I have been battling fish illness in my 120gal angelfish community for the past 2 months or so. I originally thought some of my angels had internal parasites because of the white poop they were producing. In the frustrating aftermath, I realized I may have misdiagnosed Hexamita as internal parasites. I ordered Levamisole HCl while I was away, and I had my friend dose the tank while caring for it. I completely forgot about my MTS because I only have them in there to move through the sand, so the Levamisole killed off the MTS population. I wasn't aware of the MTS die-off until I got home, but I assume it caused an ammonia spike (I didn't test to confirm this since my friend had already been doing water changes as instructed, and an extra water change when fish started dying). I lost half a dozen angels some time after using the Levamisole, before I got home - this was before I read more about the Levamisole & remember the MTS, so we had thought something may have entered the water from work on the ceiling, despite the tank being completely covered during the process.
Upon returning home, I soon noticed that my largest/oldest angelfish (the only gold angelfish) had relatively small openings/ulcers developing on his gill plates, which started as pitting. A comparatively large ulcer opened on his side, below his dorsal fin. Eventually unilateral popeye, with something resembling a sore on top of the eye, manifested in the gold angel, but it was not the worst I have seen. My friend told me about this while I was away, not long before I returned. I thought, since it was unilateral, that the swelling was likely the result of trauma. Another angelfish, a panda koi, had developing a similarly sized ulcer between one gill and pectoral fin. The panda koi's wound was much worse and progressed more quickly, maybe due to the location - I lost that fish as I started treatment, as well as my half-dozen rummynose tetras before any symptoms were visible. Before seeing these symptoms firsthand, I instructed my friend to dose the tank with aquarium salt. Since the tank is large and I wasn't sure how my initial form of treatment would work, I did a water change and then lowered the tank 50%, so it was essentially 60gal. I then dosed the tank with a combination of MelaFix and PimaFix, assuming the ulcers were the result of something bacterial but hoping that a combination treatment might ward off additional infections (like fungal infections), while I waited for medicated flakes from Angel's Plus to arrive.
The MelaFix/PimaFix combo surprisingly did a good job on the ulcers - no new pitting/holes showed up, and the large ulcer on the gold angel's side closed up (although it still lacks scales). I originally posted about these issues on the Angelfish II forum, so based on the information I received there, I started with the Antibiotic medicated flakes laced with the Anti-Protozoan flakes (laced with metronidazole) to treat the potentially misdiagnosed Hexamita. I filled the tank to full capacity after two rounds of MelaFix/PimaFix, and fed regular staple flake food before starting a round of different medicated food - antibiotic flakes laced with Kanamycin Sulfate (treats gram negative). After another break with regular food, I did one feeding cycle of antibiotic II flakes, laced with oxytetracycline HCl (treats gram positive).
In December, I spent time removing all snail shells from the tank, even those buried in the sand. Also, I vacuum debris off the sand whenever I perform a water change. Everything seemed to be progressing steadily until three weeks or so, when the gold angel showed spots IN his eye (the anterior chamber, I think). I posted about that on the Angelfish II forum but barely received a response, and the spots soon grew and acquired a kind of fuzzy appearance. I was away again & returned to find a white platinum angel with unilateral popeye, much worse than the gold angel's eye had been. There is no visible bacteria/fungus, but it seems the pressure/tension is obviously affecting the muscle(s), which appears to be more visible due to the swelling/slight dislocation of the eye.
It has become pretty clear to me that, aside from the MTS stupidity, I have done something wrong. My few other tanks have no such issues, and never before had I had such trouble with ill fish! I have been in this hobby for 7-8 years now. On top of the other medications I have had to buy for this tank, I just shelled out another $40 for Maracyn 2, and it seems to be doing NOTHING. Why did I buy Maracyn 2? Now that 2 angels have eye issues, and one has no swelling, I highly doubt it's trauma-related. I wasn't sure whether to try treating gram negative or gram positive bacteria, but I read about Aeronomas and thought that sounded like a possible underlying cause - ulcers, eye issues... but no apparent septicemia; the white angels have a natural-looking PINKish hue at the bottom of their dorsal fins, and none of the fish have red streaking in their fins. The non-angelfish - 2 swordtails and a pair of blue emperor tetras - show absolutely no signs of any kind of illness.
