Angel Fish Not Eating

[RadCazz]

Hello. I recently purchased two veil tail Angel Fish and two regular Angel Fish. They are approx. two inches in size. I am quite taken with them! Each one is colored differently... some with stripes, some with spots. They seem to be enjoying swimming around in my tank.
However, they are not eating the TetraMin Color Enhancing Flake Food I place in the tank. They swim up to it, they swim by it, they look like they are going to eat it (they investigate) but then they pass it up. It has been 3 days and they refuse to eat the flakes.
Can you recommend something else? Perhaps they need a different food? I'd hate to lose them!

Also, I heard that Angel Fish can be quite territorial. But these 4 Angel Fish will not leave each other. It almost looks like they are schooling. Is it because they are juveniles?

Thank you for your time.

[benzenering]

How recently purchased? What were you feeding these fish before? Who are the other occupants of the tank? How big is the tank? What are you water parameters?

[mizzoutank]

is your tank cycled?

What size is the tank?

so to clarify you have 4 total angel fish?
What are the other fish in the tank?

[RadCazz]

I recently posted this in the Planted Aquarium Forum, but I think the info can apply here as well:

Thanks for replies!

Okay. I think I have a 30 U.S. gallon freshwater tank. I am using an AQUA-Tech 20/40 power filter with carbon filter

media and a "bio pad" to house beneficial bacteria. I have a heater that keeps the water temp around 74-76 degrees

Fahrenheit. The aquarium has been set up for about two months now and I initially used "Start-Zyme" to add a good colony

of bacteria.

The substrate is Seachem flourite clay mixture and I have about 2-3 inches depth - more graded toward the back of the tank.

I have an incandescant hood and I originally used these plant grow bulbs that I purchased at Walmart. However, I recently

switched over to Zoo Med 6500K/10 Watt/5" Super Daylight Mini Compact flourescents and immediately noticed the tank is much

brighter and the color of the fish look better. I leave the two lights on from 8 AM to 6 PM.

I have Java Fern Plants attached to cocunut husks that I placed in the tank but didn't bury in the substrate. I had 3

Sword Plant varieties that I did plant the roots in the substrate. I also had 3 other varieties of ferns that I also

planted in the substrate. The directions said to gently wash the gel mixture off the roots and plant in the gravel. The

planted ferns and planted swords were dying and turning to mush - the best way I can describe it - they just disintegrated

and decomposed. I have since added more plants to the tank, fingers crossed.

In the tank I have 4 small Angel Fish (two are veil tails), 3 Cory Catfish (albino, pepper, sterbai), and one Butterfly

Pleco.

I bought a 5-N-1 Test Strip Kit and the results are as follows (bear in mind that I'm color blind - difficulty in

recognizing some colors - so I'm giving you my best determination):

Nitrate: close to zero
Nitrite: between zero and .5
Total Hardness: 75, soft
Total Alkalinity: zero, low
pH: between 6.2 and 6.8, leaning towards 6.8

I hope this helps. :-)

Also, today I purchased something called Mysis Shrimp from the frozen foods section at Petco. I defrosted a cube in some warm water and placed it in the feeding ring in my tank. The shrimp slowly sank to the bottom and the Angel Fish ate some but spit it out. The Cory cats, however, had a ball devouring them as the shrimp sank to the gravel.

[mizzoutank]

Hi,

We should merge these threads as they are about to combine....


but what needs to be addressed are the following:

tank is not cycled

and you are overstocked and stocked with the wrong fish.

your angel fish isn't eating because of both:
the un cycled tank is causing stress

plus

that many angels in a 30gallon causes stress and pending death.

the minimum for 2 angels that are PAIRED is a 55gallon.

you have 4 in a tank half that size, so those two issues are reason why he's not eating.


you really need to get the api master test kit and have a friend read the colors to you.
1: its cheaper than test strips
2: its far far far far more accurate.

[fishmommie]

+ to missoutank. He's absolutely right. you need the API liquid test for accuracy and you're over stocked and your tank is not cycled.

