Koran angel fungus?  12/24/07
Hey crew merry Christmas to you and yours
<Peace, good will...>
Need help ASAP. I have gotten
<How long ago?>
a Koran angel from a LFS he is eating very well, alert and curious. However,
He seems to have this white colored film growing on him. Looks like a fungus.
<Mmmm... would be exceedingly rare if this were a true fungus...>
It has eroded some of the edges on his pectoral fins and given them a pale white translucent color as opposed to the normal clear transparent color.
this does not seem to be ich as it is not raised protrusions this is more a film or a better example would be when you do a fungal assay the white subtly fuzzy film of certain fungi that appears. I realize this could also very well be a bacterial infection. either case this fish is quarantined (of course) in a 55 gallon aquarium with a 30 gallon sump water
<Ah, very good>
is reef quality 0 ammonia, 0
nitrite, < 10 ppm nitrate, calcium 400 ppm, ph 8.3. I have removed carbon and turned off protein skimmer. I have dosed for the last 48 hours in malachite green. I have not seen any real improvement. now I have realize that if it is in fact a fungus that I would probably need to use a sulfur type medication.
<Likely you mean Sulfa...>
do you have any recommendations?
<Yes... just simple observation for now>
also if it is bacterial which regimen of
antibiotics should I use.
<Best not to...>
Don't be afraid of giving a complicated answer I am a veterinary technician pursuing a bachelors in marine biology I have access to all chemicals and medications. please be as specific as possible. thank you all so much for what you do. its people like you who helped me to see my goals in this field to fruition. God bless you
Regards
Daniel Bock
<IF you were a wholesale/intermediate facility I would have done a prophylactic dip/bath (see WWM re) going in/out of stages/systems here... IF you think it will help (sans any sensitivity testing) I MIGHT utilize a Furan cpd. (perhaps Nitrofuranace) at 250 mg./ten gallons... as an antimicrobial... If your employer will allow it, I would do a simple "mucus swipe" look/see here (see Ed Noga, "Fish Disease, Diagnosis and Treatment"... Again, I am very dubious that this situation is mycelious... and it is highly likely that actual "treatment" of this Pomacanthus may do more harm than good. Bob Fenner>

Koran Angel
Hi, 
I recently had written to you about the Koran angelfish. I finally bought one that was in prime condition. (He's a changeling, he has a yellow strip on him now.) The problem is his right eye has clouded up a bit and his left one is normal. What's going on? The water is good and he's eating really well. (I feed him 6 small servings a day, each serving is finished in under 2 minutes). What could be wrong??? 
Any insights would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.
David.
>>
If it's only the one eye, the cause of the cloudiness is likely some sort of mechanical injury... like a brush with a rough net when the fish was moved... And it will self-cure... That is, you need only do your best to optimize and stabilize the animal's environment. If the cloudiness were on both sides, there might well be a real issue of poor water quality or infection... Be patient, the opacity may take a few weeks to heal completely.
Bob Fenner

Koran Angel
thanks, Now that you mention mechanical injury, I think he might have bumped really hard into a rock when I turned on the lights when I thought I heard a mantis shrimp in my tank.
Thanks for the reassurance.
David.
>>
Ah, I suspected as much... take it easy always on the sudden lighting issue... turn the "house lights" on and wait a good ten minutes before turning on any/some of the tank ones... a big deal, yes. 
Bob Fenner, glad to render reassurance.

Koran Angel
Now there is a bigger problem, His eye is swollen now too, and looks as though it may explode. You can't see it's pupil anymore. All you can see is he out side of the eye and looks damaged.
David.
>>
And a tough call... if the eye is totally damaged to the point of loss... this may happen... if it is intermediate... it may warrant a swab of antiseptic (much the same as humans)... if it is only slightly damaged (not possible to assess at this point), it isn't worth the further trauma of netting, handling the animal...
The long and short of the situation: I would wait a few days to see what transpires (not surprisingly Latin for "looking through" or across)
Bob Fenner

Koran Angel
Umm, have you seen a condition where the eye looks as though it's swelling out of the socket? It's taking the eye cover with it. So it may be grim right?
Thanks for all our advice.
David.
>>
Not necessarily... hang in there... the eyes of fishes like ourselves are highly vascularized... lots of blood vessels... and subject to similar edema/swelling with physical trauma.... give the animal time.
Bob Fenner