How do I know the Maracyn 2 is essentially doing nothing (maybe because it's the wrong treatment)? Because I started dosing the tank Friday night (after a 50% water change and then lowering the water level to 60gal again), and it's now Tuesday and it should be the last day the tank is dosed. The day after I first added the Maracyn 2, a black angel that had been lethargic/not eating began to lay on its side, so I put it in a plastic breeder container in the same tank, allowing it to stay warm & water to circulate through the container. The next day, a white angelfish began acting similarly despite showing no such symptoms beforehand, and I had to put it in the same container. As the white angel was in the container, it would sporatically start trying to swim around, bumping into the sides and hitting the surface of the water. Both of those angelfish died yesterday. Today, a panda koi with ZERO symptoms passed away. Plus, the white angelfish with the popeye was laying on the bottom and then suddenly sped once around the tank before resuming normal behavior; I'm worried it's going to end up like the other two angels. Neither that particular white angel nor the gold angel have shown any improvement in their eyes. I added 1 teaspoon of epsom salt per 5 gallons on two separate days, hoping to keep the swelling from getting worse while the Maracyn 2 might kick in.
So, fellow hobbyists... what in the world have I done? Did I treat the wrong illness, do I need a more effective medicine? I considered API's Triple Sulfa but found more online reviews for Maracyn 2. I removed the carbon from the Rena canister filter before starting the first form of treatment. I worried about about Gas Bubble Disease... I empty and fill the tank with my Python (well water, not top, and it's neutral), and when the water leaves the filter via the spray bar, it hits a piece of glass before sliding down into the water (when the tank is half full). Too much oxygen, not enough...? Should I be feeding one of the medicated flakes for internal treatment while dosing the tank with something? I didn't want to end up with an ill-fated cocktail of meds. Is the whole tank screwed? I'm feeling considerably hopeless right now. I have gone from little personal experience with fish illnesses to a rather chaotic crapload of mostly unsuccessful experience. In the past 2 months, 2 different pairs of angels laid eggs on the filter intake.. yet the tank continues to go to hell. If someone can please help me, I'll be forever grateful. :bowing:
Upon returning home, I soon noticed that my largest/oldest angelfish (the only gold angelfish) had relatively small openings/ulcers developing on his gill plates, which started as pitting. A comparatively large ulcer opened on his side, below his dorsal fin. Eventually unilateral popeye, with something resembling a sore on top of the eye, manifested in the gold angel, but it was not the worst I have seen. My friend told me about this while I was away, not long before I returned. I thought, since it was unilateral, that the swelling was likely the result of trauma. Another angelfish, a panda koi, had developing a similarly sized ulcer between one gill and pectoral fin. The panda koi's wound was much worse and progressed more quickly, maybe due to the location - I lost that fish as I started treatment, as well as my half-dozen rummynose tetras before any symptoms were visible. Before seeing these symptoms firsthand, I instructed my friend to dose the tank with aquarium salt. Since the tank is large and I wasn't sure how my initial form of treatment would work, I did a water change and then lowered the tank 50%, so it was essentially 60gal. I then dosed the tank with a combination of MelaFix and PimaFix, assuming the ulcers were the result of something bacterial but hoping that a combination treatment might ward off additional infections (like fungal infections), while I waited for medicated flakes from Angel's Plus to arrive.
The MelaFix/PimaFix combo surprisingly did a good job on the ulcers - no new pitting/holes showed up, and the large ulcer on the gold angel's side closed up (although it still lacks scales). I originally posted about these issues on the Angelfish II forum, so based on the information I received there, I started with the Antibiotic medicated flakes laced with the Anti-Protozoan flakes (laced with metronidazole) to treat the potentially misdiagnosed Hexamita. I filled the tank to full capacity after two rounds of MelaFix/PimaFix, and fed regular staple flake food before starting a round of different medicated food - antibiotic flakes laced with Kanamycin Sulfate (treats gram negative). After another break with regular food, I did one feeding cycle of antibiotic II flakes, laced with oxytetracycline HCl (treats gram positive).
