88 or higher. That's the reason for the heat. So 82 won't help much.

What temp are you currently at?? Because angels do best at 80-82 as a permanent temp.

You can try the metro. But I'm afraid it may be too late. :-( I really do hate saying that. And what may have started as hexamita could have progressed to secondary infections that the metro would not help with.

Can you share a current photo of him?

 

You can't have an ammonia test with other tests because the chemicals from the other test will contaminate the ammonia pad

Ah! That makes sense.

Its just unfortunate because many people don't realize that and don't buy the separate ammonia test.

And petco uses the ammonia-less strips when testing customers water. (Many of them do anyway) Water that could have sky high ammonia!! And then they tell the customer "your water is fine except for the alkalinity" . I have seen that so many times. Which is why I'm hesitant to believe the tank needs to have the PH messed with at all.

 

Hi

82 will not accomplish what I suggested the heat for. The hex cannot survive and continue to multiply in temps 88 or higher. That's the reason for the heat. So 82 won't help much.

What temp are you currently at?? Because angels do best at 80-82 as a permanent temp.

You can try the metro. But I'm afraid it may be too late. :-( I really do hate saying that. And what may have started as hexamita could have progressed to secondary infections that the metro would not help with.

Can you share a current photo of him?

His temp is 78°
I can bump it up a little bit slowly and see where it goes

 

Hi

His temp is 78°
I can bump it up a little bit slowly and see where it goes

He is normally all black and his eyes are normally crystal clear and red. They are cloudy now, and he has these white spots on him, witch he has before and prazipro cleared them right up, witch is why I treated.

 

Hi

His temp is 78°
I can bump it up a little bit slowly and see where it goes

Awww. Poor guy. I'm so sorry this happened!!

When was the last time he ate? What does the poop look like?

The eye looks cloudy and the body a little fungusy. It appears as though he is succumbing to multiple issues.

I would just do daily water changes at this point personally I'm afraid medication will be a waste of money. And may cause added stress for the tankmates.

Maybe try general cure since it covers more things. Is there anyway you can pick up a 10 gallon hospital tank? Even if he doesn't make it....having a 10 gallon for hospital or QT is very beneficial.

 

Awww. Poor guy. I'm so sorry this happened!!

When was the last time he ate? What does the poop look like?

The eye looks cloudy and the body a little fungusy. It appears as though he is succumbing to multiple issues.

I would just do daily water changes at this point personally I'm afraid medication will be a waste of money. And may cause added stress for the tankmates.

Maybe try general cure since it covers more things. Is there anyway you can pick up a 10 gallon hospital tank? Even if he doesn't make it....having a 10 gallon for hospital or QT is very beneficial.

All the issues just popped out of nowhere it seems he was just fine 5 days ago. Looked fine, acted fine.
He ate just a little bit of thawed brine shrimp last night.
His poop last night was white stringy, another reason why I thought it was internal.

I have a 10 gal I could set up but I don't have a heater or anything for inside it, I only have the tank and the filter that's it

 

Awww. Poor guy. I'm so sorry this happened!!

When was the last time he ate? What does the poop look like?

The eye looks cloudy and the body a little fungusy. It appears as though he is succumbing to multiple issues.

I would just do daily water changes at this point personally I'm afraid medication will be a waste of money. And may cause added stress for the tankmates.

Maybe try general cure since it covers more things. Is there anyway you can pick up a 10 gallon hospital tank? Even if he doesn't make it....having a 10 gallon for hospital or QT is very beneficial.

When he ate he did the thing where he spits it back out and goes for it again too I don't know if that matters or not

 

When he ate he did the thing where he spits it back out and goes for it again too I don't know if that matters or not

Spitting out the food and white poop are both signs of hexamita. Which is also an internal thing.

I keep going back to hexamita because it's so common in cichlids and those are the first symptoms.

But the cloudy eye and fungusy looking body are secondary infections to the hex.

 

Spitting out the food and white poop are both signs of hexamita. Which is also an internal thing.

I keep going back to hexamita because it's so common in cichlids and those are the first symptoms.

But the cloudy eye and fungusy looking body are secondary infections to the hex.

And general cure will help with that? Is there anything else that will help with that?
What is the likely hood he will survive

 

And general cure will help with that? Is there anything else that will help with that?
What is the likely hood he will survive

General cure covers more stuff because it has both metronidazole and praziquantel.

Will it help? I don't know.

Will he recover? Again...I don't know. But I'm not hopeful unfortunately. And I'm so sorry for saying that.

 

General cure covers more stuff because it has both metronidazole and praziquantel.

Will it help? I don't know.

Will he recover? Again...I don't know. But I'm not hopeful unfortunately. And I'm so sorry for saying that.

It's okay, if rather you be honest with me than be like 'oh he'll be fine!' and then he's not. Yknow?
It hurts but it is what it is.
I'm going to try it because work case scenario I buy general cure and then I have it for my other fishos.

my boyfriend is setting up the emergency tank for him now while I go get general cure.
we will raise the temperature up and see if that helps when he's in there by himself. We will just have to borrow another fish's heater temporarily until I can buy a new one

 

It's okay, if rather you be honest with me than be like 'oh he'll be fine!' and then he's not. Yknow?
It hurts but it is what it is.
I'm going to try it because work case scenario I buy general cure and then I have it for my other fishos.

my boyfriend is setting up the emergency tank for him now while I go get general cure.
we will raise the temperature up and see if that helps when he's in there by himself. We will just have to borrow another fish's heater temporarily until I can buy a new one

My only concern with the heat is that the heat can make external bacterial infections worse. That may include the cloudy eye and stuff.

I'd just stick with 82 in the hospital. Do you have seeded media you can use so it will be cycled?

 

My only concern with the heat is that the heat can make external bacterial infections worse. That may include the cloudy eye and stuff.

I'd just stick with 82 in the hospital. Do you have seeded media you can use so it will be cycled?

Yes, I can use filter media from another fish tank, right?
As long as there is nothing wrong with it ?