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Need Help with Sick Emperor Angel... env...
Crypt 1/10/08 Hi Crew, <Jim> I need your help. I woke
up this morning and my Emperor Angel is bloated around the belly and
swimming hard to stay down in the water column. From what I have read
on your website that is likely a bacterial infection. But I am not sure
how to proceed with treatment. <Mmmm> Let me describe the
sequence of events: The tank is a 150G (long), Fish Only, Wet/Dry (I
know, not the best, but it has been set up for almost 12 years and I
haven't wanted to mess with it), Berlin protein skimmer (again, I
know, not the best and scheduled for replacement--but it has seemed to
work adequately on this non-reef aquarium), Vecton UV sterilizer. Had
six fish before emperor--raccoon BF, large Foxface (have had 7+
years--how long do they live?), <At least 10-12> Volitans lion,
pair of Bluejaw trigger, small v-tail grouper. >Yikes... packed
in!< The grouper was the newest fish--added this spring. Nothing
else in the he last two years. When I got the butterfly, direct from a
diver in Hawaii, it seemed to have a small white spot on its
side--looked like it might be an external parasite. <No worries>
It wasn't growing or seeming to affect the fish, so I left it
alone. Don't know if that was the right call or not--but over the
years I think my efforts at "treating" sick fish have done
more harm than good, so I try to adopt a "wait and see"
approach. <You are wise here> In November, the spots began to
multiply and get larger. I would have liked to add a biological
cleaner, but couldn't figure out anything the lion wouldn't
eat. I finally removed the fish to a QT tank with a cleaner goby, who
went to town. <Ah, good> For Christmas, my wife bought me the
emperor--I've been wanting one for years. Fish arrived FedEx, very
healthy. I acclimated him straight into the display--I know, QT is of
vital importance, but my only QT at present is a 20G, and I
wouldn't have wanted to QT a 7" angel <... Jim... your main
tank is way too crowded...> in a 20 even if the BF weren't
already there. I am working on procuring and setting up a 55G QT. I
noticed a day or two later that the emperor was only using one gill
about half the time. Then after about a week, the emperor developed a
case of ich. I immediately lowered specific gravity to 1.009, and dosed
with OrganiCure (not sure I should have done the OrganiCure in
retrospect, but I was extremely anxious). Emperor was clearly
distressed and his eyes clouded up slightly, but was still eating well
and breathing almost normally, and about 24-48 hours after I lowered
the specific gravity everything seemed to improve. I know that the
cysts would have fallen off anyway as part of their life cycle. I also
know they could come raging back in two or three weeks, <Sooner>
but I am hoping the UV and the lowered SG will mitigate against this. I
also saw a couple spots on the BF too (I had just returned him before
the outbreak, possibly prematurely, but again--he is large and a 20G
can only be stable with a 5" fish for so long), but nobody else
seemed affected. Everyone was doing great, emperor was cleared up
except for the slightly cloudy eyes, which I attributed to the stress
<And the medication... the formalin principally> of the ich and
which were slowly improving. Then this morning I got up to find the
emperor swimming hard for the bottom, very bloated. <... yes...>
Water parameters have been good in the past--Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0,
Nitrate => 10 ppm. I don't check alkalinity, calcium, etc. since
it is FO. I will check the main parameters after work this afternoon,
and perform a 20% water change as a general measure (there was of
course a massive water change when I lowered the SG). What else can I
do? <... really? Move all to larger or more "spread out"
quarters...> Should I really put the fish through the stress of
trying to remove him (there's a lot of rockwork) and QT in a 20G
tank? Medicate food with antibiotics? <Not efficacious> Just keep
water quality good and wait? <This would be best... if there was
more space...> Please advise--I don't want to lose this fish
after waiting 5 years to get one. Thank again for your help. Jim
<... the Emperor alone needs more than 150 gallons... Don't
think it will do enough good to ask you to read on WWM re Pomacanthus
imperator... or the "origins" of Crypt... but the situation
you're in is predictable from your statements above... No
quarantine, the use of OrganiCure, the crowding... Do you see this? I
would move as many of the fishes here to other quarters as practical...
and, yes... read on WWM re the above mentioned topics... then,
let's chat. Bob Fenner> Imperator Angelfish not eating, help please, thanks in
advance, "Fix" f' 7/12/07 Good Day,
First, thank you very much for your service that you provide. My
question is my Imperator Angel is not eating. I received the fish about
5 days a go, and the size is about 6-7 inches. <Mmm, a bit larger
than ideal... large/r specimens don't ship, adapt as well as ones a
bit smaller (3-4" overall length or so) to captive conditions>
He is nice and fat as well. I have him in a 150 gallon tank, with a
Niger trigger, <This may be a factor> a snow flake eel (8
inches), a yellow belly damsel, and a coral beauty about 3 inches. I
have the following tank setup: All water parameters test good,
temperature is constantly around 78 -80 degrees. 150 lb.s of live rock,
150 gallon SeaClone skimmer, 1"-2" layer of crush coral for a
bed, 10 gallon tank connected to the sump filled with Chaetomorpha, a
18 watt UV sterilizer, and a few pieces of live rock where the bio
balls used to be. Salinity is 1.023. Also, have a bag of carbon setting
in the sump. Also, have an air stone running on the left side of the
tank to provide plenty of oxygenated water. I have tried feeding him
frozen mysis shrimp, krill, Nori, flakes, pellets, and clam bits from
the grocery store. <Good...> Tried a mix of the foods listed with
garlic guard, and still no luck. I did place a strip of Nori on a clip
on the glass, but all he did was go up to the Nori and investigate it.3
I did notice to day that he was breathing heavy on the right side gill
and not using the left side. I did change out 60 gallons three days
ago. Any suggestions would be great. I really want to stay away from
medications and Pima and Mela fix. <Worthless> I have always lost
fish when I used these products. Again, thanks in advance, Stuart
<Five days is actually too short a time to really begin worrying...
I would keep trying the assortment you list... perhaps adding a whole,
opened small bivalve... and soaking in a vitamin prep.... these also
double as appetite stimulants. Bob Fenner> Emperor Angle is Sick!!! Crypt Most Likely 6/26/07 Hey guys
<Hello> I bought a adult Emperor Angle, 5 inches, a few weeks ago
and he's getting white spots all over him and also really tiny
white spots on the eyes. <Sounds like Ich, Cryptocaryon irritans, to
me.> Everyone else in the tank is doing fine my toxic ammonia is at
0.014 I did a 25 % water change and its still reading the same.
He's eating but acting kinda funny twitching and stuff. I read
about lowering the sp gravity. What do you think I should do? I'm
setting up my quarantine tank now, <This is what you should do.>
I know I should of did that a long time ago and I'm kicking my self
in the butt rite now for not doing it. But this will be my schooling on
that one!!!! Is there any fast set ups on the Q tank I can do to get
him rite in there? <Yes, just need to do daily water changes.>
Any meds I can use in the main tank without killing my liverock?
