Support for brutalized fish

[azvictoria]

Well it happened. After two male angels (no other angels) in a 60 gallon have been living in peace for years, the switch went off and one of them was fine last night, beaten to a pulp by dawn this morning. I know it happens, they are separated now. The beaten one has some pretty tattered fins, tail and a few clobbered scales, but the wounds didn't go down to the nubs, he's upright and ate a while ago. Hopefully he'll be ok. My questions are how often and how much to change water to keep things clean - more than weekly? How about salt amounts? Temp adjustment? Temp is currently 80F, all good parameters. He's still in the main tank, I don't want to stress him more by quarantining unless he goes downhill and/or needs more support.

 

[Alice B]

I ended up with a male angel in every 29, 40 and 55 in my house years ago, to stop the fighting. A tank divider would be a good investment. I use Melafix as long as no anabanatids in tank

 

[Ichthys]

I was expecting a lot worse.
The damage as you’ve described it will all heal on its own as long as the water is good and the fish isn’t stressed. I would leave him in the main tank and remove the other one.
If the water’s good I would just carry on as normal with the changes.
I don’t use salt, but if I added anything it would be a half-dose of a fungicide/ bactericide to prevent infections.

 

[Ichthys]

Now that I’ve seen the picture it doesn’t even look as bad as I thought. I would probably add a bactericide to prevent finrot.

 

[GaryE]

I would add nothing, but would do 40% water changes twice a week for a couple of weeks. I would not keep angels at 80f, but would aim for 76-78.

Alas, they will ever be able to live together again. Once it starts, there is no mercy.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Quick note, many bacteria do not like cooler temps. So turning down the temp rather than raising it would be of more help. I agree that salt is not the best idea unless you see secondary problems occurring where the fins are damaged.

 

[speakerman3]

Well it happened. After two male angels (no other angels) in a 60 gallon have been living in peace for years, the switch went off and one of them was fine last night, beaten to a pulp by dawn this morning. I know it happens, they are separated now. The beaten one has some pretty tattered fins, tail and a few clobbered scales, but the wounds didn't go down to the nubs, he's upright and ate a while ago. Hopefully he'll be ok. My questions are how often and how much to change water to keep things clean - more than weekly? How about salt amounts? Temp adjustment? Temp is currently 80F, all good parameters. He's still in the main tank, I don't want to stress him more by quarantining unless he goes downhill and/or needs more support.

It sounds like you are taking the right approach. 1 tablespoon of rock, kosher, or other non-iodized salt for each five gallons is fairly standard. You could work up to that and make sure that you only replace the appropriate portion for water changes.

 

[azvictoria]

Thanks all! I was able to separate them with a tank divider as soon as I saw what was happening - I've kept one on hand for some time to separate cichlids. It was a nocturnal assault and I wish I could have stopped it. Everyone else in the tank can get through or under. I'll turn down the heat a bit, keep normal water changes, with some small additional ones. I've always added a bit of salt with each change. Helios, my aggressed angel is doing fine - eating normally, some of the fin tears are already closing. I know he doesn't look that bad in the pics, but when I discovered him, he was nose down in the gravel tangled in plants - beaten up and probably hiding. What's crazy is that the two of them now sit on each side of the divider like the old buddies they were. No chance they'll ever share the same space again, but it's kind of cute and sad at the same time. Grumpy Old Men?

 

[Alice B]

It's a glaring match. probably arching their fins to look bigger

 

[Essjay]

A divider is not a long term solution, I'm afraid. The dominant angel will still know the other one is there as fish communicate with pheromones and the dominant angel will still be sending out aggression pheromones which the attacked angel will pick up.

 

[GaryE]

I own three tanks that were the result of angels going to war with each other. I love that fish, but it can be expensive.

 

[Alice B]

I won't get another angel. too much trouble

 

[Uberhoust]

A divider is not a long term solution,

I have had problems with Angels being in adjacent tanks, flaring and trying to get to one another to the point of injuring themselves, let alone in the same tank.

 

[azvictoria]

A divider is not a long term solution, I'm afraid. The dominant angel will still know the other one is there as fish communicate with pheromones and the dominant angel will still be sending out aggression pheromones which the attacked angel will pick up.

 

[Alex Kadyshevich]

A mate of mine lived in a pub where they tried keeping angelfish. About 6 kept in a community tank, with theoretically compatible fish.
They continually attacked each other, and some of the other inhabitants, until the proprietors reached the conclusion that they were a menace, and replaced them.
Perhaps 'Devil Fish' would be a better common name?