In the meantime, if you can't take the fish back right away or rehome them, then you need to get the ammonia and nitrites both down to .25 before you lose these fish
Do an immediate 50% water change. Make sure you treat your water with a good conditioner - Prime would be the best. Any time ammonia and or nitrites approach .50 do another 50% W/C - which could be daily or every few days but you will only know if you test each morning with your API test kit.
Again - best solution is to rehome or return the angels and keep up the water changes with the rest of the fish until you get the tank cycled.
As for feeding them with frozen food defrosted in water - always use tank water. Tap water will contain chlorine and could be harmful.

And by the way - it's a nice looking tank and I understand why you'd think the angels would be fine in it but, 1 adult angel is the max size for a 30 gallon and that's pushing it. Also, they will most likely start fighting soon and one or more may end up injured or dead. Sorry. that's just the way it goes with angels.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

[RadCazz]

Okay. I did a water change. I'm going to transport the Angels back to the pet store tomorrow. Hopefully, they will take them back as donations (I'm not looking for $ - only that they get a better home... I'm sorry to see them go.). I was told by the young salesperson that they would do fine in my tank. Oh well.
Hey, can you guys help me out in getting a larger tank? What I mean is, can you recommend a size, filter, heater, etc. so I can get it down right this time? I have some money saved up. I thought that with a 30 gal I'd have all this room! I believe I have the room/budget for a 55 gal but I'm at a loss as what to get to set it up properly.

[fishmommie]

Okay. I did a water change. I'm going to transport the Angels back to the pet store tomorrow. Hopefully, they will take them back as donations (I'm not looking for $ - only that they get a better home... I'm sorry to see them go.). I was told by the young salesperson that they would do fine in my tank. Oh well.
Hey, can you guys help me out in getting a larger tank? What I mean is, can you recommend a size, filter, heater, etc. so I can get it down right this time? I have some money saved up. I thought that with a 30 gal I'd have all this room! I believe I have the room/budget for a 55 gal but I'm at a loss as what to get to set it up properly.

Good for you. You're doing the right thing.
As for a 55, you have a lot of options there and it's all going to depend on what kind of fish you like and if they are compatible. If I were you, I'd start a new thread in the beginners section, post it as :need stocking/filtration help for 55 gal fresh water. First, I'd do a little reading - there are a ton of fish profiles here on the forum to get you started. In the meantime, you could go ahead and get your tank set up and start a fishless cycle (see stickies in beginners section) and by the time the tank is cycled in about 4 weeks, you will have a pretty fair idea of what you want to put in it. Also look through the fish compatibility threads ... I combed that section when I was planning my 90 gallon tank. You'll get a lot of ideas and help here. We all love planning tanks :o)

[Indian Woods Angels]

The problem with the fish not eating was a protozoan infection. If the feces were examined they were most likely stringy and clear. To cure a protozoan infection one would need to elevate the temperature to 90F for 6 days. If the fish were to eat a flake containing metronidazole would have been used. As it is these fish are now doomed. The store will not know that they were subjected to this situation.

[RadCazz]

I thought I was doing the right thing by bringing the 4 Angel fish back to the store where I had purchased them. I only had them for 2 days and was not aware of a said protozoan infection. Perhaps they already had it. Or perhaps, you are mistaken. It is so easy, taking in to account the anonymity of the Internet, to provide an answer that is both hurtful and a declaration of "look at a what a big brain I have."
But I have other pressing problems. The Butterfly Pleco I purchased will outgrow my tank. I was not told this by the retailer. Also, I have flourite substrate, which can be sharp and jagged, and now I find that my 3 cory's need smooth substrate. Also, also I was told that having 3 cory's together is good - but wasn't told that they all have to be the same type.
I wish I had found this website sooner. Apparently, fish retailers value profit over doing the right thing. I just want to get my fish to a good home and feel terrible about the undue stress I may have caused them.
Thank you fishmommie for the info you provided! I will do better research in my future attempt!