Angelfish woes continue

[Lady Hobbs]

If some of you don't remember, I posted about my angelfish that has a split on his side. I have been treating this fish for a month now with salt, raised temps and also with Metafix. He is acting just fine, not scratching, wound is not inflammed, no fungus that I can see but this thing is not healing. Tonight I noticed another spot beyond this spot that looks like another small hole is developing.

Water is perfect with everything reading 0. Water changes at least once a week. This has got me so stumped and I can not figure what is happening.

The only thing I haven't tried is fungal meds. I hate to treat him with something that I don't even suspect but this has me nuts.

[kimmers318]

Sorry to hear that you are still not having any success with your angel. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a water test kit that we could purchase that could tell us if there were any bacteria or fungus present in our tanks....what type it is, and how to treat it? Kinda like a strep culture for fish! Pimafix can be used along with melafix, it is antifungal, but more for what it calls "reddening of fins and body" "mouth and body fungus" "fungusy or cottony growth" and that doesn't sound like what you are seeing. The melafix is more for the open wound issue that you see. Since you aren't seeing any redness, irritation or fungus/bacteria at the wound site you may be getting somewhere and just can't see it yet. I would take heart in the fact that it HASN'T gotten infected in any apparent way and may just take a long time to heal.
Good luck and let us know if you do find out what works, or if it just takes time.

[Lady Hobbs]

Because another small area seems to be appearing, I have to wonder about body ulsers. I have read on this for weeks, been to 4 forums and no one has a clue and this is getting aggravating. Thankfully he appears to be under no stress YET but I can't allow him to live with open wounds like this.

Since I am out of options and ideas, I think I may just start treating him for a parasite and if that doesn't work, fungus. I hate to throw meds at him but my options are getting limited.

I have a lot of salt in the tank and this is also not good for my loaches and corys. Apparently he was not injured at all and has something else going on. But, as luck would have it, he is my favorite angel.

[minabird]

Hey Hobbs-

Could it possibly be hole in the head disease?

If it is, here's a link about it I found on thetropicaltank

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdhith.htm.

Hope this helps.

Good luck with your angel.

[Lady Hobbs]

You know, this also occured to me but it's not in the head at all but on his side. I heard this can also appear on the sides. I actually saw an Oscar on- line last night that had hole in the head and he had a SPLIT just like my angel has. We just may be on to something here. Thanks so much.

Metafix is used for Hole in the Head. Isn't working for me.

[minabird]

Hobbs-

Was doing a bit more research on your angelfish and found a really good explanation of hole in the head. Go halfway down the page to Q: How do I treat HITH/HLLE?

Here’s an excerpt:

“Metronidazole is the preferred medication. It is the same medication found in Hexamit. It is also found as one of the ingredients in Paragon II. Dr. Axelrods Mini Atlas recommends 100mg metronidazole per 10 gallons every other day for 3 treatments (and the dose can be safely doubled). Hexamit recommends 250mg per 10 gallons with the same time schedule. I found that the 100mg was not effective but the 250 was. Some recommend 3 consecutive treaments rather than every other day (have not tried it).”

This looks like a good site since they list their source documentation on the bottom of the article.

http://www.aquarium-design.com/fish/hlle.html

[Lady Hobbs]

Looks as you and I are searching the same sites as I just read that too. :) You are so nice to be searching for me, BTW. Thank you.

The more pictures I look at for Hole in the Head, the more confused I get. I see none with wide open sores and none that come on this fast. This doesn't even look like a sore at all but a split. Dumb fish could have gotten something I could at least identy!

I have actually read now on 3 sites that altho there is no proven reason for Hole in the Head, that removing the carbon filter has been recommended.

[jeffs99dime]

sorry to hear about your angel hobbs.

[Lady Hobbs]

Not as sorry as he is because we did something drastic today. I moved the fish that was in my 20 gallon into the 10 gallon hospital tank and put him in the 20 all alone. He has plenty of room and no one to bother him. This way I can jack the salt up without worrying about the loaches and coreys. He doesn't like it much, I don't think. Kinda sulking.

[CJ1]

My way of thinking is totally different here. How are the rest of the fish in the tank? If the rest of the fish are fine, then it's possible the one angel fish just has something that you can't do anything about. In your situation I would just off the fish. Many times you just buy bad fish. I've gone through all what you're going through. I do not wait when I fish is going bad and basic remedies don't work. I never medicate my tanks except for ich.

[Lady Hobbs]

ewwww I have "offed" Mollies, gourami's, a bala and a 3-spot. But I just couldn't do that to this angel unless it appeared to be suffering. He is 4 inch (body size not fins) and such a nice fish.

[Lady Hobbs]

My avator is a picture of the angelfish I have. Not mine, of course, as I have no camera to take a picture :( but an exact look-alike. Same coloring and same size. Now you can see while I am struggling to keep my friend going.