Sick angel, what to do? (1 Viewer)

[PoissonRouge]

I'm very sad and feel powerless today: A few days ago, I was observing my coral beauty going up and down in one corner of the tank close to the skimmer I have there, trying to hide sort of but since he's pretty palyful I thought this was a new game... Back after a three day trip (where fishes were still being taken care of at home), O come to not only discover him with a huge popeye (only one) and fins and talk chewed up. I thought the four striped damsel was the culprit (as he caused two recently introduced purple firefish, only one of which survived). But I just saw my bi-color angel chasing his mate like crazy! These guys have been cohabitants for a few months now so what could have triggered this?

Water parameters are ok (ammonia 0 and nitrates 10-20 max) and I do weekly WC (~20-25%).
I have no QT unfortunately and am not sure a freshwater dip would be enough for this poor angel if the other one continues chasing him.

I have a trap where the bicolor goes in an out of actually so:

1) should I remove the bicolor and/or the damsel? (the damsel is almost impossible to catch though...) And by removing, I mean finding them a new home obviously.
2) I was planning on getting my last two fish, i.e. yellow and kole tangs: are any of those bicolor or damsel a threat for them? What about the infected fish?

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[webster1234]

If popeye is just on one side and not both, it is from an injury, most likely due to fighting. Most will advise against keeping more than one dwarf angel in a tank, especially a 55g. Add a damsel into the mix and you are asking for big trouble. You are going to have to get the Coral beauty out and into a hospital tank to treat him. Go to pecto and buy a 10g tank and a $15 hob filter for circulation and put him in there. Can't cost you more than $40 total. I would treat the water with Paraguard as it is a broad spectrum antibiotic but not as harsh as KanaPlex or some of those. The popeye is from a secondary bacterial infection as a result of the bullying from the other fish. If you don't get him out, he won't get a break and will most likely perish within days. If you absolutely can't afford a qt TODAY, bring him to Pearland and I will take care of him for you.

Lastly, if you plan on keeping the CB, you should get rid of the bicolor and damsel. I would also pass on the Kole and the yellow tang. Your tank is really too small for these fish as they get big and will most likely become aggressive like you are experiencing now. You should really look at cardinals, gobies, firefish, etc or get a much larger tank.

Also do not fresh water dip this fish. There is no reason for that and you will only stress him more.

 

[PoissonRouge]

Thanks Webster1234. I'm afraid I won't be able to get the qt today. These two angels came together from a tank months ago where they were doing fine, and have been in my 55G. But I understand this may not last. And your advice on smaller and more peaceful fish is wise and I take in on board.
Anyone close by could help with this poor fish? Actually now the second eye seems also cloudy, but I definitely see the other angel chasing him.

 

[PoissonRouge]

So I had a big container and a filter and the angel is now in peacefully. How long can I keep him there? There's a heater and I put water from the tank.


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[webster1234]

Great. Try and put a few rocks or a big piece of pvc pipe or something for him to hang around and go in and out of. If you can spare some live rock from your tank, that'll be fine. Not sure how many gallons you have but monitor the ammonia daily and if it shows up, change some water. You should have him in at least 10 gallons of water. I suggest a 10g aquarium because it is easy to know how much water and consequently how much medication to add as it is dosed in mg or ml/gallon. I would try ParaGuard by Seachem first as it is the mildest on the fish. Dose according to directions for 7 days and monitor his eye. If after a week or so, if he's not improving, you might try something stronger like Kanaplex. Make sure you wait a few days before changing meds so that the old ones have gone inert in the water. Plan on keeping him in qt for at least a month. In the mean time, consider which one you are going to keep long term and make plans for the other fish.

 

[PoissonRouge]

Hi Webster1234, sad news this morning. Although the CB looked better last night, it didn't make it through and is RIP now. Those fish are unpredictable, they were hanging together all the time since I got them a few months ago so I couldn't have imagined that to happen.
Now I need to think through the next steps: I sure want to relocate the damsel. Not sure about the other angel. Would it be agressive against other species too? Smaller ones?
I have two clowns that are very quiet in their corner of the tank, a diamond goby and a purple firefish.
I can't get a larger tank, and I have seen many small tangs in 55G would it be that impossible to do? Sure thing is I won't be rushing. First need to catch the damsel and bring it to the LFS who has agreed to take him (unless someone else on MARSH wants him that is).

 

[webster1234]

Sorry you lost your fish. That is always discouraging. Not sure how big the tank was that the two angels came from but if yours is smaller, being cramped is the tighter space can lead to aggression where it may not have before. Kind of like being stuck in the same room with someone for a long period of time that you usually got along with. The other angel may be fine by himself. Just no other dwarf angels.

I would definitely get rid of the damsel before you get any other fish.
Tangs are fine....when they are small. Problem is, small tangs become big tangs rather quickly and you will have to re-home them in a year or less. And a tang isn’t going to be happy for long in a small tank. Tangs like to have swimming room. We all want to have a peaceful harmonious tank. Ask yourself if it is worth it to pick a nice fish, fall in love with it for a year, and then have to watch it go to someone else’s tank? or worse, be miserable in yours because he wants to do what he loves to do...swim? Tangs swim a lot of distance daily in the wild.

I really wouldn’t get any tangs if it were my tank. There are lots of beautiful fish that could spend their whole lives in a 55g tank and be happy. Stick with cardinals, blennies, firefish, clowns, dottybacks, gobies/pistol shrimps are cool, etc. Sometimes it helps to look on Liveaquaria and see what their recommended tank size is for whatever fish you might be interested in. Stick with fish that the recommended minimum tank size is 30 gallons. That will build in a margin of safety. They say minimum tank size for a yellow tang is 100g and Kole tang 70g. Even states minimum size for the dwarf angels is 70g. You should also stay away from “specialneeds” fish like mandarins. Save your dream fish for your dream tank.

Also, you already have 5 fish. IMO, I wouldn’t do more than7 fish in a 55 long term. I have quarantined more than that at one time in that size tank but I can see them getting stressed by the end of the first month and I only do it knowing they will be going to the 400 in short order.

 

[b.thompson516]

Don't want to push anyone's buttons, but I've had a yellow tang for 8 years now, in a 55g for 6, last 2 in a 65, and it looks great. This fish is somewhat smaller than maybe it would be at 8 years old in the wild or a huge tank, but it is healthy, very thick across the shoulders, and other than swimming real close to a recently added lawnmower blenny, probably due to them eating the same foods, had never given any of my other fish grief. I also have a black clown, royal dottyback and PJ cardinalfish. I do not agree with the "gotta have 100g plus" crowd for a yellow, this fish lives cruising around my tank, in and out of the 100lbs of live rock I got, has never scratched or bumped itself. And I used to have a coral beauty too, never bothered it either. Agree with low number of fish, got 5 in the 65 now, most I've ever had, will not put in another fish.

 

[PoissonRouge]

Thanks all for the feedback. I decided on having much more peaceful setting: the angel (which I liked very much) and the damsel started to harass each other as well as the other fish. I guess just like for other animals (or even people!!) it really depends on the individuals. So to please everyone, I have decided to part with both fish... It took a while yesterday, had to remove much of the rock work and got both fish safely out and to the LFS. Thanks Nick for taking them! This was a lifesaver for the other fish and the best decision I could have made:
Since I removed them, the two clowns who had been secluded in the right corner, are finally freely swimming all over the tank, and so does the purple firefish (who had been hiding from the damsel). The tank now has: the two clowns, two pajama cardinals, 3 firefish and the diamond goby. These are all relatively small and peaceful now.