<No> I know you have the info on the site but it would take me
awhile to find it and I don't want to lose him!!! Please help
him!!! Thanks a lot Todd <Lots to read here. Start here
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm , here
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/QuarMarFishes.htm , and here
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichart2mar.htm .> <Chris> Sick Imperator Angel - 3/23/07 Hey guys, <And some wonderful gals, too! JustinN with you today.> I need some help, quickly. <Ok, I'll see what I can offer..> My son has a 125 gallon reef tank that's about 2 months old. <This is still a very new, very immature tank.> He bought a juvenile Imperator 2-3 weeks ago and he has been eating but has gotten really pale. <How large of an Imperator are we talking here, and furthermore, what color pattern does it bear? If it still has its banded coloration of youth, then the fading is part of the natural transition. These fish go through an amazing appearance change as they mature, as do many other marine angelfishes. Part of this transformation includes an awkward fade to white.> His color seems to be draining out of him. He is almost white. <Sounds like maturity to me, though hard to tell without a picture for certain.> He is now down in a corner of the tank today and not looking great. Breathing heavy and not moving much. <Hmm, peculiar indeed. Let me ask, is there any live rock in this aquarium? All species contained within will benefit from some, but the angel and tang will be ill-served, at least in my opinion, without some provided live rock for grazing.> I checked his water and the levels look good- unless I am reading the stick wrong. <Stick? As in dip stick? Toss these things, please. Worth slightly more than bupkiss. Do move to a reliable liquid test, such as Seachem, Salifert, or Aquarium Pharmaceuticals -- for your sanity and your fishes sake! The strips you currently use are incredibly inaccurate, and are greatly affected by many environmental factors, making the results even less reliable.> There are 2 gobies, a yellow Tang and 5 yellow tailed blue damsels in with him. He seemed fine until today, just his color was fading. <Quite a bit of life already in this tank, considering its age. I realize this is a big aquarium, and the natural instinct is to fill it teeming with life, however, this is not what is beneficial for your aquatic charges. This tank should have live rock in it, allowed to mature for 4-6 months, before you had even considered adding the yellow tang and the Imperator angelfish. These are both quite sensitive, and somewhat difficult to maintain fish, especially for beginners, due to their advanced requirements of space and dietary requirements.> What do we need to do to save him, or make him happy again! help! <First, get some proper water testing equipment, or barring that, have a local fish store test the water quality, to get an accurate idea of what is going on in your tank. Second, if you're not already, you need to start providing some sea greens for your angel and tang, such as the many available preparations of Nori (the seaweed wraps typically used in the making of sushi). Beyond this, and the factors of the immature tank I spoke of previously, I don't see anything glaring that could be leading to a problem here. Hope this helps you! -JustinN> Leslie- Pete's mom Re: Rapid Breathing Emperor 1/26/07 Bob, thanks for your input on my "declining" situation. Yes, unfortunately this problem has gotten worse. The day of your response my powder blue tang began to scratch on the rocks. Just slight little brushes. Nothing too aggressive, but still displaying some irritation. He did this occasionally for about four days, and then I observed my emperor angel flash on one occasion. NOT GOOD! I performed a 20% water change. I did this in hope that there was some kind of water quality issue that my test kit could not pick up. I watch my fish very closely, and as of now it has been a few days since I have witnessed anything like this. <Mmm... the Crypt will be back... is just cycling...> They are both eating very well and appear to be calm. I have never seen a spot on either one of them. If I was a betting man I would say that my emperor angel has been subclinically harboring parasites this whole time and once he was moved to the tank with my ich magnet they are beginning to gain the upper hand. <Agreed> I understand about the life cycle of ich, and I am also aware that the apparent improvement is probably just ich (or some other pathogen) rallying the troops for another assault on my finned friends. <Correct> I guess because of the fact that I have yet to see any spots I am reluctant to treat these copper sensitive fish. Am I just being ignorant by thinking that at this point I can beat this thing with good nutrition, vitamin supplements, garlic( unproven, I know), and good water quality. Obviously this would be ideal, but I fear by doing this the situation could spiral out of control. I have read and experienced first hand how fast these parasites can manifest themselves and kill. My first fish, a auriga butterfly, died three days after showing spots. I don't imagine the PBT will fair much better. Bob, I regard your opinion t be the best available, and I could sure use it right now. Thanks a bunch, Jim <A matter of a bunch of review, reading: http://wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm and the many files above. BobF> Emperor Angel With HLLE - 06/01/2006 Hey guys! What are the common causes of Head and Lateral Line Disease for Marine Angels? <Primarily dietary deficiency.... Start reading here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hllefaqs.htm and note that though freshwater HLLE is often caused by Hexamita, in marine fishes, it's almost always nutritional.> I have a 4" Emperor with it and I am just racking my brains trying to find the cause. Good thing is that he is healthy as a horse and has quite the appetite. <Ah, good.> I have read that if I can find the cause and fix it that I can reverse its effect on the fish. Is this true? <To an extent, yes.> I have been feeding my Angel "Sally's San Francisco Bay Brand" frozen food for angel and butterfly. He also gets Formula two, and on occasion brine shrimp plus and mysis shrimp. I feed very generous amounts of red and green algae. I have just today switched his Angel food with Hikari Mega Marine Angel frozen food. It seemed to have more sponge in it. <Try Ocean Nutrition's foods, too.> I also just today began soaking all the food in Zoe. <I would switch this to Selco/Selcon and/or Vita-Chem.> It is not the water conditions. I have awesome water quality. Never any algae blooms, the tank is very mature. The ph though is a little on the low side, 8.1... <.... not awesome.> it has always been this way no matter what I do or what I try (my husbands tank has the very same issue). <Please try to get to the bottom of this issue, raise to 8.3.> I have had my fish for a very long time and the Angel is the only one showing ill health. That's why I suspected it may be a dietary issue? <Almost definitely.> Don't know if this has anything to do with it, but my stocking list is 1- 6" Naso, a Sailfin Tang, 6 blue-green Chromis, an algae blenny, a flame angel, a pair of Sebae clowns and a black and silver cardinal. They are in a 6' long 150 gallon tank. They seem pretty tolerant of one another. <I see no real problems with this mix; good choices.> Any help would be appreciated. <If you don't already, consider having live rock in the aquarium, or if your rock is more than a few years old, consider switching some/much of it out for new. This new rock would first need to be cured, of course, before adding to the established tank.> Thanks, The Melendez Family P.S. How do I check for a reply? I am not sure what this would be posted under or how to get there from the home page. (Yes...I have to be spoon-fed lol). <Will be posted.... under HLLE FAQs of all places! Also on the dailies for a day, also replied to your email address. We try to cover our bases (grin)> Thanks again. <Glad to be of service. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Emperor angel problem 2/23/06 Dear Bob and colleagues Please help I have a 100 gallon home display tank and a 200 gallon sump). There has been a sudden chain of events causing an issue with my tanks members, especially the 3 year old emperor angel. My water parameters are as follows;pH8.2 , ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20ppm ,sg 1026 and temperature 24.7 centigrade. These were taken this morning before tank lights were switched on. Other hardware includes Deltec AP850 skimmer, phosphate (ROWAphos) fluidized filter and wet/dry filter (maybe why I cant get lower nitrates!) <Likely, yes> Following an ich outbreak on my C. Lunula, I treated the system with Myaxin solution for 5 days, but still lost him unfortunately. It has resulted in the emperor showing very distressed symptoms (rapid gill movements, loss of appetite and hiding away but no obvious bodily ich signs). During this period I lost an Anthias with no obvious causes but the remaining tank members seem fine (comprising 2 Hawkfish, purple tang, blue tang, green Chromis and 3 convict blennies). The soft corals showed minor irritation but seem fine now. When I switched the UV sterilizer(30Watt) back on, did this result in any toxic shock chemicals? <Not likely> I have now tried a 30% water change and the addition of carbon filtration to try and improve matters but I am still most concerned about my emperor. Are there any further suggestions you might offer? Best regards Dave K from the UK <Not from the information provided. Have you read on WWM re this species? Please do so: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/pomacanthus/imperator.htm And the linked files above. Hopefully something will "pop up" here re your situation. Bob Fenner> "The soft corals showed minor irritation but seem fine now. Are there any further suggestions you might offer? Best regards Dave K from the UK" <Actually... on a moments reflection, the problem is likely the negative reaction you list re the soft corals... These are very likely poisoning your system, consequent from the Myxacin... I would add a good deal of activated carbon to your filter flow path, and execute a series of 10-20% water changes every few days to dilute their effects. BobF> Emperor Angel mouth problem 1/25/06 Dear Crew, <Dana> I have a 5 1/2" Emperor Angel whom I have had for just under 2 years. He has always been healthy, eats everything, and has almost completely changed over to his adult form. He is perfect in every way but one. Over the last six months, I noticed that his mouth looked different than it should (I had one many years ago, plus see them in LFS and photos). I have had no luck taking photos that clearly show what I am talking about, so I shall attempt to describe his mouth. Quite simply, it looks as if someone grabbed it with a pair of pliers and pulled it forward. There does not appear to be any growths on it, more like it has cracks in it. His mouth does protrude out, the bottom more so than the top. I can see what appear to be blood vessels under the skin in this area, and he is no longer able to close his mouth completely. It does not appear to bother him, as he is still eating quite well. But I am concerned that what originally looked like a "not so perfect specimen" now looks like something is obviously wrong. I did search your FAQs, and did find a couple of posts about tumors of the mouth, but neither of the posts offered a description for comparison. If this is a tumor, do you have any advice for a remedy? <Maybe a tumor, perhaps a genetic anomaly... could be resultant from a "bump" long ago... No remedy though...> Are my other fish in any danger? <Highly unlikely, no> I am not certain if this is related, but I have twice seen him breathing rapidly out of a single gill only (found several posts on this as well, but no clear answers), <Probably not a problem or related. Just something they do at times> but minutes later was breathing normally. Oh yes - water quality is excellent, with near zero nitrates and phosphates, pH is 8.2, temp 77. The tank is a 240 with 200 lbs. of live rock, though this was only added a few months ago. All other fish in the tank have perfect health. His diet includes virtually every frozen marine fish food on the market (I believe in variety!) fed twice a day, with dried seaweed fed twice a week. Your help and advice is greatly appreciated. Dana <I would soak the foods, algae in a vitamin/HUFA supplement (like Selcon, Microvit...), but otherwise do nothing else here. If this is a developmental disorder, or tumor as you speculate, hopefully it will spontaneously remit. Bob Fenner> Emperor Acclimation - 01/09/2006 This is my third emperor in about 4 months. The first two were teeny tiny juv.s (about an inch long) <Too small to start... shame on the collectors> this one is probably twice that size, maybe a little more. I thought a slightly older one might get over whatever am missing. <Better at 3-4 inches overall length> Its starting off in a 30 gallon fish only ( yes I know, please don't hurt me! ) <You will do this yourself> Its tankmates are 3 cinnamon clowns and a bi-color blenny. <Too small a volume. I hope they are leaving the angel alone> The first two days after getting him home he seemed fine, swimming around picking at the rocks etc. But now after a few days, and like the last two he is staying at the top, not moving two much. His breathing seems normal, his fins seem fine, coloration gets white and blotchy occasionally, but from what I've read here, and what I can see, probably cause he isn't happy about something. <Like your grammar> I did probably about a 10% water change, maybe a little more. My readings all "appear "normal, ammonia and nitrite at 0.0 and my nitrate at 10, is that normal? <Mmm, okay, normal> I have to admit that my biggest success at saltwater was a panther grouper who got to about 6 or 7 inches from 1. <A very hardy aquarium species> Though I read they are the Oscars of saltwater fish. <An apt comparison> Back to the angel, ( sorry I have that a.d.d thing ) <Ahh, I have other shortcomings, not quite so popular> I have halfheartedly attempted feeding him different things, but if he isn't well that would be hard to get him to do? <Yes... or too stressed... I would not place a Pomacanthus angel in such a small system, with other fishes as you list...> Eat I mean. Right now I have the lights off in the tank and my fingers crossed. What have I done? If you can possibly tell from this incoherent rambling email. <Please take a read re our Emperor Angel materials: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/pomacanthus/imperator.htm and the linked files above. You can avoid mistakes with the knowledge archived there. Bob Fenner> Emperor angelfish with Ich 9/28/05 I have a fish only tank with live rock, tank size is 125 gallons with over125 pounds of live rock. I just purchased an emperor angel that is in the stages of changing, I made sure to take extra care in picking this fish out, no signs of problems with it when I bought it from the fish store, brought it home and acclimated it to my tank. The next morning I notice it had Ich on its body and none of the other fish have anything wrong with them even my yellow eyed tang with can get Ich very easy. I am planning on doing my weekly 10% water change tomorrow and I am wondering should I do a Formalin dip on the fish in a one gallon bucket with the water I take out or should I just wait the disease out since it is only on one fish and may be due to stress of the fish. Please let me know and I enjoy the web site very much haven't had to ask for any help yet as everything is on the site, thank you much. <Please check grammar, caps etc, then resend. As most of these queries are posted, we just don't have the time to edit queries before posting. <James (Salty Dog)><<James... too late... this fish was not quarantined, the whole system "has" ich/crypt now... refer folks to appropriate parts of the site... RMF>> Re: Yawning and Shaking Head of Volitans Lion, and Emperor Angel color Dear Bob, <Wendy> First of all, thank you for the advice on my lion - he is doing so much better!!! Maybe he was just going through a phase - sometimes I think I'm dealing with a two year old!!! LOL Anyway, I wanted to thank you for that. <Welcome and great to hear of your Lion's recovery> However, now I have what I think is a problem with my Imperator Angel (Pomacanthus imperator). He's not a juvenile and didn't buy him as such. The fish store said that he was caught as an adult. <Mmm, hopefully as a youngster with adult coloration... adapt to captivity much better> He had beautiful color when I got him and now it is really fading quick. It started off as small watch colorless patches - it's not Lymphocystis where the patches are more clumpy - this is definitely a color loss on his part. I've been feeding him plenty of algae (processed sheets), Spirulina, brine shrimp, omega 3 brine shrimp, angel and butterfly mixes, marine cuisine, and color enhanced flake foods. I don't think he's sick because his appetite is HUGE!!! Plus, he's been eating the slime algae that keeps assimilating on the sides of the glass like crazy - could that be it? <Mmm, maybe> He's in with three scissortail damsels - and they are only 1.5 inches - he's about four inches! All of his water parameters are fine - the salinity is 1.022, temp is 76, nitrate is zero, nitrite is zero, and ammonia is zero. Also his pH is 8.2. <I would definitely raise your specific gravity up to about near seawater strength (1.025)... and soak the non-dry foods in Selcon or equivalent... adding "mud" to your sump filtration, more live rock... might improve water quality, the fish's health, appearance as well> Please help - I don't want to lose him if he is sick!!! Thanks! Suzanne <The Angel may be simply "stressed"... there is room for this fish, places for it to hide out of your sight I hope/trust. Bob Fenner> Emperor Angel head, HLLE Hi, My friend has an Emperor angel with a blue tang, Columbian shark and a GSP. The angel has gotten some pink thing on his head that my friend and I can't identify. Is it fungus, HLLE, scratching on rocks? He also thinks that the blue tang might have the same thing. I don't know much about his tank except it has a little amount of live rock and it is a 30 gallon eclipse tank. I will ask him for his water <Is HLLE... please read on WWM re... improve nutrition, water quality... A thirty gallon system is too small for these species. Bob Fenner> Sick Emperor Angel 4/15/05 Hi, I just got a baby Emperor Angel (2.5 inches) about a month ago. The tank has been set up almost a year and a half. I have a protein skimmer and nitrates-10, ammonia-0, nitrites-0. All of a sudden the angel is kinda fading/blotchy in color and breathing rapidly, and hiding in the corner. I am feeding him mainly seaweed, Mysis and brine. Is this something that a dip will help or is there anything else I could do? Thank you, Adam <This doesn't sound like anything that a dip will help, but do rule out Amyloodinium (velvet) See here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/amylloodiniumart.htm I would guess that there is an environmental problem. I would suggest checking pH right before the lights come on in the morning and right before they go off at night. A large difference suggests deficient alkalinity (which should be tested as well!) or deficient gas exchange (requires more water movement and/or addition of skimmer if you don't have one). If you don't perform at least 10% monthly water changes, I would consider doing so, starting ASAP. If the fish has been healthy to this point, try to figure out what has changed. New tankmates (could be harassing or introduced disease)? Recent animal death? Equipment added or removed? Your food choices are reasonable, although brine is not very nutritious. I would suggest frozen "Pygmy Angel Formula" and/or "Angel Formula" by Ocean Nutrition. Both include a variety of wholesome foods and added vitamins and are well received. Best Regards. AdamC.> Emperor with ich Hello Crew! I have a quick question: I have an emperor angel in QT and he just came down with a few ICH spots. I know they are copper sensitive, what other med can I use to get rid of this? <I would try a freshwater dip, that should help. There really are no medications other than copper that effectively work. When using copper for angels don't exceed .15ppm of copper. If the fish shows stress, filter the copper out with activated carbon. Good luck. James (Salty Dog)> Emperor Angel Splotches Hi there,<Hello Ryan> I recently purchased an Imperator (Emperor) Angel for a LFS and with what appeared to be great success. Within the first day he began eating. I have been feeding him from a Marine frozen multi-pak. He eats all of this with as much enthusiasm as my fox face lo which is his new buddy, or so it appears. <<Not. RMF>>The problem is that he has developed light color blotches over his skin. Nothing like Ich, in fact he isn't scratching or breathing rapidly. He just has these discolorations that started on his fins and have progressed to the rest of his body. Could you give me an idea of what I might be dealing with? I am very involved with my hobby and am excited about maintaining this high-risk/ high-reward fish. <Ryan, if you or a friend has a digital camera, send a photo as an attachment so I could look at it. It very well may be marine velvet, but without looking at it I cannot make a judgment. James (Salty Dog)> Thanks, Ryan Angel with a cloudy eye Good day! Why my Emperor Angel have a cloudy eyes? << Usually a problem with dirty water. It can also be stress from fighting with other fish, but I usually see this type of thing in tanks that don't have enough biological filtration. >> Does it serious for angel fish? << It is serious because it can lead to further problems. >> What cause it and how to treat and avoid it in the future? << I think over feeding the tank and not having enough live rock are the main causes. I don't know if you can treat the fish, unless you move it to a hospital tank. I think you should try increasing your filtration and making you water quality better. That way you won't have any more fish getting sick. >> Thanks. Seng << Blundell >> This Emperor Has a "Royal" Problem! (Disease or Injury?) Good afternoon- <Hi there! Scott F. with you today> I have a sick Imperator angel, and after reading over the FAQ's, and not seeing anything closely related, decided to ask for help. I've had the angel for about 5 years and watched it grow from a juvenile to a large adult. For the last few years, it's been in a 180 FOWLR without problems. Up until about 8-9 days ago, it ate everything in sight, typically Formula 1 & 2, Mysis or Caulerpa and every week or so, I'd toss in a clam or green lip mussel from the local fish market. When the eating slowed down, I noticed what appeared to be a film over one eye, which also looked somewhat swollen or 'popped out' For the last 4-5 days, I haven't seen it eat anything. On occasion, it looks as if it will try, but quickly looses interest. All of the other tankmates are still looking happy and healthy, and none have been harassing it. The only 'harassment' has been when I come to the put food in, it usually runs off and hides, grunting along the way. There doesn't appear to be any external parasites, diseases, etc. The water checks out ok, temp. 78, 1.024, pH 8.2, and the nitrates at 25. The nitrates have generally been around 10-15, but I think due to the uneaten food, it's climbed up a bit. In the last week, I've done 2- 40 gallon water changes and I'm preparing the water for a 3rd. I've run carbon for 5 days or so, as I watch his condition go down hill. It now spends most of it's time hanging face down in a corner, or hidden back in the rocks. <Not good to see; this generally is indicative of a pretty sick fish. My initial thought was some sort of injury to the eye, which caused the bulging appearance. It may have become infected, too. The lack of appetite may be unrelated (the fish is simply uncomfortable and agitated due to the eye problem), or it could be indicative of some sort of bacterial or other infection. Rather than rush to medicate an undiagnosed illness with a potentially incorrect medication, you may want to try the old standby of Epsom salt in the tank water to help draw down the swelling. If the fish is continuing to display other disease signs, then you may want to isolate it and observe it more carefully, in the hope of diagnosing just what it is you're dealing with.> In one of the FAQ responses, you said to soak the food in Selcon. If the fish isn't eating, will the Selcon entice it to eat, or is it not worth the effort. <Selcon will certainly make the food that the fish does eat more nutritious; I'm not really sure if it will entice the fish to eat. It does have a "fishy" smell, so maybe there is some attraction provided.> Moving it to a hospital tank is also out of the question, as the largest tank I have is a 35 gal, and I'd never be able to get it out from the rocks. Thanks for your assistance. Andy <Well, Andy, lets hope that the passage of time, good water quality, Epsom salt and quality food will help this fish recover fully. Sometimes, that's all it takes! Hang in there, don't make any rash treatment decisions, and observe the fish carefully. Let us know if we may be of any further assistance. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.> Sick Imperator I sent this email on Monday, and haven't
seen or heard anything since, so I've resent it. Sorry
if it's a duplicate, and you just haven't answered it yet!
