Swim bladder disease in Angelfish

[Jan]

Has anyone experienced swim bladder disease in their fish, particularly deep water angelfish? What did you observe? How did you treat? I'm trying to feed thawed skinned peas dipped in garlic extreme but it wont eat; it wont eat anything. The fish is in a vertical position most times and appears to be breathing heavy and fast. Every now and then it will swim in a horizontal position and chase females of the same species, but it continues to breath fast. He keeps going up to the corner where the overflow is and stays under the return in a vertical position, but never makes it to the top like many fish who are struggling to breath and gasp for air. I'm assuming swim bladder issue, but maybe it's something else. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Jan

Edited June 15, 2012 by Jan

[Jan]

No one? any suggestions at all??? C'mon folks. I'm stumped!

 

Has anyone experienced swim bladder disease in their fish, particularly deep water angelfish? What did you observe? How did you treat? I'm trying to feed thawed skinned peas dipped in garlic extreme but it wont eat; it wont eat anything. The fish is in a vertical position most times and appears to be breathing heavy and fast. Every now and then it will swim in a horizontal position and chase females of the same species, but it continues to breath fast. He keeps going up to the corner where the overflow is and stays under the return in a vertical position, but never makes it to the top like many fish who are struggling to breath and gasp for air. I'm assuming swim bladder issue, but maybe it's something else. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Jan

[davelin315]

Sounds like gill parasites. They can cause a fish to flare gills and position itself vertically and gasp versus swimming normally. Could also be a sign of flukes. I would look to how many times per minute it is breathing and if it has rapid breathing then I'd do a dip to see if any flukes fall off or you can see any gill parasites.

[L8 2 RISE]

What type of angel? I got a trio of multibars a couple years ago from a questionable supplier. Two got swim bladder infections and almost immediately died. The last one never ate and had some really bad internal parasites and died shortly after. Sorry I dont have anything better, cant remember what I tried, but it didnt work.

[Jan]

Ok. thanks so much, Dave. it's in QT with prazipro right now. I've not seen any improvement. He's breathing very fast. He'a gasping. I don't want to continue to stress it but I need to act fast. I don't think Angels do well with copper, do they. I'd treat it with copper in a heartbeat if I could. I've been researching this all day and I'm just stumped. Someone mentioned treat with antibiotics for bladder disease and that's where my q's came from.

 

I don't see anything in the gills or on it's body.

 

Sounds like gill parasites. They can cause a fish to flare gills and position itself vertically and gasp versus swimming normally. Could also be a sign of flukes. I would look to how many times per minute it is breathing and if it has rapid breathing then I'd do a dip to see if any flukes fall off or you can see any gill parasites.

[Jan]

I just turned off the lights and it's swimming fine. Could it be that this fish isn't ment to be in captivity? There isn't a spot on it. Looks very healthy.

[smallreef]

and your right,,, angels DONT do well with copper,,, just keep trying to feed it and see if it rights itself, cant do much other than that, that I know of

[Jan]

He gets excited about the food, especially nori, but he wont eat.

 

Last night I dipped him in fresh water for 3 mins. He handled it very well, but nothing. Then I dipped him in fresh water with epsom salt for a few minutes, JIC he's constipated. Constipation can cause swimming issues. Nothing! He's back in the QT in prazi. A bristle worm appeared out of no where last night, which really confused me. Small but very fat worm with short bristles came out of who knows where. This is a QT. It's totally bare except for a piece of PVC.

 

What I did notice last night is that he will go to the bottom when the lights are out. He's not gasping but his gills move very fast while he rests. He falls asleep fast too. I thought he was dying but as it turns out he was just asleep. He jumped up confused when I pocked him.

 

The next course of action, in two days, if I see no improvment with the prazi is to change the water and treat with antibiotics.

 

and your right,,, angels DONT do well with copper,,, just keep trying to feed it and see if it rights itself, cant do much other than that, that I know of

[Jan]

FLUKES or WORMS!!! and maybe bladder and gill disease. Why can't I ever have to deal with something simple? So fish is in prazi pro, but still in distress and not eating. If it's still breathing rapidly tomorrow I will do another FW dip, change water in QT and Tx with a broad spectrum antibiotic.

Edited June 17, 2012 by Jan