In December, I spent time removing all snail shells from the tank, even those buried in the sand. Also, I vacuum debris off the sand whenever I perform a water change. Everything seemed to be progressing steadily until three weeks or so, when the gold angel showed spots IN his eye (the anterior chamber, I think). I posted about that on the Angelfish II forum but barely received a response, and the spots soon grew and acquired a kind of fuzzy appearance. I was away again & returned to find a white platinum angel with unilateral popeye, much worse than the gold angel's eye had been. There is no visible bacteria/fungus, but it seems the pressure/tension is obviously affecting the muscle(s), which appears to be more visible due to the swelling/slight dislocation of the eye.
It has become pretty clear to me that, aside from the MTS stupidity, I have done something wrong. My few other tanks have no such issues, and never before had I had such trouble with ill fish! I have been in this hobby for 7-8 years now. On top of the other medications I have had to buy for this tank, I just shelled out another $40 for Maracyn 2, and it seems to be doing NOTHING. Why did I buy Maracyn 2? Now that 2 angels have eye issues, and one has no swelling, I highly doubt it's trauma-related. I wasn't sure whether to try treating gram negative or gram positive bacteria, but I read about Aeronomas and thought that sounded like a possible underlying cause - ulcers, eye issues... but no apparent septicemia; the white angels have a natural-looking PINKish hue at the bottom of their dorsal fins, and none of the fish have red streaking in their fins. The non-angelfish - 2 swordtails and a pair of blue emperor tetras - show absolutely no signs of any kind of illness.
How do I know the Maracyn 2 is essentially doing nothing (maybe because it's the wrong treatment)? Because I started dosing the tank Friday night (after a 50% water change and then lowering the water level to 60gal again), and it's now Tuesday and it should be the last day the tank is dosed. The day after I first added the Maracyn 2, a black angel that had been lethargic/not eating began to lay on its side, so I put it in a plastic breeder container in the same tank, allowing it to stay warm & water to circulate through the container. The next day, a white angelfish began acting similarly despite showing no such symptoms beforehand, and I had to put it in the same container. As the white angel was in the container, it would sporatically start trying to swim around, bumping into the sides and hitting the surface of the water. Both of those angelfish died yesterday. Today, a panda koi with ZERO symptoms passed away. Plus, the white angelfish with the popeye was laying on the bottom and then suddenly sped once around the tank before resuming normal behavior; I'm worried it's going to end up like the other two angels. Neither that particular white angel nor the gold angel have shown any improvement in their eyes. I added 1 teaspoon of epsom salt per 5 gallons on two separate days, hoping to keep the swelling from getting worse while the Maracyn 2 might kick in.
So, fellow hobbyists... what in the world have I done? Did I treat the wrong illness, do I need a more effective medicine? I considered API's Triple Sulfa but found more online reviews for Maracyn 2. I removed the carbon from the Rena canister filter before starting the first form of treatment. I worried about about Gas Bubble Disease... I empty and fill the tank with my Python (well water, not top, and it's neutral), and when the water leaves the filter via the spray bar, it hits a piece of glass before sliding down into the water (when the tank is half full). Too much oxygen, not enough...? Should I be feeding one of the medicated flakes for internal treatment while dosing the tank with something? I didn't want to end up with an ill-fated cocktail of meds. Is the whole tank screwed? I'm feeling considerably hopeless right now. I have gone from little personal experience with fish illnesses to a rather chaotic crapload of mostly unsuccessful experience. In the past 2 months, 2 different pairs of angels laid eggs on the filter intake.. yet the tank continues to go to hell. If someone can please help me, I'll be forever grateful. :bowing:
