Angelfish wont stop eating! Bloated and dying!

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

unseenone00

AC Members
Sep 30, 2011
329
0
0
33
Maryland
Real Name
Nick
I have 7 angels in my tank, 1.5-2" diameter bodies, used to be feeding too much (I know that now, reduced greatly last week) However they persistantly eat the hair algae off my filter outflows, and eat strands of flame moss... one died yesterday after being so bloated. Now there is another dead and another largely bloated but swimming about fine, others seem less then bloated but still fat. 0amm 0nitrite 15-25nitrate, 79F...... what should I do?! They keep eating darnit! My outgrow tank is currently overloaded with BGA from neglect an in middle of intense treatment since there are no fish in it right now
 

mykidsmylife

Princess of Peons
Aug 26, 2005
925
0
0
Indiana, U.S.A.
I think I would lean towards more of an internal parasite issue than over eating. My angels pick at my mosses and plants in my tank all the time, I think just for something to do, but I don't think they would "over-eat" on anything. I also notice if they do pick at any of the moss, they may chew on it for a bit but spit it back out.

What does their poop look like? Normal? Or is it more whitish and stringy? How long have you had them?
 

unseenone00

AC Members
Sep 30, 2011
329
0
0
33
Maryland
Real Name
Nick
about 4 weeks now. TBH I have never seen them poop. It was just 30hours ago when the first one started laying on the moss, then laying the back, dying couple hours after. I found the second dead one few hours ago, there was none others bloated before this one! Out of the remainder, one is full bloated, the other 4 are just fat. The rummynose, GBR, cories, SAE, otos are all fine. few SAE and otos are about 5days new though, did parasites come with them? Only thing I feed are Omega brand flakes.
 

Samsmobb

AC Members
Feb 1, 2012
56
0
0
32
Gaithersburg Maryland
Stop feeding for 1-2 days and raise temp to around 84-86 to sped up metabolism some, also try n do a significant water change around like 50% to cut those nitrates in half
This is what I'd do
 

unseenone00

AC Members
Sep 30, 2011
329
0
0
33
Maryland
Real Name
Nick
i will stop feeding, temp cant raise that high if it is not certain, my tank is highly planted and honestly they like is lower then 79...(the plants like it lower ~74-76) My nitrates are not at a bad level at all. I can not reduce it below 8ppm or BGA might come back since phosphate in my tap is kinda high. New canister filter arrives tomorrow and I will be putting in phosphate and nitrate remover, and then tweek ferts to keep them lean, trying to bring reds in plants out. So the list of angelfish deaths causes are right now as: Over eating and bloated, constipated, or internal parasites.
 

stephcps

AC Members
Jun 2, 2009
2,209
2
38
My one angelfish that was actually bloated would not eat.
I agree you have some kind of internal parasite. I would raise temp as well and add some epsom salt until they start pooping. Hold the feeds for now.

By the way, I feed my juvies a LOT....and they don't eat themselves into bloat. You definitely have something else going on here.
 

mykidsmylife

Princess of Peons
Aug 26, 2005
925
0
0
Indiana, U.S.A.
With internal parasites I find that usually they require a medication such a PraziPro. The added heat helps and it won't hurt your plants to raise the temp for the length of time it takes to treat the fish. Follow the directions on the medication exactly.

Like stephcps said...I also feed my juvie angels often. As fry I feed them 4-5 times a day and even now the ones I have are about quarter size and I feed them 3 times a day. They do not over eat and never bloat. I do 30-50% water changes every other day to help them grow and to remove the excess food.
 

Star_Rider

AC Moderators
Dec 21, 2005
11,731
1
38
67
Spanaway, Wa.
Real Name
Ed
I've had this happen with angels and only angels. here's what's weird.. it may not affect other angels in the tank..

suspect genetic flaw with internal organs failing resulting in bloating..they will not respond to treatment in this case., possible internal bacterial infection. they may or may not respond to metro or prazi or a combination..
angels can be prone to hexamita(flagelatted protozoa), and numerous internal parasites including camallanus and capillaria(metro and prazi will not work on these two)

usually with capillaria you see emaciation occurring..with camallanus you may see bloating as the numbers of the nematode increase..you may also see secondary infections from the infestation
 

unseenone00

AC Members
Sep 30, 2011
329
0
0
33
Maryland
Real Name
Nick
one angel has a few bumps on his/her right side, no serious bloating on that particular fish yet. No behavior changes
 

Star_Rider

AC Moderators
Dec 21, 2005
11,731
1
38
67
Spanaway, Wa.
Real Name
Ed
pimple like protrusions near lateral line or head/snout?
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store