Koran Angel
This is David again,
Recent developments in my fish are:
Both eyes are now cloudy, I suspect that he is really skittish and might have bumped into another rock.
His eyes haven't exploded yet.
There is skin like material coming of his eyes. (I'm suspecting a type of fungus.)
Any ideas?
David.
>>
Hmm, well, I would at least consider moving the distressed animal to a quarantine/hospital tank... if you have one... and keep the lights low... If the problem continues to progress/worsen... I would further consider applying an antiseptic to the fish's eyes (with a "q-tip")... and if it looks even worse... and persistent, consider mixing in antibiotics into its foods... the eye discoloration is not fungal... maybe bacterial... 
Bob Fenner

Koran Angle
I have a Koran Angle it is about 11/2 in size. I have had it for over 1 year it has started to lose its color on its face how should I treat it
>>
Really? A Koran (Pomacanthus semicirculatus) that you've had for more than a year... and it's only one and a half inch long?... The color loss is due to either poor water quality, or more likely in your case, to a lack of nutrition... Make sure the fish is getting its share of food, twice daily... and soak/treat the food with a commercial vitamin/iodine prep.... 
Bob Fenner

Three weeks ago we purchased a Koran angel from a chain pet store, and noticed 
that this gorgeous fish was in a 20 gallon tank with four other fish, so we wanted to save it from these horrible conditions. The Koran's juvenile colors were dull, and we assumed that maybe he was beginning to change to his adult colors. But after two days in our tank (65 gallon), his colors became vibrant and he was eating very well. For the past couple of days, the Koran has stopped eating, his colors have become dull once again, he has developed some corrosion around his fins, and his eyes are so glazed they look white. All the levels in the tank seem to be normal, we did just add a sea anemone and two clownfish, but all of them seemed to be coexisting fine. We do not want to lose the Koran, so if you could provide us with any solutions or ideas to what is ailing him it would be appreciated! We do have two invertebrates in the tank, but they can be moved to another tank if necessary (The Koran cannot be moved because of his size in proportion to the other tank). Please respond immediately, we don't want to lose him.
>>
Unusual... and maybe related to the presence of the anemone... but, if it were me, and especially if I had no other place to move the animal I would leave the Koran in the tank it is now and hope for the best... this species (Pomacanthus semicirculatus) often does seemingly miraculous turn-arounds... Subdue the lighting for the next few days, add a biological cleaner organism if you can (my fave, a Lysmata amboinensis Shrimp) and try to be patient.
Bob Fenner, who's article on this favorite Indo-Pacific Angelfish can be found archived at the URL: www.wetwebmedia.com

Hello, first of all thanks for the help.
I have another question.
My Koran Angel doesn't seem to be getting better, maybe it is, maybe its not.
Its in a treatment w/ copper since it has ich. It also has another ectoparasite like bumps. what could it be.
thanks.
>>
Either a type of external parasitic/infectious agent, its effects/response by your Angel, or possibly just a reaction of the fish to something disagreeable in your water. You might consider scraping a bit of this material off and looking through a simple microscope... the QVX Intel/Mattel unit that hooks up to your PC works great for this and is cheap... 100X should do... To reveal whether there is a critter involved or no...
And in any case, do check what you can re your water quality... and do the default water change/gravel vacuuming, cleaning your skimmer, adding a unit of activated carbon in the filter flow path... To see if this has a discernible effect.
If the specimen is eating otherwise, perhaps time just has to go by....
Lastly, if the copper treatment has run its/a two week course, do discontinue it... this may be harming the animal more than helping as well.
Bob Fenner

Koran angels
Greetings again Robert,
I'll cut to the chase, i can't keep Korans for toffee, I've bought three young adults in the last two years all healthy and feeding when purchased but all dying in less than six weeks .
<Time to look for a new source... or your system for something wrong. Pomacanthus semicirculatus is one of the toughest angel species>
I've noticed they do seem susceptible to a cylindrical eye and body parasite that is only killed by a fresh water bath but then so are most of the Angels i keep'
I currently own, Queen, Blue Queen, French ,Black, Blueface, Majestic, Six-Bar, Chrysurus, Asfur, Passer, Maculosus and Cortez Angels and apart from the two Cortez's and one of the Six-Bars I've owned them all for six months and more ,in fact some for nearly three years so why can't i keep Korans ?
<Look into buying them from Marine Center... someplace else than where you've been getting them>
could it be that it is one of the industry standards like Powder Blues that despite being common in the hobby really do not do that well or knowing that they are hardy am i subconsciously not keeping them as well as i should ,anyway i hope you could shed some light on my plight...Thanks Graham.H
<Read and heed: http://wetwebmedia.com/korana.htm
Bob Fenner>

Koran Angel
Hello Bob,
First I would like to thank you for putting up this great site, it has helped me so much. My question is that I noticed that one of the gill spine on my Koran is missing, Will the gill spine grow back? I think that the missing spine was caused by rough netting. Thanks again
Peter >>
<Thank you for your encouraging words, and allow me to reciprocate: It is likely that the opercular spine of your Koran will indeed grow back... and you are correct (at least we're in agreement) that this defensive mechanism is often broken, damaged by handling.
Bob Fenner>

Koran Angel
Bob,
Thank you so much for answering all the questions that come your way. You are a valuable resource to the hobby. I have read your CMA book (many times) and browsed the site (many times). 
<Mmm, maybe more than me>
My question is regarding a new 2.5" Koran angel that I added to my 40gal tank
<You know this tank is too small, and is becoming smaller...>
about one week ago. He spent two weeks in quarantine following a dip with Methylene blue, problem free. He has been eating and socializing well with his other tankmates, which consist of a 3" Bennetti puffer, 1" percula, 3" yellow tang, 3" cowfish, cleaner shrimp (not bothered at all by puffer - weird). 
<It will be consumed in time>
Tank
parameters are all ideal, nitrates are at 20, nitrites and ammonia at 0, pH at 8.2, temp at 80, salinity at 1.023. Have an eclipse hood with a Remora pro skimmer & 25lbs. of live rock. The tank has been up and running for about 9 months. Just this afternoon, I noticed four or five spots about the size of a pencil eraser or smaller on the side of the angel that are pale, like they have been erased a little. I am a bit concerned because I had a majestic that started off with this problem after several days in quarantine. It progressed and looked as if the scales were sticking out of the fish instead of laying flat, no eating, hiding, and death. I know now that this fish was not a great choice, and an now trying my luck with the Koran. My guess is that water quality may need to be improved (I change 5 gal every two weeks now), vitamins added to food, and time. Is this OK or am I way off target?
<Other than the small size of the system, no real worries... The markings are not unusual for this species... more of a "mood" thing than absolute health>
Any input is greatly appreciated as I love the large angels, but am becoming discouraged quickly.
<Come on a dive trip with us... And/or get a much larger system... Bob Fenner>

Marine Fish Questions
Dear Bob:
Thank you so much for answering my questions - I do greatly appreciate it.
<You're welcome>
I am having some trouble. My tank used to have a 9 inch clown trigger who beat up my 8 inch Koran Angel for awhile - I realized the combo was not going to work, so I finally got rid of the clown trigger. The Koran got nipped up a bit and I thought he had a bacterial infection. I have read your section on parasites, but I am still confused about what I might be up against.
If you would can you see the link:
http://www.ringing.com/sickangel.jpg
<I see... an abraded area behind the Koran's right pectoral, cloudy eye.>
He started the rubbing and scratching against the bottom of the tank, his eyes are cloudy and swollen, and now this patch on each side (looks somewhat bloody inside).
Any info would be appreciated.
<Likely just the/a continuing action from the Trigger abuse. I would not specifically treat the system, move this specimen. Do augment its foods (HUFA's, Vitamins) and do your usual best to keep water quality optimized and stable>
Also, will this pass to my leopard shark? Yellow Tang? Or Green Moray Eel?
<Not likely, but the presence of the Shark, its movements and wastes are likely a contributing cause as well. Bob Fenner>
Thanks A Ton,
Alex

Koran Angel
Hi Anthony, one quick question with my 90G FOWLR. My Koran angel gets what I will call smudges on his pectoral fins. This makes the fins look cloudy without and detail such as a Cryptocaryon pin spot. In a day or two they disappear. sometimes they are gone for two weeks, other times they come back two days later. 
<sounds like mucous from irritation. Could be parasitic... I'm wondering if you don't have 3+ F degree temperature swings between day and night. Do check>
Today, this "bacterial infection" (guess??) is back but just on one side. Any idea what this is? 
<very unlikely bacterial>
Should I worry? Thanks Larry  P.S. I've attached a picture, but I don't think it will help.....I need to capture just the correct angle, or else the fin looks fine.
<if the fish will eat try medicated food for a spell but do keep a close eye in case QT is necessary. Angels are so prone to full blown parasite infections that we cannot take this lightly. Anthony>

