Uh-oh... Huge angelfish problem, please help me!

[Plec123]

for the past couple weeks, when ive woke up in the morning, ive noticed that my angel's dorsal fin has been a bit ripped. its gotten progressively worse and is not healing quickly enough, or at all for that matter.

also, between my angels ventral fins mostly around his left one, there appears to be an area without scales. no its not his anus. his left ventral fin is colored differently than his right one now and seems to not be as stiff as the other one (in a bad way.)

i did a water change just last weekend, and now pH is 6.8, nitrates 40ppm, ammonia 0, nitrites 0.

pics attached...

 

[TwistedPenguin]

It looks like another fish is biting at him. I'd get those nitrates down some but I don't think that has anything to do with the Angel problem.
Who else is in the tank with him?

 

[Plec123]

blue acara, ruby shark, 3 colombian tetras, and a BN, clown, and whiptail pleco, and an otocinclus.

yes i realize my stocking is a mess as far as schooling fish not having enough members in their schools, etc. i will fix it after christmas.

and, i watch the tank about an hour a day, and dont really see anything show aggression towards the angel. i mean, the acara chases him once in a while, but thats it...

even if something was biting him... i dont think that explains whatever's happening to his ventral fins...

 

[uncwnells]

I agree, someones nipping on your angel

 

[TwistedPenguin]

blue acara, ruby shark, 3 colombian tetras, and a BN, clown, and whiptail pleco, and an otocinclus.
yes i realize my stocking is a mess as far as schooling fish not having enough members in their schools, etc. i will fix it after christmas.
and, i watch the tank about an hour a day, and dont really see anything show aggression towards the angel. i mean, the acara chases him once in a while, but thats it...
even if something was biting him... i dont think that explains whatever's happening to his ventral fins...

Your stocking isn't my concern -I wasn't going to come down on you for that. Does he rest near the intake or by a powerhead or something that could pull his fin into it at all? Those long dangling fins are so fragile.

 

[Plec123]

Your stocking isn't my concern -I wasn't going to come down on you for that. Does he rest near the intake or by a powerhead or something that could pull his fin into it at all? Those long dangling fins are so fragile.

nope... perfectly normal behavior. he just hangs out in the middle of the tank usually.

if nipping is the cause, who do you think is the culprit?

 

[TwistedPenguin]

My guess would be the Acara. I know they're said to be more passive Cichlids like Severums but they're still Cichlids. And it wouldn't take but a chomp or 2 to tear the Angel fins. When I had Angels they did that to each other.

 

[Plec123]

i see. ive been talking to people on aquariacentral as well about this...

someone told me that i should be fine if i use some melafix and get sme more plants/driftwood to break up the tank more (and give the fish more hiding places).

so, after christmas, that will be done... do you think it wil work?

 

[TwistedPenguin]

i see. ive been talking to people on aquariacentral as well about this...
someone told me that i should be fine if i use some melafix and get sme more plants/driftwood to break up the tank more (and give the fish more hiding places).
so, after christmas, that will be done... do you think it wil work?

I'm not a fan of MelaFix, clean water works best in my opinion. You might try breaking the tank up more with plants, etc but in my experience (assuming it's another fish picking at him) it won't do much good. I've always ended up putting fish in different tanks when there's been any sort of aggression problem.
Just wondering-why wait til after Christmas to do it? It should'nt take long hrs to add driftwoood and plants. With 40 ppm nitrates I'd be getting at a water change sooner than that anyway.

 

[Plec123]

I'm not a fan of MelaFix, clean water works best in my opinion. You might try breaking the tank up more with plants, etc but in my experience (assuming it's another fish picking at him) it won't do much good. I've always ended up putting fish in different tanks when there's been any sort of aggression problem.
Just wondering-why wait til after Christmas to do it? It should'nt take long hrs to add driftwoood and plants. With 40 ppm nitrates I'd be getting at a water change sooner than that anyway.

because im 15 and broke. i get money for christmas lol.

the plants are meant to break up the tank more and to absorb the nitrates more.

from my experience, melafix has worked well for fin rot and similar ailments... as for water changes, ill get a few done this week, as i am on christmas break.