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Tetra - I read your other thread and noticed you mentioned that he often sparred with another angel. At any point did you notice a fight wound - even a missing scale? This would be enough to let something in, if the opportunity was there.

I find nitrate testers expire easily. If you are past or near the expiration date, get a new one. I like the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals version as they are cheap and easy to read. I end up throwing mine out at the end of the year.

Thanks much Cory. Your thinking what I'm thinking. Got the melafix, antibacterial food and a little salt going as of right now (so far I put 2 tablespoons into my 46gallon.) I don't have a hospital tank right now.

FYI - I did read that excess nitrate exposure can cause the fin rot, I was dosing some kno3, but I keep getting a zero test reading. I think my nitrAte test kit is bad.

Last edited by tetratech at 08-Apr-2005 19:56

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Did you sterilize the plants? Maybe something got into the tank?

Columnaris is a huge culprit in aquarium sicknesses and it has so many faces. It can cause a type of finrot and is responsible for mouth fungus, body fungus. It also causes something called saddleback lesions and lesions at the caudal peduncle. It can even cause lifting of just a few scales on some fish, or it can cause a white outline on an area of scales. Certain ulcer like features can also be columnaris. I've got several fish medical books, each with many pictures of fish with columanris infection and it is staggering just how many ways it can manifest itself. If you have melafix and the fish is eating the medicated food that would help. The oral food would help the external infection much like tetracycline is used to clear pimples, but the melafix would give it a boost. A small amount of salt is almost a must with any open sore on the fin, gill or body. Even 1 tsp/5 gallons would replace electrolytes lost through exposed or irritated tissue. Such a small amount would not affect most plants. Predissolve it. I'd do Melafix and the small salt amount (in fact, I believe i recommended low dose salt for the same reason the other day). Salt, in itself, is not going to cure an infection in the tank that he is in. Sometimes really high doses can help with infections, but you could never do that with some of the other fish. Rather, use Melafix (Pimafix is even better) and a low dose salt.

Those white strands are coming off the fins. I'm pretty sure it's fin rot. Don't know how this fish got it, because my conditions are so pristine. Anyone recommend best treatment?

I wonder if it's getting stressed due to space.
It's a 46gallon, but pretty heavily planted.

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I think my Angel has fin rot. based on the description below it sounds pretty close. I didn't notice at first basically being a veil tail angel his fins are very flowing but I am noticing red at the ends.

"The fins begin to fray and get ragged, becoming shorter over time. Usually the edges look white, and may even develop a fuzzy growth due to secondary Cotton Wool infection. A the disease advances the area may become red an inflamed, with bloody patches appearing as more of the fin is eaten away"

I guess melafix or salt.


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You can crush it if you must. Jungle states this in the lit with it so that smaller fish can eat it. The cracked pieces can be sunk for bottom feeders. I'm thinking the angel may have an easier time eating in smaller pieces.

If you can, try to look head on into the mouth. If the mouth is open much of the time, look for cotton. Sometimes mouth fungus starts inside the mouth, then progresses to eat through. This is another possibility.

I didn't notice when I first put it in, but she did attempt to eat this morning (regular food), so I'll keep trying during the day.

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Did she eat it??

Hey Cory,

Got the Jungle Anti-Bacteria food today.
Now trying to get Angel to eat. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for your help

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White stuff could be excess slime. I gotta ask you to look again and see if this poor fish has flared gills or gills that are moving rapidly?

The med you want to get is Anti-Bacteria. If you can afford to get both, get them as timing is often of the essence.

I'm back.

No definitely not the heater or sharp object.
How do you tell the difference if it's internal parasite or internal bacterial infection.

I think your right Cory about it being an infection.
I want to go out tomorrow and find the right food w/medicine. I see Jungle makes both bacterial and parasitic.

I'm pretty sure I saw some transulent with stuff come out of it's mouth and disappear.

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To that affect,

Any sharp decorations in the tank???


Angel eel

I had a crazy thought......Any chance the angel got too close to the heater - like nearly laying on it?

If you have the loot you should go to a wal mart or something and buy a rubbermaid container, or even a 10 gallon if you got the money. Try and seperate the fish as was said.


I asked you in another thread if you had a pic.. you said no, but I see one here now, thats good.
Try adding salt as well, I did this with one of my angels red lines went away right away.


Keep up on water changes NO MATTER WHAT!!!!

and listen to Cory-di
Everything sounds perfect in even better ways that I could say them =p

I will keep looking in refrences to see if I come up with someone with the same problem, and got rid of it...

Angel Eel



Last edited by angeleel at 07-Apr-2005 21:11

Thanks Cory!

Definitely no wounds from another angel. This angel has always been dominating and just chases the other one out of the way during feeding.

I checked my ph this morning before lights on and it appeared to be around 6.8 to 7.0, which is normal for my tank, maybe alittle low.

I have stopped my co2 cocktail for now just to be on the safe side and I'm going to do another water change today.

The fish is stil doing the same thing. From the outside the fish looks normal, except for the red veins under the lips.

By the way all my other fish are fine even my cardinals, otos, rams, etc. so that would make since that it's an infection unfortunately. I'm going to try and run out this morning and find some of the medicated food you described.

It's very strange because this fish was the picture of health for a long time.



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I already posted once, but only got one response.
A marble angel I've had for over a year, that was the picture of health over the last few days has looked flush almost with a pinkish hue. He's eating very little and he was the most aggressive eater in the tank.

There is definitely red looking color most notably where has pectoral fins meet the body and the rest of his fins have that pinkish hue.

The only think I've done definitely recently is the co2 cocktail described by piscesgirl:

Sugar, baking soda, yeast, protein drink mix

All my parameters are bascially nil:
NH3, N03, N02, ph - 7, kh 3.5

Thanks for any helpful insight!

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If the pH had dropped to 6.0 abruptly, I'd lean in the direction of the pH affecting him. Abrupt drops or too low of pH can cause disorientation, and lurking at the surface. I would think acid burns could cause pink. But angels are tolerant of much lower pH levels than 7.0. Also, how are the other fish behaving? Your pH simply went down to 7.0 and you've been tinkering with some level of co2 for a while, with reduced pH right? Mine dropped to 6.8 in a very short time when I messed up and put a whole package of Fleischmann's yeast in that little hagen container. I was getting like 4-5 bubbles per second. The next thing I knew my 7.8 pH was 6.8 and I pulled the plug. I was amazed that no one was stressing and wondered if co2 drops in pH are more tolerable to them. Not one fish even turned pale. I almost had a heart attack and they just wanted food.

I truly hope I am wrong in leaning towards infection.

One of the things I've seen repeatedly as they progress with certain internal infections, that involve hemorrhaging, is disorientation. The fish will get spooked when it tries to move and finds itself disoriented. This leads to darting wildly and awkwardly (like a drunk on triple java). They try to stay in one place for a while and when disturbed they go wild. If you've ever had vertigo, you will understand what they are feeling at these moments (bed spinds after too much liquor would help, as well). This is the infection invading the central nervous system. I witnessed it in two sets of fish I had in q-tine at different times and both had septicemia, which is a condition in which there is massive internal hemorrhaging. Septicemia isn't always rooted in infection, but often is. I did some research and learned that some bacteria that will cause septicemia can attack the CNS as I had seen. When I see any type of external infection or parasitic infestation, I'm more concerned with that stealthy internal infection that is capable of striking. All it needs is an entry. Once it gets a grip it can be too late. Watch the belly carefully and if it is transparent enough, you may see blood pooling in the abdomen, especially if you can get light through it.

I recently lost a habrosus cory as I battle a very stubborn erosion of the barbels. Despite low nitrates, glass bottom, high protein diet, antibiotics, antiparasitics, they continue to erode. It ate into the face of one. Within 24 hours or so before he died, he got listless, stayed in one place, respiration went up, and then when I found his body the next morning, I could clearly see a pool of blood thru his white body (looks like a red or purple-red bruise and some will show outward streaks on the belly). He also had blood at the vent - another common sign that they are hemorrhaging internally. Much damage is happening at this point. I could euthanize, but I generally make them comfortable and make sure no one can disturb them as they often slip away during the night. In the final stage, they often fall to their sides on the bottom 1-3 hours before they expire. In periods when they are not moving around the tank, I truly believe they are bordering on unconsciousness.

If he has what I think he does, you may find that he slipped away by morning. By all accounts I'm suppose to recommend quarantine so that nobody feeds on him if he does because it increases their chances of meeting the same fate. But I must confess that when I see a fish heading down that path, I don't want to add to their fright. I just make sure I check the tank early and get them out if they have expired.

If the unthinkable happens, it is very important to just check the body in general for anything obvious. Look at the belly and the vent for signs of bleeding. The eyes may also look unusually blood shot. If you see this, I highly recommend that you find some medicated food and start feeding the tank. Such bacteria can slowly pick off your fish gradually over days, weeks or even months.

Lets hope he surprises us and is swimming around looking for his morning meal in the AM. I would love to be wrong on this one.

Last edited by Cory_Di at 06-Apr-2005 21:44

Thanks for eliminating that SirBooks. The only visible signs of a problem are:

1. Loofing near the back top corner of tank.
2. Red veins right under lip area.
3. Once in a while he'll jut around quickly actually banking into the glass.


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Some plants are, but I can't think of any that are commonly kept in aquariums. I know that sunset Hygro plants are not poisonous, fish such as silver dollars love nibbling them. Your angel probably wasn't harmed by picking at the plant, unless there were parasites on it or something.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."