Re: Koran Angel
Thanks for the quick response. I will start feeding medicated food. This fin problem has been ongoing for more than two months. I should have told you that my Purple Tang has never shown any signs of this (but his pectoral fins are yellow not clear)...
<no matter... every fish has indeed different immunities/sensitivities to various pathogens by species and per individual... just like people>
however my Coris Gaimard did show the exact same fin clouding (only pectoral fin, not on any other fin that I can detect) with it disappearing in a day or two. I don't think it comes back as often as the Angel, maybe because the Coris swims so fast it's harder to see? I will check the water parameters as well as I don't test this tank as closely as my 125g. However the water changes are up to date so I don't expect any surprises. The temperature is very constant at 82 degrees,
<excellent>
it may dip to 81 when I open the window on cool nights. 
<surprising the open window only affords a one degree dip>
I have a Mag 12 return in sump on the 90g... something I would not due in the future as it put too
much heat in the water. Thanks Larry
<not too much heat if the temp is steady. 82F is quite fine. Best regards my friend, Anthony>

Re: Koran Angel
Thanks Anthony, your reassurance with temperature is removing some of my frustration with the what I would call high temperature (82). My 125 is constant at 77-78 so my 90 at 82 I thought was high. 
<higher temps (82-86) are not very dangerous in tanks with good aeration and if the temp is steadily high. However, a jump from 78-82 is just plain dangerous if that is occurring. Anything over 3F between day and night is scary>
I will see if a few cooler nights will lower the temp more than 1 degree, but so far it's been so hot, the air conditioning has been running for the last week or so again. BTW my 125 within hours it seems of putting the air on drops its' PH (or it refuses to rise) 
<heehee... yep, the subject of much debate every summer. Pressurization in the house and lingering CO2>
I just read the PH in my 125 reef and it is 7.9 at this time of day. With the air off and the windows open it would be at 8.3 by now. Pursing a window open doesn't seem to help, I need a full blown air
exchange for almost a day before it returns to normal.
<wow... bummer>
Oh yes I did have a question, ...My Coris Gaimard disappears for three to four days about once per 6 weeks or so. 
<yep... I've seen him in Vegas playing Poker. You should see him, he's quite good>
This is the second time this has happened...he is just gone. Just when I think he is dead, out he comes and is swimming with the other fish...and looking at me for food. Is this normal for them to (I assume) bury them selves and reappear a few days later?
<Yep... very wrasse-like>
Thanks Larry
<best regards, Anthony>

Koran Angel question
Hi, we have a Koran angel fish that is about 2 years old and is trying to reach its intermediate color phase of life, However, he’s not doing so well, his face has turned a whitish color, he has a slightly high breathing rate (approx 108/min), and some whitish stripes are near his tail fin and streak inwards on his body. These whitish streaks on his body and face are not bumps or leaches. Also, he’s not eating and tends to just stay in his rocky cove where he sleeps.
Any ideas what might be the problem and/or cure?
<Mmm, sounds much like the beginnings of HLLE, likely triggered by poor water quality and/or nutrition.>
Thanks, we have really grown fond of our Koran Angel and want to see him obtain his adult colors someday.
<Please read through the HLLE FAQs here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hllefaqs.htm
and re the species on our site: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/pomacanthus/koran.htm and the related FAQs (in blue, at top) and check your water quality for nutrient accumulation aspects, spiff up your skimmer, consider augmenting your fish's diet with vitamins, iodide. Bob Fenner>

Koran In Trauma!
Hi guys I have a question on my 2 inch Koran angel that is not eating and has a hole in his body that has a red ring around it any information on this disease would be greatly appreciated thanks!
<Well, hard to say without a good picture, but it almost sounds like you are dealing with some form of parasite, or even an infection brought about by some trauma (injury, bite, etc). In the absence of other obvious disease symptoms, I'd remove this fish to a separate aquarium for observation and/or treatment. You should keep water quality in the treatment tank absolutely pristine, to prevent potential greater infection. If there does indeed to be some form of parasite, I'd use some freshwater dips, followed by a broad spectrum antibiotic, such as Maracyn, to prevent even greater infection during the healing process...Do refer to the disease FAQs on the wetwebmedia.com site, and confirm what it may be that you're dealing with here! Let me know if we can be of any further help! Good luck! Scott F>

Re: Koran Angel Problem
Hi,
Thanks for your reply! I checked out that website and it was really interesting. It didn't say much about disease though, do you have any idea to what his problem might be or what I can do to help. The people at the petstore suggested he might have a throat tumor but I can't find anything about fish getting them online so I wanted to see if it was possible that it was anything treatable. Could this behavior be associated with the color changing? To answer your questions: Yes it is a tank full of live rock, I have two millennium 3000 filters one on each side, I have a protein skimmer and a power head. The salinity is at 1.022, temp is at 81F. The tank mates are: a small Chromis, two chalk Basslets, a small target goby, two cleaner shrimp, a green abalone, a pencil urchin. a maroon clown, and a bulb anemone. Thanks! ~Neosha~   
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/MarInd3of6.htm
skip on down to the marine disease area, and read starting from the top articles, FAQs. Bob Fenner>

