Concerned about my angels

[Zenn]

Ok, here it is, a few days ago i noticed my young swordie's got a ancy for fin nipping, and kept nipping my angels fins, to the point my angels clamped down their fins and wouldnt let a swordie got behind them incase they nipped their fins again, so i removed the young swordies and put thm in my two foot tank, however my angels are still not acting normal...

Now the adult swordies get along fin and they dont bother the angels, and the angel know that it was only the young swordies that nipped them, because they let the adult swordie pass behind their fins now, however my angels are hovering in the corner, hiding out of sight, which is very worring to me, because they are normally out and about with their fins spread, but they are hiding away with their fins clamped down still...

I have done a water change, and done treatment with bacteria control just incase, but i cant see any improvement, now there is a flow, but it never used to bother my angels, they would actually swim against the flow, even when i have made area's which are covered from the flow just for them, so i dont think it is that, but i aint ruling it out either, the thing is i like to maximise the filtraion of my tank to the best of my ability, so i really dont want to reduce the flow, but if its for the angels sake i could reduce the power heads output...

Otherwise can anyone think why my angels are hiding away like this, they aint ill are they?

I have a few picture here

This is where they are hiding

This is angus, who has just come out because i put my hand to the side of the tank

And here he is returning back to hiding

 

[Zenn]

Just as abit extra, i have noticed that Angus lips are protruding more than normal and his breath is rather odd, as in he aint really closing his mouth, is there anyone who is going to help me here?

 

[parker313]

I'm sorry, I don't know

It could just be lingering stress, or it could be that the stress has allowed some sort of sickness to set in...

There are a couple angel experts here, hopefully one will check in soon for you

 

[gaya]

I wish i had some advice to offer too. Sometimes my angels hang in the corner and i have no idea why. It happens once in a while. Is your filter close to a corner of the tank? If they are getting blown around and don't like it maybe moving it will help.

 

[Zenn]

Well, the filter is at the other end of the tank from the corner in the picture i posted up, but just above them is the powerhead which helps keep the water circulating, to ensure filtering, but as i said there are places in the tank i created just for the angels where there is no flow, however the angels actually like to fight the flow, i had Angus (The black one in the photo) actually on purpose as well, fight against the strongest part of the flow swimming infront of the filters outlet, thats why i dont think it is the flow...

But angus isnt shutting his mouth fully, and his upper lip seems to be sticking out, to which he looks very ill and i am getting VERY concerned, because he is my prize angel and i DO NOT WANT TO LOSE HIM I would like it if someone can tell me what to do here, this is the first time my angels, or more over Angus has ever been ill, i have treated the water with Bacteria control as i said, tomorrow i add the weekly cleaner, but i aint sure if i should put that off til Friday and tomorrow treat the fish with Methylene Blue, because normally when i treated the water with my other treatments i resort to MB and it always seem to work, unless the fish is beyond cure, but i hate using it, bcause it is week before i can get the water back to normal... Angus and Ice-cream my pair are the two that are hiding the most, though Angus is the only one where his top lip is sticking out, i did a water change as well the other day...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Are they eating and pooping normally?

Did you check for eggs? Angels will protect their eggs.

 

[Zenn]

I cant really see in that area, i will check for eggs though, but they didnt go for their food like normal today, they just sat behind those rocks and from what i can tell yes they are pooping right, but if they have spawned, why aint angus closing his mouth right and why is his top lip sticking out?

 

[Tolak]

The lip being swollen may be from protecting himself from the young swords. As long as there is no whitish or reddish discoloration, this will fix itself with fresh water changes, a little melafix will help too. Blacks show battle scars easier than any angel I've ever seen.

By your description of the behavior, & also the pics, it appears a little intestinal protizoan problem is going on. I've had this problem a few times before, this is what I do;

Put the angel in a quar tank, I usually use a 10 gallon. Increase the temp over a day or so to 90-94F. Treat daily with 40 mg/gallon metronidazole, with 50% water changes daily. If the fish isn't eating, don't feed for the first 3 days. After 3 days, get some frozen brine shrimp. Take a portion about the size of a few match heads, and sprinkle on some metro. You have to eyeball this one, make the shrimp look kind of like a tiny powdered donut. Once it thaws, mix it in & feed. Sometimes they still don't eat for a few days, but once they start to mouth the food & spit it out, the meds seem to get in their system real good. Continue medicating the water & food for 7-10 days.

Metronidazole is sold as flagyl, het-a-mit, and a few other names I can't recall offhand, used to treat hexamita & hole in the head. They usually suggest 20mg/gallon, this often isn't enough. Metro deteriorates in 8 hours, so you could do twice daily water changes. I've done this on the weekends when I have time.

Don't let the high temp scare you, angels can handle higher than that. I've had them as high as 98 due to a broken heater. Just make sure to have only angels in the tank at that temp. Make sure to have plenty of aeration also, as warmer water holds less O2.

HTH, good luck.

Tolak

 

[Zenn]

Thankyou for your help, though some of the medication you mentioned i have never heard of, or seen i will see what Chiltern Aquatics has and see if i can get in contact with Rob to see if he knows

Thanks again, i guess i will do another water change and sort out the water today