Two of my angelfish have had red at the base of their pectoral fins and red lines at the base of their fins for a little over a week now.
Tank size: 200 litre
pH: 7.4
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 40 ppm (prior to water change)
These water levels were taken three days ago. I will be checking them again today and will update this thread.
kH: Not tested.
gH: Not tested.
tank temp: Usually 80F. Increased to 84F over last few days as I have read this may help with anything bacterial.
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
Four angel fish in total. One we have had for 6 to 7 months. He appears completely healthy at this point.
One is very young (an inch long) purchased two weeks ago. He has seemed fine until today, but now has slight redness at the base of his pectoral fins. I foolishly did not quarantine this fish. When I go to the store to buy medication today, I will check the tank he came for in case of signs of any other fish suffering.
The two really sick fish have redness at the base of their pectoral fins. This appeared first (as much as two weeks ago). Now red lines at the bass of their dorsal and anal fins have appeared. Their also seems to be some redness in the dorsal fin of one of them, but it's hard to be sure because of it's colouring.
One of the fish has these lines primarily at the top and bottom of it's body.
Another one has them around the whole outline of his body.
Both of the really sick fish are still feeding, but they take longer to come to the surface than they used to. Both of them spend most of the day in little hiding spots behind plants. They used to be constantly exploring.
A bit more background:
We had five angelfish in total. One of them got HITH, which I treated with a seven day (two dose) medication. I was too late and after several days of not feeding at all I had to euthanise this fish. I treated the whole tank with all fish in and followed up with a 50% water change. No other fish have sign of HITH.
One of the fish laid eggs (not fertilized), and following this two of them kept fighting. I removed one of them to a hospital tank temporarily, and am leaving her there for now as she has no signs of redness. This fish is probably the sister of one of the sick ones (from same tank, same colours) which is partly what alerted me to the fact that is was not just colour change in the sick fish.
We then brought the small one and added to the tank bringing the total in the 200 litre back to four.
Volume and Frequency of water changes: Usually 25% changes once a week. We made the one 50% change only following the HITH medication.
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: I used interpet anti internal bacteria treatment and finished this three days ago. Then put carbon back in and did water change. This did not seem to help at all. I use tetra dechlorinator and have since the beginning. I always use this on the water in the bucket and then add to the tank. The filter media is standard for a Fluval U4 (two sponges, two carbon pads which were removed during medication and stored wet, a central container of zeolite).
Tank inhabitants: Four angelfish (fifth still in isolation / hospital tank). 16 Dannios which all appear healthy. 2 very active bristle nose plecos. Three rock shrimp which seem fine... feeding and shedding.
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Only the small angelfish that was to replace the HITH victim. This small one only just developed redness at base of pectoral fins yesteday. Still swimming and looking around all the time.
Exposure to chemicals: Hopefully none. I did read about air freshers being a worry, so we have removed a spray type from our hall. It was through two doorways and approximately 18 feet from the tank. Removed three days ago and no sign of improvement since.
Digital photo (include if possible): Have not been able to get any that show the lines so far. Will try agin today.
I think that is everything.
To summarise medication so far:
HITH medication was used to treat a different fish prior to the red lines appearing. Then performed 50% water change and put the interpet anti internal bacteria medication in.
Please advise on the best medication to use.
Last night I read on some old forum posts and elsewhere on the internet that this could be septicemia. I am however fairly certain that these red lines (and definitely the redness at the base of the pectoral fins) began in all about ten days ago. I have read that septicemia is a quick killer, and therefore hope that means my fish have something different as they are still feeding and do not appear close to death.
I am hoping that medication from a shop will do, but we will consider vet fees if this is the only thing to do.
All advice much appreciated.
Please help save Tom, Jerry the 2nd, Sid and Thelma!
Edit: I just thought I should add a note about feeding. Usually it's pellets and flakes, with frozen blood worms or brine shrimp twice a day. Algae wafers and cucumber also go in for the Plecos and shrimp, but the fish pick at the wafers too.
I used to use live food from the LFS, but stopped about four weeks ago after finding their brine shrimp bags seeming rather unclean, and I never perfected a way to drain the water off.
I have been trying to get them to eat pellets soaked in tank water with a little powdered vitamin tablet added over the last week. I think all the fish have had some vitamins, but it's hard to tell with those Dannios being so quick.
