Sick Angelfish

[sutton81]

Hi, I'm a new member. I've had my tank set up for just over a year now. Its a small tank only 10 gallons however I am upgrading to a larger tank in a few months. I have a variety of fish including 2 catfish, several platy's and platy fry in a small breeding tank ( they are getting moved to another tank this week to free up space, just letting the tank cycle for a bit!) a molly and one angel fish. The other angelfish died recently and i'm gutted! Basically before that angel died it was still feeding fine but went very shy and would stay in one corner of the tank, it had been in the tank about 6 months. No signs of disease on the outside and no boyancy problems. My other angel is now doing exactly the same, its normally very active. But i have also noticed that it looks like it has some marks on it, like the scales are coming off? I have noticed these before but they seemed to heal on their own. My temp is currently at 78 and ammonia is 0, all other tests show normal water quality! Help don't wanna loose this one!
PS sorry for the essay! lol

 

[1077]

In a small tank such as the 10 gal. It is possible to get zero ammonia of a morning or evening and the ammonia could rise after feedings or during the evening before dawn depending on how many fish are in the tank.
Angelfish prefer rather soft acidic water while platys would prefer slightly hard or alkaline water as do most livebearers.
What are the readings for nitrites and nitrAtes? how often do you change the water and how much do you change? Has the filter been cleaned or changed recently? if so how was it cleaned? How often and how much food are you feeding and what types? platys are largely herbivores and do well with vegetable based foods or algae based flakes (spirulina) in fact,, they need this food as staple. Angelfish is a cichlid and requires meaty foods.

 

[sutton81]

Hi, thanks for your reply, my PH is at 6.6, My Nitrite is 0 and my Nitrate is 40. I have recently changed one of my filter sponges in my Fluval plus2 filter but that was after the first angel died. Water changes are 20% once a week. I think it may be benificial to do it twice a week now? Filter sponges are always cleaned with tank water. They get fed 2 qubes of frozen food a day variouse including blood worm etc and I put 2 catfish algae wafers in at night when the light goes off. ( Baby fish are fed in the breeding tank 3 times a day ) There are 11 fish in the tank + 6 fry. This is why i am upgrading tank size and taking out the fry. All the other fish in the tank are normal, no changes at all!

 

[1077]

The pH you posted would suit the Angelfish ,but livebearers such as mollies,guppies,and platys do better in the long term with hard slightly alkaline water.I think twice weekly water changes would be good idea. NitrAtes should in my view be no higher than twenty. Gravel vaccuming can also help keep nitrAtes low. Cichlids in particular don't in my expierience ,,do well with NitrAte levels above twenty and ten would be ideal. I might also consider a vegetable based flake food for both the Angelfish and the platys.I have an Angelfish in 56 gal column tank that receives ,,Spirulina flake,ocean nutritions cichlid flake.(omni formula), Freeze dried brine shrimp, Freeze dried Krill, and blood worms(frozen)once a week. I have had the fish since it was dime size and after six months, it is nearly four and a half inches in diameter not counting length of the fins.While cichlids need meaty foods,they should also receive some form of vegetable matter. Keep the filter maintained and increase the water changes to twice weekly. (I change25 percent three times a week ) and see if fish doesn't respond. Good Luck.