Posts Tagged ‘angel fish’

Drugs fail …

Saturday, August 4th, 2007

I thought the MYXAZIN broad spectrum bactericide was working and the ulcer was receding. But on the fifth day of treatment I noticed another small hole had appeared on the upper dorsal fin. I finished treatment on Friday 3 August, and completed a 50 percent water change, all the MYXAZIN seems to have done, is stained the silicon in the tank blue!

I asked a friend if he could ask Dr Peter Burgess to contact me. Peter was at Plymouth University the same time I was, and was also a member of the Plymouth & District Aquarists & Pondkeepers Society, with members including John Rundle, Dr Stan MacMahon.

Dr Peter Burgess BSc MSc Mphil PhD, is a fish health scientist, with more than 25 years’ experience as an aquarist. An author of numerous articles and scientific papers on fishkeeping, he is editor of the international journal Aquarium Sciences and Conservation. A visiting lecturer in aquarium sciences, he is also an international consultant to the aquarium fish industry.

Dr Peter Burgess suggested I try Pimafix, as I had already tried Melafix, which although marketed primarily as an anti-fungal, is also quite good at tackling some bacterial infections.

So I’m currently on a double dose of Melafix and Pimafix.

Furan-2 is not available in the UK, because it contains two antibiotics, and these are only availble with a prescription in the UK.

I’m not keen in treating with antibiotics, because it wipes out the bacteria in the filter, and it’s very difficult to get the right antibiotics for the correct becterial infection, unless a swab is taken from the infected area.

I noticed this evening, the angel fish behaviour has changed for the worse, the fish is no longer eating, it’s stomach appears distended, gasping for breath and the ulcer has grown in a matter of hours, the area has got larger. There is also a small hole visible in the caudal tail region.

I have emailed my Vet Matt Brash asking for a prescription of antibiotics.

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Wild Male Angel Treatment

Thursday, July 26th, 2007

I’ve been treating with API Melafix, but I think I’m going to have to change to something stronger. The ulcer is both sides of the body in the same position.

Any ideas, email me

Here is a picture of the fish. Please click the image to obtain a high resolution version.

Wild Male Angel fish
Wild Male Angel fish with Ulcer on upper shoulder, under top dorsal fin.

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July Update

Thursday, July 26th, 2007

The computer is working again… the motherboard died!

The new tanks added reached a temperature of 22 degrees C, without any heating, so I had to add internal Visitherm 200 watt heaters to each tanks, to get the temperature to 26 degrees C, I also had three spare 18 watt lighting units and tubes, so I’ve also added these.

To mature the tanks, I’ve added Hagen Cycle and also removed a single mature Bio Foam from other tanks in the fish house, and added them to each fish tank.

I’ve since added two Serpae tetras Hyphessobrycon eques, two Zebra Danios Danio rerio to two of the tanks to help mature them.

The remaining tanks is currently being used as a quarantine tank for my Wild Male Silver Angel fish Pterophyllum scalare which could be a Peruvian Pterophyllum scalare which has developed a nasty ulcer on the shoulder near the dorsal fin, I noticed it in the display tank, and thought at first it was an injury from another fish, but has got larger, I’ve been treating with Melafix for over 7 days, but I don’t think it’s getting any better. The fish is still alert, eating well, and doesn’t seem to be in any distress, there’s no swelling, blood or fungus, it’s very odd.

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Andy’s HandyPro 3500L

Sunday, October 15th, 2006

Due to a local power outage in July when I was moving the Fish House, I lost a pair of Angel fish and a Magnum Pleco. Unfortunately, the power outage lasted in excess of 12 hours. Power outages in this area always occur, usually in the Summer months of July and August after the thunder and lightening storms. We very rarely have power outages in the Winter months. I decided in July to purchase a 1kVA (1000 watt) petrol generator from B&Q for 99 GBP UK pounds. Very little money to protect the fish house, if there should be a power outage. It’s only 1kVA (1000 watts), which is about 700 watts of power, using a 8 litre tank of petrol, it will not run the entire fish house, but will keep filters and air pumps running, and a few heaters until power is restored.

Lately, I’ve had a few problems with this unit, leaking petrol tank, after speaking with Performance Power Customer Support, I was not happy with the quality of this unit, and I’ve since noticed that B&Q have reduced these units to 79 GBP UK pounds, so I decided to return to B&Q for a refund.

Performance Power 1kVA
B&Q 1kVA Performance Power Petrol Generator

This was the replacement I’ve purchased, a Briggs & Stratton HandyPro 3500L, this unit is based on the Classic Pro 3500, 16 litre petrol tank, a run-time of 11 hours @ half load. 2.7kVA (2700 watts), 10Amps. It weighs approx 66kg when filled with petrol!

HandyPro 3500L
Briggs & Stratton HandyPro 3500L

I’ve been testing it today, by boiling water in a kettle connected to it, it’s also quieter than the cheaper B&Q model.

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Pop-Eye

Friday, January 13th, 2006

I have noticed that one of my very old large Marble Angel fish may have developed Pop-Eye. Not to be confused with the Sailor!

Pop Eye

I do not breed from this angel fish any more, this female is too old, and lives in my display tank in the house.

Pop-eye is caused by: bacterial infection, parasite infestation, metabolic disorders, and poor water quality.

Symptoms: one or both eyes swell and project from the head. In severe cases, the eye can burst from the socket.

Treatment/Control: affected fish can be treated with MelaFix.

Large Old Angel fish

The water quality in the aquarium checks out okay, I’ll maintain a close “eye” on her condition. Excuse the pun!

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Whoops..and there’s sand everywhere.

Sunday, August 28th, 2005

and that’s the only disadvantage with fluidized sand filters, if you get the flow rate incorrect, you end up with the media (sand) in your tank! Hence, why it’s still on test.

Angel fish are settling in well, although I’m a little concerned about the large male veiltail, he’s certainly not deporting as well as he should, maybe it’s too early, and he’s too stressed.

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Additions to the Fish House

Sunday, August 28th, 2005

I’ve collected some Adult Angel fish, Syndontis Angelicus, An Orange Gourami and a handful of Kribensis from a local breeder in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, they have decided to concentrate on Discus. All the fish are sexually mature and will help the gene pool here at Angelfish house. These fish have all gone into quarantine for four weeks, until, they are moved to other tanks. All quarantine tanks are now full in the fish house, so no more fish purchases for a month, and I wanted to purchase a trio of Ancistrus. I’ll have to find some room, anybody got any space in the cupboard. Here are the fish as promised:-


Black Male Angelfish

Female Koi Veiltail Angelfish

Koi Angelfish – sex unknown

Male Half Black Angelfish

Male Koi Angelfish

Male Koi Veiltail Angelfish

Male Silver Angelfish

Syndontis Angelicus – not an angel fish, but a cracking catfish!

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Fish Collection

Sunday, August 28th, 2005

I’m up bright an early on a Sunday morning to collect some new angel fish from Bridlington. It should take approximately an hour to drive to Bridlington. I’ll take some pictures of the new angel fish and mount them here, when they are back safely.

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