<We run behind at times...> Good afternoon- <Hello there> I
have a sick Imperator angel, and after reading over the FAQ's, and
not seeing anything closely related, I decided to ask for
help. I've had the angel for about 5 years and watched
it grow from a juvenile to a large adult. <How nice... a true
aquatic pet> For the last few years, it's been in a
180 FOWLR without problems. Up until about 8-9 days ago, it
ate everything in sight, typically Formula 1 & 2, Mysis or Caulerpa
and every week or so, I'd toss in a clam or green lip mussel from
the local fish market. <A good selection> When the
eating slowed down, I noticed what appeared to be a film over one eye,
which also looked somewhat swollen or 'popped
out' For the last 4-5 days, I haven't seen it eat
anything. <Yikes! Likely your angel bumped into something...
hasn't felt like feeding> On occasion, it looks as if it will
try, but quickly loses interest. All of the other tankmates
are still looking happy and healthy, and none have been harassing
it. The only 'harassment' has been when I come to
the put food in, it usually runs off and hides, grunting along the way.
<You have good hearing... they do vocalize> There doesn't
appear to be any external parasites, diseases, etc. The
water checks out ok, temp. 78, 1.024, pH 8.2, and the nitrates at
25. The nitrates have generally been around 10-15, but I
think due to the uneaten food, it's climbed up a bit. <Likely
so> In the last week, I've done 2- 40 gallon water changes and
I'm preparing the water for a 3rd. I've run carbon
for 5 days or so, as I watch his condition go down hill. It
now spends most of it's time hanging face down in a corner, or
hidden back in the rocks. In one of the FAQ responses, you
said to soak the food in Selcon. If the fish isn't
eating, will the Selcon entice it to eat, or is it not worth the
effort? <IS worth the effort> Moving it to a hospital tank is
also out of the question, as the largest tank I have is a 35 gal, and
I'd never be able to get it out from the rocks. Thanks
for your assistance. Andy <Andy, I would "risk" the
addition of Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate) here as an ameliorative... a
level teaspoon per five gallons... you can place this all at once...
and replace the bit removed with water changes... this addition will
hopefully speed the reduction in your angels eye-swelling... I would
not force feed this animal for at least another few weeks... keep
trying the opened shellfish every few days, remove if no interest
shown. Bob Fenner> Emperor Angel My Emperor Angel seems to be getting worse. It started with the itching and he has stopped that, then his big clear fins by his gills << pectoral fins >> seemed to get whitish and ragged, then his left bottom fin << pelvic fin >> looked like it had huge bits out of it, then his tail fin << caudal fin >> started looking raged, then right eye became cloudy, then whitish scales seemed to form on both eye (worst on the right), now his left eye is clear but his right eye is solid white and puffed out. A lot to be wrong with one fish. What would be your plan of action? << Get the fish out of the tank. I would definitely medicate this fish in a hospital tank. >> I would like to treat him with some kind of medication but I'm not sure what. << Start with tetracycline, copper, and garlic, or any common meds found in your local pet store. >>There are so many problems. Since he is the only fish in the tank...how bad could it be if I just treated him in the tank? << Well it depends. If you have coral and other inverts then it could be really bad. If this is (and always will be) a fish only tank, then not much to risk. >> It just seemed it would be easier on me and the fish if I just took out the star fish and snails and treated him in the main tank. << Easier yes, but I still wouldn't do it. The long term effects of the medication are too difficult to assess. Also, you can dose stronger in a hospital tank, because he won't always be in there, and it is easy to dose 20 gallons as opposed to a large tank. >> I could get another tank set up, probably twenty or thirty gallon but it is not cycled at all. Wouldn't ammonia and nitrite spike up and kill the angel? << You need to do water changes in this tank, and hang on filter or something like that would be helpful. >> When I was moving my tank, I placed my harlequin tusk (4") in a brand new 10 gallon system and he died from the ammonia spike overnight. << Try using water or some rock from your current tank, and add airstones and things like that. It is a risk, but I don't think your fish will survive otherwise. >> I don't want this to happen the my angel. What would you do and what would you use? << Copper and garlic for me. Hope that helps. >> Thanks for all your help, Andy << Adam Blundell >> Emperor Angel I have a 6" adult Emperor Angel and I think it has come down with some kind of disease. I believe that problem started with not so pristine water quality. After about a month and a half neglect, nitrate rose to about 35ppm. My emperor started thrashing in the water when the lights were out and the next day I would notice scratches on his body. Then I noticed the angel scratching himself on the coral and rocks. It is probably external parasites and I have given him a couple freshwater dips. This helped a lot but his right eye is becoming cloudier every day. Today I notice a small strand of browning strand stuck to his eye and it has double in size in about 15 hours (it is now about 3/4 cm). I do not have a separate tank to put him in but I do not want to treat with any kind of medication (not a fan of them). He is the only fish I have currently. << That is convenient. This will allow you to do things that would otherwise stress your other fish. >> He continues to eat very well despite the fact that he can't see the food when it is on his right side. Should I just continue with the freshwater dips and diet of premium angel food containing sponge, algae, plankton, and vitamin C... or should I begin some other treatment? << Seeing as how things are getting worse, not better, I would definitely try some other treatment. The first thing that comes to my mind is adding garlic to his food. Garlic is typically used for other ailments, but I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use it here. Another option is to catch and remove the fish. I like this idea since you don't have other tankmates. This way you can medicate him (which I understand you don't like) but not medicate your tank. That's what I would do.>>Thank you so much, Andy. << Adam Blundell >><...> The Emperor's New Illness? Hi, <Hello! Scott F. with you> Love the site , recommend to my fish loving friends. I have a 3 1/2 juvenile Emperor angel supposedly from the Red Sea! How can I tell in juvenile form? <The juvenile form is a "semi-circular" pattern of white on blue, designed to camouflage the fish in the dappled light on the reef.> Anyway, it has two problems 1) Continually gets a single dot of ich , no other fish has had any signs. This has been going on for 3 weeks. Tank is coppered. Levels are steady ( seems he is recreating ich rather than having it jump back on, theory based on copper levels.) <Not sure of that one. It's not good to leave a fish in copper for an extended period of time. You may want to try some freshwater dips in addition to the copper, as these can help alleviate the symptoms> 2)For 2 weeks now has a cottony growth on head above eye . . no signs of holes, behavior is normal , I'm not treating infection at this time, if that's what it is!!!! Note: had fish, mail ordered to me about 7 weeks ago , quarantined for 21 days w/o any problems. went into main tank got, picked on for a day, broke out with ich ,4 days later, and I coppered tank. <Not a great idea to use copper in the display tank...I hope that you are implying that you used copper in the extra (quarantine) tank? Be sure that you are maintaining a proper therapeutic level of copper, in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The cottony growth sounds fungal to me. Many of these fungal maladies go away by simply maintaining excellent water quality in the tank. If that doesn't work, medical intervention may be needed.> Water conditions are fine! Tank size 135 gal. tankmates are Sohal Tang juvenile, Blueline Trigger juvenile, Thanks, Bart <Well, Bart, if you are already treating with copper, keep a careful eye on the fish, and keep up those excellent water conditions. Good luck! Regards, Scott F> Making A Tough Call (Recovering Fish) Dear Scott, <Hi there!> Its me again. I'm sorry to disturb you again. I previously wrote to you regarding my emperor angel not using one of its gills. Thank GOD for answering prayer. It is OK now. It is not only breathing with both gills, but breath with ease ( 88 per min as compared to 120 per min just few days ago). <Really happy to hear that!> Its Ich or Velvet seems to be under control for now... eating is normal, breathing is normal, cloudy eyes starts to be clearer.... It is such joy to see it showing positive signs of recovery so fast, though not completely. That CU did help. Thanks!! <I'm glad that it's working for you!> I did NOT use Octozin on it as I suggested in my previous mail. Nor did I transfer it back to display tank. As it was a weekend & I did not get reply from you in time, I made a decision to retard the Cu treatment in hospital tank as I am more concerned of the water quality now that the angel's sickness is under control. I got a cleaner shrimp for it in the hospital tank. It helps a lot. <Good decision...> The tank was NOT medicated now. BUT, water quality is measured as Amm= 0.6 (reduced from 0.8 yesterday) , Nitrite = 0.25. Emperor shows no stress yet. Neither does the shrimp. Instead, I am the one that's stressed.... Following your advice, I have been changing water twice daily: between 20% - 45% each time. Mostly from water from display tank though I mixed from time to time with freshly made saltwater. Obviously the cycling happens now. I also have a Polyfilter & sponges from main display as stated previously. I need your helpful opinion on the situation I am in now. Having read all these abt toxic ammonia & nitrite, I am so tempted to move it back to main display & let the hospital tank goes through a quick cycle before I take it back to hosp tank to treat again OR I should stick it out & brave through the cycle with these maddening water changes conducted daily. Is this a tough one? It is for me. I don't mind to brave it out, only if I know what's the tolerance limit of Amm & nitrite for both cleaner & Emperor. Has any one that you know had similar experience in the past? <Yep...it is a tough call. It sounds horrible, as each life is precious- but I'd rather risk one fish then put the entire population at risk if you return the fish to the display. Keep at those water changes, use the Polyfilter, "kick start" the filtration with a "bacteria in a bottle" product if you must.> Sorry for rushing two letters in this short weekend to you & contradicting my stands in both. I hope for your understanding. Thanks again for your help, as usual. Best regards. <No apologies necessary at all! You made a very tough call and it seems to be working in your favor! Just stay on top of things; do your best to keep the water quality as high as possible, and be prepared to take any action you deem necessary to save this beautiful fish's life. Good luck the rest of the way! Regards, Scott F.> HLLE? Dear Scott F. <Back with you!> In furthering our
imperator diagnosis: Just to let you know about my water quality let me
tell you what I have and what I am doing. My 210 (home of the fish) has
2 Tidepool II running through a thirty five watt UV, an ocean clear
cartridge filter, I have a Berlin Turbo in one sump and I use a D-1
Diatom once a week till it clogs up. I am doing a 10 to 15% water
change weekly with RO water. The Tidepools have a blue pad,2 bags of
Chemi pure and bio stars in the three trays X 2. Judging by
what I am currently doing is there anything else I can do to improve
water quality? I would love your assessment and recommendations.
<Well, it sounds like your husbandry techniques are good. Assuming
that your water quality is up to par, that leaves only a few other
possibilities for HLLE, such as diet or the more exotic stuff, like
stray electrical voltage (you can use a grounding probe to help remove
stray voltage, BTW). I'd consider just about everything in your
assessment. I suppose that, if we're dealing with HLLE, it may be
diet...Even then, it may not be! That's one of the frustrating
things about this malady! I'd do some research, and continue to
maintain good water conditions and provide quality food, and observe
the fish's progress from there. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
thanks again Kirt Emperor with HLLD >Good afternoon folks at WWM, >>Greetings. >After exhausting all resources I am finally breaking down to ask you a question. First, let me start by giving you a brief description of my problem. I have an emperor angel that has developed a serious condition of HLLD. It is to the point that his entire face is almost completely pitted as well as his lateral line. I have followed all suggestions found in all your related articles but nothing seems to be working. >>It would be helpful to have an outline of what suggestions have been tried, to what extent, as well as timeline. In any event... >My tank is a 90 gal. FO, up and running for about 3 years, with some ornamental corals, one small piece of LR and about 2-3" of LS. Filtration is through a wet dry filter and protein skimmer of unknown type (a gift from a friend) which does produce cups of dark green product on a regular basis. I took your advice and bought a large Rubbermaid trash can and powerhead to mix my own water. Using Instant Ocean salt and Seachem's Prime for chlorine and chloramine removal and tapwater, I am able to do 10- 15 gal water changes each week (the LFS said no other chemicals were needed due to our water quality). When tested, all water qualities appear within normal limits. >>We prefer to know actual readings, test kit brand is helpful as well. As I'm sure you can understand, there are many varying definitions of "within normal limits" or "acceptable parameters". >Livestock includes: 1-emperor angel 4" beginning to change colors 1-hippo tang 5" 1-powder brown tang 4" 1-sailfin tang 4" in the recovering stages of HLLD >>This system is already overstocked, especially with consideration to adult sizes of these first four residents. >1-yellow tang 4" 2- small damsels (blue with yellow tails) 1-sebae clown with anemone 1-CB shrimp 2-sandsifter stars 2-useless brittle stars >>Believe me, they're not useless. >1-small queen conch multiple Astrea snails In the morning they are fed one cube each of Angel Formula and Formula Two by Ocean Nutrition soaked in Kent's Marine C, and in the evening one sheet of Nori and some silversides both soaked in Boyd's Vita-Chem. >>ALL these fish are fed only two cubes of frozen food? In my opinion they are underfed. Also, I MUCH prefer Selcon, and it can be ordered online. >On the recommendation of my LFS, I have installed a grounding probe. The only thing that I have not done is to add American Marine Selcon and this is due to not being able to find it locally. The LFS also suggested that if what I am doing does not work, that I could inject the vitamins directly into the base of the tail with a small syringe. Ever heard of that? >>Oh my goodness, an extreme measure, I think it would be more stressful than helpful. >The Sailfin tang also had a bout of HLLD but seems to be in the recovering stages. All fish have a healthy appetite and otherwise appear in great condition, everyone seems to be happy and getting along. What am I missing (besides a larger tank, which is hopefully in the future if my wife lets me)? I would really like to see my angel clear up and complete his color change. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Steve >>Personally, I would try using Selcon instead of the other vitamins, and I would definitely feed more. Also, if you can't get a larger tank VERY soon then I strongly suggest thinning the herd. Marina Emperor Angel sick? Hello, I just bought a 4-5 inch juvenile coloured Emperor angel a couple days ago and he's just beginning to feed on brine shrimp and Mysid and if there is any other nutritional food that i should be feeding him please tell me.<I would feed your angelfish a mixture of foodstuff...such as Nori-which can be purchased at a grocery store. I feed my angelfish Lifeline (green for herbivores) and I also soak all foodstuff in vitamins.>My problem is that I've noticed an oval shaped brownish faded sore about 1 cm in diameter and from a certain angle it kind of pokes out a little, but not that much. I have heard of white blotches that these guys get when there changing, but I'm not sure if its the same thing. Is this nutritional or a skin disease?<It could be a environmental disease...A picture would help greatly. BTW.. test your water and give me your results.. pH.. nitrates, nitrites, ammonia. SG--Good luck, IanB> Please help me I love these guys sooo much. thanks Emperor Angel fish disease? Hi, I just bought a 4-5 inch juvenile coloured Emperor Angel 3 days ago and I noticed a brownish pink discoloured spot on him about 1 cm in diameter. I am not sure if it is from transporting or if its a disease? Thanx <Did the spots look like the ones on the fish at this link? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/viraldislymph.htm If so your problem is a viral infection called Lymphocystis...If this is your problem please read the FAQ's that appear on the Lymphocystis page. Do keep in mind this is an environmental disease, so If it is a new fish I would not be too concerned. Good luck, IanB> Adult Emperor Angel with HLLE <howdy> I have an adult Emperor Angel (about 6") that I think has HLLE. About a week after I purchased him I say a large bump (about the size of half a peanut) on his head (above his eye). The next day it was smaller but had something that looked like 3 small white worms coming out of it. I thought it might be a parasite but the next day they were gone and there were holes left. <not likely parasites at all... infected nonetheless> It has been just 4 or 5 hole for about a week. It seems to be getting better with a diet of sponge but should I do anything else. Thank you very much, Andy <I fear that this fish was not put into a proper quarantine tank first. Else, these issues are easily treated there. Now in the display, we are somewhat handicapped. There's not a whole lot to treat in this case (ineffective in systems with substrate and a risk to killing the biological filter). Please do continue to feed well and do research and establish a QT tank ASAP. Best of luck! Anthony> - White Blotches on Emperor Angel - Hello. <Hi.> I am desperately trying to sift through all the info. on the web about angels. I have a 3.5 inch juvenile imperator angel who has white blotches to his pattern. Does not look like anything attached as it would with an ich type disease. He is eating and swimming about. My nitrates, nitrites, ammonia and salinity are all good. His eyes are clear. Is this just the beginning of his metamorphosis or is it a disease. <Sounds to me like an exhibition of the night/fright pattern on this fish. Typically shown when in an overall bad mood or nighttime. Not sure what your fish might be responding to, but have seen these blotchy patterns often enough on newly arrived or stressed fish. Do look for sources of stress in your tank, perhaps do a couple of large water changes to try and improve its mood.> Your advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Heather <Cheers, J -- > HLLE on Imperator Angel Bob, Long time no chat (as much as I enjoy reading your words of wisdom, long periods of silence are testaments to your good advise). <Perhaps> I have an Imperator with some light erosion on his face and lateral line. He's currently going through his color change, so I've tried to be especially good with his diet. <This and sterling water quality, and perhaps iodide/iodine supplementation are the best routes for avoiding and treating this malady> I randomly cycle the following: Ocean Nutrition Formula 2 flakes, frozen Spirulina Cubes, frozen Angel Formula cubes, frozen brine shrimp soaked overnight in Zoe Marine and Zoecon, Mysis shrimp and New Life Spectrum Marine Fish Formula pellets. I also usually keep a strip of red, green or purple dried seaweed in the tank for everyone. Also, I occasionally pick up a broken/dying piece of sponge from the pet store and throw it in there for the angel to pick on. <Very good> The tank's primary occupant is a Bonnethead shark, so there is some live rock (with encrusting sponge), although it's minimal (I sent you some photos in the past). I allow algae to grow on the back glass so there's always something to graze on. The water parameters are good (no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates or phosphates) with a pH of around 8 -- although I do keep the water a bit on the cool side (72 degrees). To combat the condition (started a few days ago), I've replaced the seaweed strips with broccoli (either raw or microwaved for about 15 seconds). I also tested for stray voltage using a volt meter. I was told by my local pet store to set the meter to 120V and check the wall current (checked out a little above 120), then place the negative probe in the wall socket and the positive probe in the water to check for any current. There was none. Am I doing this correctly? <Sounds like it> I also bought a grounding probe (figured it couldn't hurt with the shark in there), but when I plugged it into my power strip, I actually DID get a measurable current in the water, so I removed it (shark was NOT fond of the grounding probe experiment!!). <No... as you are likely aware... the Ampullae of Lorenzini...> I assume my problem was that I needed to plug the grounding probe into a verified grounded wall outlet rather than into a power strip - any suggestions?? <Mmm, the connection should have been fine... as long as both grounded... I would leave off with such a device> Also, since I have a fairly large algae scrubber (an Ecowheel), the store recommended the addition of Kent Marine Iodine and Coral-Vite. <Yes> Does algae consume Iodine? <Some do to a very large degree, yes> Can/should I soak foods in these solutions or is it best to administer these into the tank water? <Actually both. Daily for the foods, weekly for the system. Do utilize a test kit, see if you can get a "next day" concentration> I've started dosing the tank at about 1/2 the recommended dosage from the manufacturer. What do you think? Any other suggestion? <Not at this time> Also, I do regularly use carbon. About 5 lbs. in a 500 gallon tank, which I change out every month. I mention this as this might also be a potential cause for removing trace elements, although I know this is heavily debated. <Likely of small concern here. The "shark" effect, psychologically and water quality wise are more important for instance> By the way, the fish don't seem to really like the broccoli, although they might start giving it more consideration if I continue to withhold the algae strips. <I would return to the algae, you can eat the broccoli> Thanks again! Your suggestions are greatly appreciated. <As is your sharing. Bob Fenner> Head And Lateral Line Syndrome/Erosion Hi, I have a XL emperor angel. I had him for over a year now. He is in a 240 gallon tank with some Tangs. Doing great. My water parameters are fine. My question is that I started to notice two small holes on my emp.s face. Below his nostrils. There are two, one on each side. What could this be?? I notice that my Sohal tang has two holes on one side of his face too. Anyhow thanks. Lee <It sounds like the beginning of Head And Lateral Line Syndrome/Erosion. You can read about it here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hllefaqs.htm -Steven Pro> Emperor angelfish Hello, My name is Alena and I have been to your site many times. <<Hello to you.>> But have not found an answer to my problem. I have a 55 gallon tank that has been up and running for about 5 years now. Really haven't had any problems with it until now. I have a yellow tang, maroon clown bonded to a bulb anemone and a saddle puffer. I just recently got an juvenile emperor angelfish, which has been doing fine for a week now, but it looks as though it has a white pale coat, spread evenly over his body. The emperor eats, and acts fine, but he/she doesn't use its back body to swim (like he/she is stiff or paralyzed). It basically swims using only his/her side fins, but still swims around the tank like a normal fish. The emperor doesn't have any parasites on him/her, and I have researched many diseases on the internet that doesn't match what he/she has. The emperor has been like this for about two weeks now, and doesn't look like it has been getting better or worse. Now, I pulled the emperor out of the tank and put it in a QT tank that has been running for about two months, and treated it with CopperSafe to make sure parasites, that I couldn't see, were not the problem. He/she has been in the QT tank for 4 days now, but still the discoloration and lack of movement in the body still exists. I don't know what it might be, if you have any ideas what I can do please let me know. Thanks, Alena <<Alena, what I think you are observing is two things... one, these fish often swim like this, saving the caudal [tail] fin for a mad-dash to cover. Two, I would hazard a guess that this fish just doesn't need to swim that hard... a 55 is really much too small for this fish, and likewise you may not have extreme currents in the system. Although it is small now, they grow to about a foot and I've seen these where they live - they get BIG. So... it's probably not very exercise challenged. I would skip the quarantine, consider another powerhead for the tank and start saving for the 240. Cheers, J -- >> Adult Emperor Angel with hole(s) in the head - getting worse Hello, I have a 6 " adult Emperor who has been in a QT for 10 weeks. First he came down with ich, then gill flukes (fresh water dips took care of those problems). For the past 6 weeks he has been suffering from HLLE. He has deep holes just around his head and especially around the mouth (nothing along the lateral line, though) and he is getting worse. QT is a 40 gallon with a Remora skimmer, Penguin 300 filtration, 20% water changes weekly, no meds, his diet comprises of mostly Formula II soaked in Zoe, Mysid shrimp w/Zoe once or twice a week, Nori once daily, occasional shaved prawns. I tried Hexamit and it helped him a little bit for a while, but he is worse now. What is wrong? <It sounds like simple HLLE. I would add sponge matter to this diet and perhaps switch your food additives to Boyd's Vita-Chem and American Marine Selcon.> Thank you. <Good luck! -Steven Pro> Recovering Emperor Hi guys <Scott F. your guy today> I have an adult Emperor Angel which I treated for ICH when I first got him 6 weeks ago and no longer see any sign of that infestation. <That's good to hear> My problem now is that his color has blanched (overall and even more in certain spots) and his eyes became cloudy. I have been treating him with Maracyn 2 for 6 days and the overall color has improved a bit, his eyes are not nearly as cloudy but then again not yet perfect. He still has numerous faded spots. In reading the "faq's" on your site, I see that this is a common problem and also noted that Maracyn 2 might not be the way to go. What should my course of action be and how long should it take to cure him? <Well, use of a product such as Maracyn is certainly acceptable to help reduce the possibility of secondary infection. However, if you think about it, this fish has been through the trauma of illness, and the stress of treatment (albeit, a successful one) over the last few weeks, so it may be time to give him a break from medication for a while.> Are the faded spots "normal" for this fish? He is being treated in a 10 gal QT tank. Thanks as always. Joe <I have noticed this with a number of Emperors after disease treatment. I think that some of this discoloration may be the result of skin damage from the parasites, and possibly even from the treatment itself (prolonged copper treatments can damage some fishes). Another thought is that it is a result of imperfect water quality (which sometimes happens in a treatment tank, where water volumes are small...Keep up the good water quality...Execute frequent, small water changes, and observe this fish carefully. Feed high quality food, and I'm sure that you'll see some dramatic improvement in this fish soon! Good luck! Scott F> The Emperor's New...Respiration Rate? HI, <Hello! Scott F. here!> I have spent the evening reading your faq and answers regarding angelfish, particularly ones regarding the Emperor. I recently purchased--about 4 weeks ago -a juvenile Emperor (about 3.5"). He is very active in the tank, but I have noticed his breathing patterns vary. When I first noticed, I checked all my tank parameters, and even took at sample to my LFS. They said everything seemed normal, but the phosphate level was on the high side. I did a water change---about 15 gal in a 55 gal aquarium, and bought some phosphate absorbing material which I added to the carbon in my canister filter....He's had a few bouts with ick, I treated him with freshwater dips, and purchased a 15w UV sterilizer. Since then the ick seems to be under control.. I am still concerned with his breathing...it just appears to be high...i read on the webpage that it is not recommended to purchase one if it's rate was greater than 80 breaths per min. His fluctuates, and does sometimes go above 80. Also, there have been a few times when I have noticed that he'll just use one gill, when this happens his breathing appears normal on the other side not rapid). I have become quite attached to having this fish in my tank...and would hate for anything to happen to it.....is there reason for me to worry? <Very interesting observations. I have personally observed this phenomenon in a number of Emperors. For the most part, it has never been problematic, in the long term, for any of the specimens that I have witnessed this phenomenon on. Labored breathing and recent disease is cause for heightened alertness on your part. As you may know, one of the symptoms of Amyloodinium is rapid, labored breathing. Labored breathing on a newly acquired specimen could be as a result of collection trauma, or even poisoning... Probably not a concern with your fish, but do keep a close eye on this fish just to be safe.> I have a 55 gal tank, with live rock, a SeaClone protein skimmer, mag350 canister filter, a whisper 30-60 hang on filter, 2 powerheads, 15watt UV sterilizer, a maroon clown, 4 green Chromis, a few cleaner shrimp, and cleaner wrasse, along with a few corals and anemones. I do bi weekly water changes with premixed ro/di saltwater from my LFS. <Good husbandry- you need excellent water quality to keep this fish healthy and happy in the long run! And, I hope that larger quarters are in the future for him? He'll definitely need a large tank to live a normal life span, okay?> I am trying to learn as much as i can about these fish.....how much should a fish like this grow in a years time?...When will it start going through it's maturation process, and change color?.... <Usually happens at anywhere between 1 year and 18 months of age...and usually around 5 inches in size. This guy can get large in a couple of years...he needs larger quarters within the year, IMO> Your site has been the best I've been regarding information on angelfish...I would appreciate any help you can give me.... Thanks, Ronnie <Well, Ronnie, the Emperor is my all-time favorite fish, too! If you provide him with high water quality, a varied diet...and a large tank- you'll have a magnificent pet that can live for many, many years! Just keep reading all that you can about this fish on the wetwebmedia.com site! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
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