Re: Koran Angel Problem
Hi Mr. Fenner,
I checked out the FAQ and I did gain a lot of valuable information from it but I did not find anyone with a similar situation to mine. All of the other fish that wouldn't eat had problems but my fish has no white spots, no cloudy eyes, no gill flaring, nothing I saw on the site. So what I really want to know is...have you heard of any problem that might make a fish not be able to physically eat even though the have the appetite for it?
<Yes... there are several cases like this noted on WWM>
Do you recommend a freshwater dip for the fish?
<No, won't help here.>
Many thanks, Neosha
PS I just noticed you are the author of  "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" which I just bought a few weeks ago, well done, great book!
<Thank you, Bob Fenner>

Help! blotchy faced Koran Angelfish
Hi, I am hoping you can give me some advice.
I have a Koran Angelfish that looks like he is experiencing early male pattern baldness.  His color was solid all over when I bought him.  He picked up ich about 2 weeks after I brought him home, but freshwater baths and the addition of a scarlet cleaner shrimp did the trick.  A few weeks later after he was all cleared up the color on his face area started to look blotchy and turned white in a very evenly matched pattern on his face.  He was about 3 1/2 inches when I first bought him and now he's almost double that so he's starting to go through the change of life to adulthood coloration.  I have had him for over 6 months now.  Water is great, he's happy and eats a balanced diet.  He's the master of his own tank (no one is terrorizing him and stressing him out).  Any advice as to what this is and what I can do to even out his skin color again?
Thanks for your expertise.
Jen
<Very often, well often enough, the blotchiness you mention in this species is indication of the beginning of HLLE: Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hllefaqs.htm
I would look into augmenting this fish's diet with iodide and vitamins A and D... there are products sold pre-made for this in the pet-fish interest. Bob Fenner>

Koran Angel with white patches
G'day guys.
<Good day Stu>
I have a 3-4 inch Koran Angelfish in my reef tank. He is a lovely looking fish and is a big eater. In the last few weeks I have noticed that he has been getting white faded patches on his body and fins. Not everywhere but just small circular patches. Can you advise what this is as I don't think is has to do with the maturity process. Also how can rid it off the fish if necessary. Any medication or treatment in a reef tank??
Also are UV sterilizers a worth while purchase as they do get rid of the pathogens and algae. But doesn't the algae help sustain the environment and help feed the corals, fish and inverts and therefore use of the nitrates.
Stu
<The "blanching" you describe might be indicative of sliding water quality or some other sort of stress (even simply psychological), otherwise maybe just the fish reacting to your presence. Unless you see other symptoms of infectious or parasitic disease I would not treat or move this fish. UV's can help in promoting overall health by improving water quality and reducing populations of water-borne microbes. They will not eliminate the possibility or absolutely cure biological disease. Bob Fenner>

Sick Koran Angel (4/28/04)
  My Koran Angel has been with me for many years. <How many? IS it just getting old?> Recently he has gone off eating and his eyes are very puffy. They look like they have been blown up. One of the eyes seems to have a raised bubble on it. I do not have a hospital tank. Any suggestions? <This sounds like a bacterial infection. If you want to save this fish, you need to set up a hospital tank. This can be a Rubbermaid container with a sponge filter and a heater. I'd suggest treating with an antibiotic such as Maracyn. Read the FAQs on Popeye & bacterial infections. Hope this helps. Steve Allen.>

Sick Koran Angel 10/11/05
Wet Web Crew:
We have a 55 gallon tank with a Koran Angel and a Puffer fish in it. The Koran is about 3-4" long and the puffer is about 3-4" long. They get along very well. The tank has some live rock in it and also some decorative rock. 
About two days ago we noticed that both fish had white spots all over their fins and bodies. We thought it was Ich and treated them for it. It did clear up, but when we read about the symptoms of Ich, it did not sound like that is what they actually had.
The Koran Angel now has cloudy eyes, a swollen pink mouth and white blotches over his body. He has been stressed over the last few days due to tank changes to treat the ich a fresh water dip for only a few seconds, and a lack of appetite. 
The tank he was in when we thought he had ich was dirty due to overfeeding, something I did not know could be so harmful and the water had a bit of a high nitrate level, but not too bad. We did a water change, cleaned all the equipment and put the puffer and angel back in. 
Today, one day after being returned to the tank, the angel developed these symptoms. I had noticed him swimming on his side sometimes over the last few weeks, but he was eating and acting healthy. Do you have any idea what this disease could be and what would cure it? I'm afraid that if we don't know something for sure soon, the angel won't make it. We would appreciate any help. Thank you.
By the way, we view your site a lot and find it very helpful. 
<David and Heather, I cringe when I read queries such as yours. A picture comes into my mind of very poor diet, poor water parameters, and poor maintenance which includes weekly 10% water changes and add to the fact that your 55 is too small for keeping these types of fish as they do grow quite large. I'm seeing a rise in ammonia due to excess waste and a biofiltering system too small to recover. All this leads to severe stress of the animals in question making them highly susceptible to disease. 
I can suggest that both fish should be separated for the time being either in separate Quarantine tanks or using a tank divider if QT's are not available. Then you need to get a product such as SeaCure Copper Treatment along with a FasTest Copper test kit and maintain a dose of 0.015-0.020 for a minimum of 21 days. The test kit is necessary especially if you are going to treat in the main tank. 
Hopefully you can save the fish. You didn't mention what you initially treated the fish with and for how long. In the future do more research on the fish you are buying so you know its requirements/needs. James (Salty Dog)>

Re: Sick Koran Angel 10/12/05
Actually, our biofiltering system is larger than what we need for the tank and when these fish outgrow the tank they are in we are transferring them to an 80 gallon tank. 
<Good news. The Koran alone would require a 70 gallon tank when it is full grown and this is borderline, preferably a six foot long tank.> 
I appreciate your advice and assure that we take good care of our tanks.
<Great> 
We have three of them. something just went wrong in this one. We did a 25-30% water change before putting the fish back in the tank and the nitrate level was never high. We checked it very regularly. At this time, they are both small and the tank seems big enough for the two of them. 
<Agreed, now it is but won't be for long.>
Can you tell me if this is true? Do they need a bigger tank now, even though the puffer and angel are not full grown? 
<A rule of thumb I use is one cubic (not length) inch of fish per five gallons.> 
It sounds like you are not positive we can save the fish - which would break my heart. 
<I'm always on the positive side. Problem is if treatment is delayed the fish only gets worse and then to the point where the copper treatment even adds further stress.>
The puffer is lethargic this morning and I don't know if he was sleeping or whether he is not developing symptoms as well - can the disease be spread? 
<Most definitely. Do you employ a quarantine tank to put new arrivals in? Read here. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/QuarMarFishes.htm>
I really am sorry about all this. Our other two tanks are fine. 
<Great> 
One is a reef tank and we have lost nothing from that tank in months. We did introduce a Petco baby tank 
<baby tank or tang?> 
into the tank with the puffer and angel - it died in two days. Could this possibly have been the start of these diseases. <Yes, tanks/tangs are ich magnets and should definitely be quarantined.>
If I treat the angel with copper, does it have a better chance of living? I have read that angel fish are extremely sensitive to copper treatments. 
<Correct, that is why it is a must to use a copper test kit to insure copper is at a safe and effective level.>
I'm sorry that the tank was not better cared for, 
<You don't have to be sorry to me, but it sure sounds like you are a caring person that will do whatever it takes to keep your stock healthy. Please read more on the WWM. FAQ's allow you to learn from other peoples mistakes. Again, research a fish you are interested in, especially care level, compatibility and size of tank required. www.liveaquaria.com  has a chart for every fish indicating the above.> 
but I assure you that we did test the water and because of the filtering system on the tank, everything always seemed fine. However, our test kit cannot test for calcium and some of the more advanced water test items. 
<Wouldn't be too concerned with calcium in a fish only tank, although too low a level can cause the ph to drop somewhat. Do test for dKH, 8-12dkh is recommended.> 
I honestly thought I was doing the right thing and would hate to lose these fish over my lack of knowledge. 
<All the knowledge you need can be had for free on the WWM.> 
Any additional advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. I know I asked a lot of questions in this e-mail and hope you will be kind enough to answer them. 
<We are here to help. Most if not all of the questions you ask can easily be found on the Wet Web by just typing in the keyword.>
The angel does seem a bit better today and I got both fish to eat some Krill last night. Their diet is now more varied than it was, and I hope it is not too late. Losing these fish would break my heart because it would be my own fault for lack of
knowledge. 
<Again, Heather, definitely read about what you are getting. Korans are not that difficult to care for. They do require clean water, low nitrates, 10% weekly water changes and a good and varied diet. Read again here. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/ - Good luck, James (Salty Dog)> 

