Angelfish problems.. help

Just got a PM form a new member. I thought I would post it so we all could help.





From: kdr3
To: KMX
Posted: Today at 11:43 am
Subject: Angel Fish


I am having the hardest time keeping my new angel fish alive. It seems something cycles through the tank and kill almost all of them. My water is testing great so I don't really know if angels are just a hard beginners fish or not. I have a 55 gallon with 11 angels total, 10 babies and one larger. I lost 3 last night after putting florish in the tank on Sunday for my plants and one that is seperated in a bowl that can not swim properly. Last week I lost my 3 large ones I have had since march and 5 small ones when I tried to medicate the tank for what I thought was Ick and 2 spiraled up immedately and just died and the others just followed within hours they acted like they could not get any oxygen and stayed at the top of the tank gasping. I did a 60 percent water change and everything was great, so I went to petsmart and replaced the fish they were doing great again and then 4 days later they get sick again. What is going on and should I just change the type of fish I want to raise or is Petsmart a really bad place to buy fish. It is a wonderful store for the fact you can get your money back on them within 2 weeks of purchase but I feel like they are being used as lab fish. Please help...

Kelly

AH U BEAT ME TO IT!

What medication did she use? What filtration medium? and what is the temp? I think she needs to run carbon, do 30% water changes every other day, Keep temp at 84 -86 for 10 days. I would not add any more medications to the water and use Prime. Also I know it's not good for CO2 with plants but put in air stones.

here is some more info:

"Tank was purchased from petsmart I have a fluval 305 filteration system with a 55 gallon tank. I have 5 live plants and keep the water right at 80 degrees. I am feeding frozen brine shirmp at night and a pinch of tetra flake food in the morning. I also feed the tetra crunchies as well. "

Medication was purchased from petsmart for Ich...it turned the water blue I took it back but after the weak fish died and a 60 percent water change the tank seemed to clear the carbon was put back in the tank.

With only 5 plants in a 55 I would use root tabs and not dose the water column with flourish.

What is the current temp? Raise it slowly to 84 and do another 50% water change. Keep the carbon running. I use Prime for my water changes because it clears hard metals form tap water not just chlorine. Sounds Like your on your way to a healthy tank. Don't get discouraged and be patient. I would run an air stone while the temp is up to add more O2.

How long has the tank been running? Is it fully cycled? When you say the water is testing great what are the actual numbers for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

See the members here are quite willing to help!
I'm going to guess the med was quick cure?

if u used a blue med for ich it could be rid ich and i never had any problems with that stuff if i hav new fish especially from petsmart!!!! i always hav problems with them should quarantine them!!! thats wat happend to me wen i bought some from there wiped my tank so be careful, i go to a local fish store for ur fish.

I've purchased around 15 angels from petsmart and all of them died with the exception of one blushing angel. It was the only blushing angel in the group. I think that Petsmart angels are already on the verge of dying because I was never able to get any of the other types of angel to eat. They would last about one to two weeks and suddenly die. They are very weak and timid. I even tried lowering the Ph. It didn't help.

Honestly, I think that you will have better luck with raising an angel that you buy from one of the members here.

totally agree with airball.

very true airball

LOL we helped the user but they never came back for the info!! LMAO owell we tried.

lol I got her pm too, I replied with a lot of the same questions, hopefully we helped and she will come back.

Re: Angel Fish
Still new and don't know how to post to all of the helpful comments. Yesterday my dear hubby went to Fish Gallery and purchased me a 100 tank with stand and everything I need thanks to their great experience. When we transferred out last 7 fish they all died within an hour probably due to illness and stress since we had already lost 5 the previous day. The tank has been toatally drained and is set up and cycling. I still would like to keep only angels and live plants I think it is just that dang stuff from Petsmart. It all went back to the store last night with no hassal. I appreciate all the help and look forward to meeting other people with the same interest and hobby.
Kelly
Beautiful New Tank just alot of emptiness

great to hear.

Hope she figures out how to post. Sounds like she is really trying to do things the right way. Glad to hear she's cycling.

I totally agree about Petsmart. Some fish you just don't get there !! I actually called Petsmart's corporate and complained about the Garland Rd/GB store yesterday.

I know someone that I can hook her up with to get some quality angels. I have not had any trouble with mine.

As an afterthought, I only have trouble with the little stinkers and breeding. But thats a whole other story.

intensitti wrote:

I totally agree about Petsmart. Some fish you just don't get there !! I actually called Petsmart's corporate and complained about the Garland Rd/GB store yesterday.

I should call also. Just cause the fish are to much $$ and not good quality.

Another problem is that people nowaday aren't qt'ing stuff before putting it their tank, that's how diseases spread... I usually qt my new stuff for about 2 or 3 days before.

I hope this post on the main board. My tank is cycling and although all fish are dead and I have done a complete water change I was afraid something might still be lurking in the rocks so I treated with Furan-2 just to make sure environment is clear for new fish. We are going to start by buying some live plants and a few angels from Fish Gallery as they have been excellent on giving us information and selling us our supplies. I will post pictures of my new babies as I will probably get them tomorrow. I am very excited. Thank you for all your help and I look forward to making friends with other fish lovers.