Help ID Angelfish disease
Capien wrote,
small holes in its fins right at the base where they join with the
body. The two holes on the bottom fin showed up 3 days ago 4/25, the
one on the top sometime in the last 9 hours while I was working. The
large splotch in the middle I'm not sure if it's related or not but
it's growing larger.......
Almost looks like a bacteria virus called Lymphocystis - if so, a
tablespoon of salt per 5 gals. should make it disappear in a week...
Otherwise looks to be a bacterial fungus, treated with an anti-fungus
and antibiotic. Tetra makes (or made) a medicated food called
Metronidazole that would work great, otherwise try treating with
Hex-A-mit...
I change about 5% of water twice a week.....
Most likely what has brought on this infection. Uneaten foods and fish
waste decompose and produce organic and inorganic compounds. What solid
waste that is picked up by your canister filter is traped within the
filters media, only to be dissolved as the water flow passes by. The
dissolved pollutants are then pumped back into the tank as DOCs
(dissolved organic compounds) which slowly accumulate. For an average
pollutant load, a weekly 20% water change leaves about 30 days of
accumulated DOC pollutants in the tank. That's the trouble with todays
power filters/filter media, they keep water clear, even when they start
to become polluted. Clear water does not necessary mean that the water
is good! High levels of DOC pollutants create conditions that encourage
disease, parasites, and opportunistic bacteria. If your tank isn't a
planted tank, you should be doing at least two 20% weekly water changes
with gravel vacs. With a well planted tank, you *might* get away with
only one 20% weekly water change. Any less than that, your water
quality deteriorates a little more with each passing week...
supplement it with some red
wriggler worms ...........
Each angelfish has been eating about 2 worms per week....
As angelfish age, hole-in-the-head (HITH) disease becomes common and is
beleaved to be due to poor water quality and a mineral/vitamin 'D'
imbalance. Red earthworms have high levels of vitamin 'D' - feeding
them twice a week is great, but feed them as much as they can eat per
feeding........... Frank
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