Koran Angel health concern 8/1/05
Hi,
<Hello there>
I have been referring to this fantabulous site for various kinds of information and I have never failed to find the same, this is the first time 'am asking an question.
<Welcome, you are a stranger here but once>
The other day I bought myself a Koran Angel...the Angel is doing great and it is quite active and eats quite well but I have noticed some white patches on its body and it seems to rub itself surfaces. Ich is ruled out because it does not look like ich as in there are not dots or spots on the body just a general discolouration i.e. white patches.
Any help will help.
Regards
Rajeev Menon
<This medium sized species of angelfish is prone to such behavior, displays when new or stressed... I would not panic, treat the water with chemicals. Bob Fenner>

Koran Angel
I've done a thorough search and can't find any article about the symptoms similar to that of my Koran Angelfish.  Everyone talks about white spots or fuzzy cotton spots.  What about red bumps?  My angel is in a 55 gal and was doing fine the first week in his new home.  He then developed red bumps, irregular in shape, looking similar to a mole, on both sides of his body directly behind his fins.  One grew quite large and the other side of his body looked as if it was going to clear up.  No such luck.  While the bump on one side isn't as big, it is larger in diameter, flat, and almost a little bloody looking.  The only other fish in the tank is my little "Nemo" Clown, yellow Tang, and 2 green Chromis.  I have moved him to a quarantine tank of 10 gallons.  I should mention that his appetite is hearty as ever.  I really hope you can help with this.  I am quite attached to this particular fish as he is very sweet and tame to the point of being friendly when my hand goes in the tank and even lets me touch him.  Help!!  Thanking you in advance for your consideration, Bobbi  <Bobbi, without seeing it, I'm thinking these spots are ulcers.  I would start be treating with saltwater Maracyn.  Water quality is of the utmost importance for these fish.  Weekly water changes of 10% is highly recommended.  I would also add an iodine supplement to the aquarium.  James (Salty Dog)>

Koran Angel eye problem, needing to read WWM
I have searched your site for days and haven't found a solid answer to my question. I have Koran angel, when bought he had a cloudy eye. I was told it was like a black eye and it would get better, which it started to. After 2 weeks it was slowly getting better. Today I checked and both eyes are cloudy. They are not bulging, just cloudy. The other fish in the tank are fine, and my water quality is great........What is going on??? Please give me some advice
<Trouble... please read on WWM re Angelfish disease... you will find many references to your situation, proposed and actual cures. Bob Fenner> 

Cloudy crystal ball, Pomacanthus semicirculatus eyes
My Koran Angel's eye's are both cloudy. He/she is in a quarantine tank and have been adding Maracyn 2, for 3 days now. How long until I can see some results??
<Perhaps weeks, maybe never. Bob Fenner> 

Koran Angel, Bacterial?   8/4/06
Good Morning Everyone,
<Dave>
I have a Juvenile Koran Angel that I have had for about 6 weeks.  He was in apparent perfect health when I bought him.  I quarantined him for 30 days, and everything looked good so I introduced him to the main tank, a 110 gal FOWLR.  Within 24 hours, his left eye had developed a cloudy and torn appearance.  I decided that he must have scraped on something (but I could be wrong so I'm including this little tidbit), left him alone, and it healed on it's own.
<Good... did likely rub on a/the net, perhaps something else>
After a few days in the DT, I noticed that his body had lightened somewhat.  His behavior seemed completely normal otherwise, eating, grazing, etc, and the eye was healing, so again, I just waited.  Eventually, a white sore appeared near his dorsal fin.
<Might be related to the same incident>
This spot seemed more like a lesion, and was coupled by the rapid, severe fraying of his right pectoral fin, so I double checked my water parameters and found out that I had been using the wrong reagent to test and my nitrates were sky high... near 50-60.
<Yikes... too high>
I suspect that a heavy cleaning of the sand bed a week earlier disturbed algae that had grown on the top, causing it to die and DOCs to spike.
<Too likely>
  A series of (3) 30%
water changes over the next 4 days brought nitrates down to 0.75.
<Wow!>
  I have observed no physical aggression towards this fish on behalf of his tankmates.
48 hours after the water changes were completed (last Thursday), I noticed that this large white lesion appeared behind the frayed right pectoral fin, along with the tissue joint between the pectoral fin and body becoming discolored as well. After many repeated attempts to get the little bugger to hold still long enough for my slow camera to get a picture, I got one of the spot.  It's attached, sorry it's not a better quality photo.  I am worried that this is a bacterial infection spreading to the body from fin rot of the right fin.
<Maybe>
  I have isolated this fish into a QT and have been medicating the QT with both Maracyn and Maracyn-II since Sunday evening.  I have not seen any progression of the problem, although I have seen no improvement either.  
<Takes time... weeks>
I am feeding the angel nightly with Ocean Nutrition Angel Formula, giving him 30 minutes to eat and siphoning the waste/leftovers from the bottom, topping off, and re-medicating.  Again, even in the QT, his behavior is completely normal. My questions are: Do you believe I have diagnosed this correctly?
<Good guesses>
Am I performing what you believe to be the correct treatment?
<Mmm, maybe... I might have left the fish in the main display, might replace it there, "for what it's worth">
How long with these products until I can expect to see a visual result?
<Weeks>
I can treat for up to 10 days according to the directions... Should I be doing any other treatments?  
<I would not>
Can any of these other treatments be done concurrent to the Maracyn/Maracyn-II treatments, or should I stop these treatments?  
<I would run out their course and then stop>
If you've provided alternate suggestions, how long before I can expect to see a visual result?  
Thanks in advance,
Dave
<Same time frame. Again... likely physical trauma and poor environment are at principal cause here... Improving the second, avoiding the first is about what this fish needs. Bob Fenner>

