Sick Angel Fish

[ViewingFish]

One of my Angels has 1 cloudy eye and is having trouble swimming. The fish is listing.

I noticed the fish wasn't eating and was hiding out in the tank for a couple of days. I did a partial water change and that made things worse.

The fish is still alive, and hanging in there. Does anyone have any suggestions for helping this poor little Angel?

Thanks for anyone who could help.

ViewingFish

[Severus]

How are your water parameters looking? Depending upon what is really wrong with your angel, there are a few meds that will help things out. Stresscoat, melafix,pimafix, quick cure, Aquarium Salt, Regular daily or every other day partial water changes, etc...

[ViewingFish]

Thanks for getting back to me. I am new at this.

I checked the water and the Ammonia was a in the caution range, so I did a partial water change and this 1 angel fish just got really stressed after that.

I put him in another tank and used some fungus clear. He isn't sideways anymore, but his eyes are cloudy and he is swimming a bit imbalanced.

I did not think to change the water on a daily basis, I thought that might stress him out more.

I have melfix and salt. The pet store thought it was some kind of bacteria.

It is so frustrating.... I feel so bad for this fish. My other 2 angels are fine.

[kimmers318]

Any idea why your ammonia is in the "caution" range? If you are still cycling this tank it could be that your fish is reacting to the levels of ammonia which can be very damaging.
What size tank....how old is it....what are the other inhabitants?

[ViewingFish]

Hello Kimmers318: The tank is about 1 1/2 wks. old. It's size is a 29 Gallon tank. Everyone else in the tank is doing great.

I moved the sick angel to my 10 gallon tank. I addged some fungus clear. In about 2 days now, the Angel Fish is not listing anymore, but I think the poor little fish went blind.

I feel terrible, but willing to take of this handicapped fish.

I am a novice with this fish aquarium business, but trying my best.

[kimmers318]

Okay...at only 1 1/2 weeks old, if you didn't do a fishless cycle that is a large part of the problem with the fish....and you may see problems with other fish yet. The cycling process is hard on fish, and only the hardiest are usually recommended for living in newly established tanks. Read up on cycling more, but here are the basics....in a new aquarium you have fresh, clean water. As you feed the fish, and they excrete waste that fresh water is contaminated by ammonia, if you know what ammonia smells like you can imagine how it might feel to a fish to be swimming in it. Over time good bacteria will grow that will "eat" the ammonia, so to speak, and that will turn it into nitrite, which although not as harmful as ammonia, is still hard on the fish. Again, over time, good bacteria will grow to "eat" up your nitrites...and then it will be turned into nitrates, which is vastly less harmful to your fish. The nitrates are the final stage of the cycling process, and you reduce the amount of nitrates in your water with your regular water changes so that it doesn't harm the fish. Others also rely on plants, which will absorb nitrates....but as I don't do well with plants, don't know much on that aspect. Going thru this process of contaminated water from ammonia and nitrite poisoning is harmful to fish and can cause all kinds of damage...not to mention making them weak and susceptible to disease.
If you added several fish all at once, the amount of waste will be multiplied. How many, and what fish did you add? At this point, water changes can be done to keep "diluting" the ammonia...and the upcoming nitrite, but it will also slow down your cycling process. If you know anyone who has a well balanced, healthy aquarium I would suggest seeing if you couldn't have some of their gravel to place in your aquarium (in a mesh bag if you want to later remove it) and/or, some of the "gunk" that can be squeezed out of the filter media. This will give you a load of good bacteria to begin attacking the toxins in your water and help your aquarium balance out much quicker.
A product called bio-spira is also available to add to new tanks that contains live bacteria. I haven't used it, but have heard only good things about it, although it is pretty pricey. The only negative I have heard is that if it is not transported and stored properly (as in refridgerated) the bacteria dies and isn't any good.
Hope that, along with your own future research helps you straighten things out and have a beautiful aquarium. Keep us posted!