What caused infection

[Ginger726]

Alright I need some help here. I have a 75 gallon tank that has been established for a year or so. I have three angel fish. Two bala sharks, Four cardinal tetras, 4 catfish, a missing weather loach and a small algae eater. The last week or so my angels have started getting ragged fins. Bacterial infection I assume. I checked the water parameters. I have a small amount of nitrates and ph is about 6.5-6.8. No ammonia registered. I have also been missing my weather loach. He usually hides under rocks and such but I havent seen him in a long time. I am wondering if he died and is causing the problem but I havent seen anything resembling a dead loach. The angels don't exactly get along with each other. They take turns chasing each other around the tank. Right now I am in the third day of treating them with maracyn-two.

What other information do you need and what suggestions do you have for me to do. Right now I can't see any improvement in the angels' fins.

 

[Angry_Platy]

Could the loach have died and been eaten by the catfishies??

As for the ragged fins....can you tell whether the edges are whitish (meaning fungal finrot) or red (meaning bacterial finrot)? This may help in the treatment. If you notice neither they may have got caught on something and will heal. This of course depends on the colour of the fishies fins.

Treatment needs to be rapid as finrot can spread fast and before you know it the fish will have little if any fins....

Have a good look and let us know what you see

 

[Ginger726]

Found my loach. He is just fine. All the rest of my fish look just fine. I have three sick fish. Two angels and a betta. I know angels are usually a little more sensitive to water parameters. Maybe that is what it is but I am not thinking so. Everything looked safe when I checked it.

Since the angels have been fighting so much that could be why they are getting torn to pieces. I don't understand why the betta is sick he never gets picked on.

Their fins edges have a faint hew of white not red.
I am in the fourth day of treatment using Maracyn-two, after tomorrow I will clean up the tank and see what else I need to do.

You guys think I should separate the angels? (After I finish treatment) To reduce the stress between them or what are your ideas?

 

[Angel Lady]

i had to seperate everyone of my angels due to fighting those mean rumps wouldnt stay together. They looked so cute when they was small all of them running together. They grow up it is a different story.

 

[Ginger726]

I moved the two angels and the betta into their own ten gallon tank so that I can treat them. I inspected everyone else in the 75 gallon tank and they seem to be fine. I will keep a close eye on them for the next few days.

Now it is what to treat the sickies with. I had been using maracyn two but they still seem to be getting worse. I am going to make a trip to the fish store today I was hoping to get some opinions before I went. I have some old jungle fungos stop and binox but I don't know how old and if it is any good.

Someone let me know soon and I will go fast.

 

[snowyangel]

Have you tested your water for hardness? I have very hard water and this often causes minor rips and tears in my guppies fins and could be your problem.

 

[Ginger726]

My water hardness is indeed pretty high.

I didn't realize that it could cause tears.

I guess that could be why it has just affected my angels. They like softer water.

Thank you for the tip. I appreciate it.

 

[snowyangel]

Not a problem

 

[crazie.eddie]

Chlorine also can cause similar problems. Did you test your water for chlorine? If so & you do have chlorine, use dechlorinators.

 

[harried_mom]

You might also try a salt bath. I understand that helps repair fins. If the angels are chasing eachother in the smaller hospital tank, you might consider a divider - If you do this, I'd move the betta to a bowl until he feels better.

 

[Ginger726]

Just an update on the angels. They seem to be doing o.k. in the hospital tank. I used a fin and tail rot medication. It doesn't look to be getting any worse. But I don't know if I should trust that it is gone. I did a water change and put the carbon filters back in. I think I will let it run for a day or so and decide if I should re medicate. They are still eating and I did notice one nipped at the other one so I will have to divide them I think.

The betta croaked yesterday. He looked awful dont know what his problem was.

 

[crazie.eddie]

Sorry to hear about your betta.

I would keep the angelfish in there until they recover.