Koran Angel/Health  - 05/22/2006
Hello Bob, <James with you today, Bob is probably charging his tanks in HI as we speak.> <<Not quite yet today. RMF>>
I always read the post and questions people have on WetWeb.  quite helpful. <It is.>
I bought a Koran Angel yesterday and he looked well, ate well and I have been watching him at LFS for a week now. I  got him home and he seemed to  adjust well, in with my Porc. puffer. this morning I woke and found him to have  a blotchy appearance. he is eating well. I have no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates ( very low 5ppm). my pH is 8.2 sg. 1.01 , temp 79 he is eating well and swimming  around even bullying my puffer a little. Is this a mood thing with them?
Very normal behavior.>
Also  sometimes swims kinda leaning a bit/ should I be concerned?? <A normal trait.>
I am!
<Lori, sounds to me like a water quality issue to me.  Do read here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/pomacanthus/koran.htm
thanks,
<Lori, in future queries, do cap all "i"s and beginnings of sentences.  Saves us much time if we do not have to edit/correct.  James (Salty Dog)>
Lori

Re: Koran Angel/Health  - 05/22/2006
Thank you James for answering my email so quickly. Sorry about the "I" . I did notice on my mail that I said my Sg. was 1.01. It's 1.019-1.020. I  have a protein skimmer going, a hang-on power filter and a canisters filter that  is for 150 gallon tank, Mine is 75 gallons. If I'm testing for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and they are not really detectable then what would be wrong  with my water quality? Is there something else I should be testing in a fish  only system?
<Excess organics in the water is one thing to look at.  With the use of a canister filter and a hang-on power filter, you need to ensure that the pads/sponges be changed or cleaned on a weekly basis.  Not doing so creates nutrient traps which lead to increased organics in the water, something the Koran Angel does not like.  You do not mention the model of skimmer you are using.  A good, efficient skimmer is quite necessary here.>
I did notice yesterday after I wrote to you that as the day progressed his blotchy appearance seemed to have gotten less noticeable. I did look on the WetWeb info about Koran it makes me nervous because it says blotchy can lead to bacterial and or parasite infection. I also have a UV sterilizer going in that  tank. Sorry to pester you but I am looking for any other advice you can offer.  <A good healthy diet is very important to keep this angel thriving.  Ocean Nutrition has a frozen food called Angel Formula which is excellent for this family
of fish.  It does contain the items these fish forage on in the wild.  Do read the FAQ's
on feeding.  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/feeding.htm>
Thanks in advance.
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Lori

Re: Koran Angel/Health   5/23/06
Hello James, <Hello Lori> Well I have a Seaclone 150 skimmer, the canister is new   it's a Cascade 1200 and I rinse the sponge in the power filter in the water that  I siphoned out while doing water change. Is this correct? <Is fine.> I have that Angel Formula and believe it or not he likes flake food better. Loves flake food so I soak it in Zoe. <Good, keep offering the angel formula.  Try soaking that in Zoe, might
trigger a response.> Back to the filter. Can you ruin the good bacteria in the sponge  by touching it with your hands? <No.  When replying, always reply with original message(s).  We get many queries here and I cannot remember who is who with what.>
Thanks
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Lori