Tank size: 200 litre
pH: 7.4
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 40 ppm (prior to water change)
These water levels were taken three days ago. I will be checking them again today and will update this thread.
kH: Not tested.
gH: Not tested.
tank temp: Usually 80F. Increased to 84F over last few days as I have read this may help with anything bacterial.
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
Four angel fish in total. One we have had for 6 to 7 months. He appears completely healthy at this point.
One is very young (an inch long) purchased two weeks ago. He has seemed fine until today, but now has slight redness at the base of his pectoral fins. I foolishly did not quarantine this fish. When I go to the store to buy medication today, I will check the tank he came for in case of signs of any other fish suffering.
The two really sick fish have redness at the base of their pectoral fins. This appeared first (as much as two weeks ago). Now red lines at the bass of their dorsal and anal fins have appeared. Their also seems to be some redness in the dorsal fin of one of them, but it's hard to be sure because of it's colouring.
One of the fish has these lines primarily at the top and bottom of it's body.
Another one has them around the whole outline of his body.
Both of the really sick fish are still feeding, but they take longer to come to the surface than they used to. Both of them spend most of the day in little hiding spots behind plants. They used to be constantly exploring.
A bit more background:
We had five angelfish in total. One of them got HITH, which I treated with a seven day (two dose) medication. I was too late and after several days of not feeding at all I had to euthanise this fish. I treated the whole tank with all fish in and followed up with a 50% water change. No other fish have sign of HITH.
One of the fish laid eggs (not fertilized), and following this two of them kept fighting. I removed one of them to a hospital tank temporarily, and am leaving her there for now as she has no signs of redness. This fish is probably the sister of one of the sick ones (from same tank, same colours) which is partly what alerted me to the fact that is was not just colour change in the sick fish.
We then brought the small one and added to the tank bringing the total in the 200 litre back to four.
Volume and Frequency of water changes: Usually 25% changes once a week. We made the one 50% change only following the HITH medication.
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: I used interpet anti internal bacteria treatment and finished this three days ago. Then put carbon back in and did water change. This did not seem to help at all. I use tetra dechlorinator and have since the beginning. I always use this on the water in the bucket and then add to the tank. The filter media is standard for a Fluval U4 (two sponges, two carbon pads which were removed during medication and stored wet, a central container of zeolite).
Tank inhabitants: Four angelfish (fifth still in isolation / hospital tank). 16 Dannios which all appear healthy. 2 very active bristle nose plecos. Three rock shrimp which seem fine... feeding and shedding.
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Only the small angelfish that was to replace the HITH victim. This small one only just developed redness at base of pectoral fins yesteday. Still swimming and looking around all the time.
Exposure to chemicals: Hopefully none. I did read about air freshers being a worry, so we have removed a spray type from our hall. It was through two doorways and approximately 18 feet from the tank. Removed three days ago and no sign of improvement since.
Digital photo (include if possible): Have not been able to get any that show the lines so far. Will try agin today.
I think that is everything.
To summarise medication so far:
HITH medication was used to treat a different fish prior to the red lines appearing. Then performed 50% water change and put the interpet anti internal bacteria medication in.
Please advise on the best medication to use.
Last night I read on some old forum posts and elsewhere on the internet that this could be septicemia. I am however fairly certain that these red lines (and definitely the redness at the base of the pectoral fins) began in all about ten days ago. I have read that septicemia is a quick killer, and therefore hope that means my fish have something different as they are still feeding and do not appear close to death.
I am hoping that medication from a shop will do, but we will consider vet fees if this is the only thing to do.
All advice much appreciated.
Please help save Tom, Jerry the 2nd, Sid and Thelma!
Edit: I just thought I should add a note about feeding. Usually it's pellets and flakes, with frozen blood worms or brine shrimp twice a day. Algae wafers and cucumber also go in for the Plecos and shrimp, but the fish pick at the wafers too.
I used to use live food from the LFS, but stopped about four weeks ago after finding their brine shrimp bags seeming rather unclean, and I never perfected a way to drain the water off.
I have been trying to get them to eat pellets soaked in tank water with a little powdered vitamin tablet added over the last week. I think all the fish have had some vitamins, but it's hard to tell with those Dannios being so quick.
