Sick Angel? Swimming strangely?

**TheVoldevader** · 03-20-2012, 04:12 PM

I recently bought some fish - eight black phantom tetras, three cory cats and one veiled angel. I have them all in a bucket I am using to get them use to the tank's water. The cories and tetras aren't bothering the angel in the slightest, but he's leaning heavily to one side. His fins look fine and at the store he seemed healthy. I've never had an angel before, so I don't know if this is normal for them. Is he okay?

**imma24** · 03-20-2012, 04:24 PM

That's a lotta fish to buy at one time - your angel sounds quite stressed - probably from the move to your home as well as considering the bucket is small and there are toxins building in there due to fish waste/ammonia.

How long have they been in the bucket?

**Lady Hobbs** · 03-20-2012, 04:27 PM

What's the water temp in the bucket? Is there an airstone for oxygen?

Put the fish in the tank and shut the lights off. I hope you have a quarantine tank to put them in but if not, you have no choice but the tank where they will live.

What does "recently" bought some fish mean? Like........how long ago. You should not have to acclimate fish for much more than 15 minutes and maybe not at all if you bought them in the town where you live because the pH would probably be the same anyway.

What size is your tank?

**Honey Badger 1** · 03-20-2012, 04:43 PM

How much water is in the bucket? I have seen angels swim like that many times when the water isn't quite "tall" enough for them to feel comfortable.

**TheVoldevader** · 03-20-2012, 04:46 PM

Recently means about 30 minutes ago. They've been in the bucket for close to twenty - I really don't want to shock them - but I'm placing them in now. Will he be alright once he's in the tank? It's thirty seven gallons, cycled, with no other fish.

**TheVoldevader** · 03-20-2012, 04:47 PM

I didn't think of putting my air stone in, I feel so foolish now :( I was using it in my fry tank but once I put it in the bucket, the angel started swimming around, and seems fine now.

**Lady Hobbs** · 03-20-2012, 04:54 PM

Lights off. Let them calm down and rest up and don't feed them until tomorrow.

**TheVoldevader** · 03-20-2012, 04:59 PM

Great, thanks for the advice

While we're on the topic of angelfish, the sales person sold me sinking shrimp pellets for the cories. Can I feed them to the angel too?

**imma24** · 03-20-2012, 05:46 PM

I would think that if the angel goes to the bottom to grab them or manages to catch one on the way down then go for it : )
I have catfish pellets for my corys but my shrimp steal them sometimes instead of taking their algae tablets - many fish will accept much more than 1 type of food.

**TheVoldevader** · 05-07-2012, 12:14 PM

Hey, I figured instead of making a whole new thread I could just post again in here... the angelfish has been doing wonderfully so far. However I noticed three days ago she was leaving to one side. I did a water change and turned off the lights, but it didn't seem to help. Her top fin has a tear in it but nothing too major and none of the fish seem to be bugging her. I've put an extra airstone in there to try and help.

Any idea what's going on? She's eating fine and swimming strongly, just tilted, even when she's sleeping. I noticed this right after a waterchange - could I have hurt her without realizing it during the wc?