Why are my pair of Angels always hiding

[Fishy Mishy]

I have 2 Angel fish and to begin with they were great, swimming about and being normal. Then recently they have gone into a hiding place and they never come out, not even at feeding time. They just sit there all day and night. Any ideas? Is this normal behaviour?

 

[Tolak]

If they are hiding near the back or another secluded corner or area, & not eating, it is probably a parasite called hexamita.

Put the angel in a quar tank, I usually use a 10 gallon. Increase the temp over a day or so to 90-94F. Metro was originally designed for humans, the closer you can get to 98.6F the better. 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.

I've also added epsom salt while using metro, this helps with any constipation issues, cleans out the digestive tract. I start with 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons of water, increasing by 1 teaspoon daily for 2 more days to bring it up to 3 teaspoons per gallon. You will have to adjust how much you use when doing water changes. You may want to give this a try.

HTH, & good luck!

Tolak

 

[Fishy Mishy]

If they are hiding near the back or another secluded corner or area, & not eating, it is probably a parasite called hexamita.

Put the angel in a quar tank, I usually use a 10 gallon. Increase the temp over a day or so to 90-94F. Metro was originally designed for humans, the closer you can get to 98.6F the better. 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.

I've also added epsom salt while using metro, this helps with any constipation issues, cleans out the digestive tract. I start with 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons of water, increasing by 1 teaspoon daily for 2 more days to bring it up to 3 teaspoons per gallon. You will have to adjust how much you use when doing water changes. You may want to give this a try.

HTH, & good luck!

Tolak

[snapback]911553[/snapback]​

Wow, complicated! I have not got a hospital tank - I think they are eating but just not really coming out for it as such.

 

[Tolak]

What size tank are they in, and what other fish are in with them?

All you are really doing is dumping some powder in the water daily, sprinkling some on frozen brine shrimp, & changing 50% of the water daily. Turning up the temp is easy, adding the epsom is pretty much an eyeball deal.

Tolak

 

[Fishy Mishy]

What size tank are they in, and what other fish are in with them?

All you are really doing is dumping some powder in the water daily, sprinkling some on frozen brine shrimp, & changing 50% of the water daily. Turning up the temp is easy, adding the epsom is pretty much an eyeball deal.

Tolak

[snapback]911592[/snapback]​

I have just removed their hiding place so I can look at them at one has a couple of fluffy white spots near her mouth. What is this? I reckon its the problem.
I have a 25 gallon tank with mainly livebearers, couple of gouramis, corys and couple of cardinal tetras. I have recently lost 1 guppy and 3 tetras for no apparent reason.