Photo 1. Hexamitosis in angelfish: a sign is swelling on the forehead. It went away after treatment. Photo 2. Hexamitosis in angelfish: transparent excrement.
Swellings such as growing boils (photo 1) are sometimes found in angelfish. If they are detected, it is necessary to immediately begin treatment for hexamitosis (in 95% of cases it is hexamitosis), as a rule, after treatment for hexamitosis, such abscesses go away. Photo 2 shows a very common symptom - clear excrement. Indeed, this is a sign of hexamitosis, but not only! First of all, this is a sign of a disorder in the digestive system , which can also occur with helminthiasis, and with food and nitrite poisoning of fish. It should be noted that the transparent mucous excrement resulting from hexamitosis does not disappear immediately after the fish are rid of the causative agents of this disease. Digestion improves within a few days, or even a few weeks. You can learn about the fate of the angelfish from photos 1 and 2 from the Aquarium forum thread. Now let's talk about the small white dots on the body of the angelfish. This story happened several years ago, and then I did not immediately connect this symptom of the disease with hesamitosis, since there was no loss of appetite or digestive disorders. However, during the treatment it turned out that it was him.
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| Photo 5. This is hexamitosis in young angelfish, which manifests itself as “burning” (destruction) of the fins. Best seen on the dorsal and anal fin. There are no other symptoms of hexa. In such cases, the disease may be misdiagnosed as fin rot. Antibacterial therapy will not give a positive result here, since you first need to rid the fish of parasites in the intestines. |
The next example is small pustules on the head of an angelfish; they are larger than the “dots” shown above. At the same time, a symptom that appears is refusal to eat. This combination is highly likely to indicate hesomitosis.
| Photo 5. Small pustules on the head of the angelfish are a symptom of hexamitosis. Case history here. |
Holes and abrasions (erosions) on the head are not always a sure sign of hexamitosis. Lesions on a fish's head may just be a normal injury.
| Photo 6 . This is the abrasion on the head of an angelfish. It's just an injury and nothing more. She passed on her own. This fish is from a quite prosperous aquarium, a story about it is here. |
In conclusion, I would advise all newly acquired angelfish to be immediately treated for hexamitosis, even if they do not show any signs of this disease. The easiest and cheapest way to do this is with homemade medicinal food: this or that. You can read more about hexamitosis: “Hexamitosis, or hole disease - symptoms and treatment, photos and videos.” — Detailed article about hexamitosis with treatment recipes. » Discus fish: diseases, symptoms of diseases, treatment. Discus Discus Dissection." — Details about intestinal parasites of discus fish, symptoms of hexamitosis in discus fish. “Symptoms of hexamitosis in red parrots. Photos, case histories from the forum.” — About the signs of hesamitosis in red parrots.
How to help a sick angelfish: treatment and prevention
The angelfish is considered the most popular variety of aquarium fish. A distinctive feature of which is good health and interesting territorial behavior. If unfavorable conditions are created, the fish may be susceptible to infectious or foodborne diseases, and if treatment measures are not taken in a timely manner, the fish may die. Diseases of angelfish are either contagious and transmitted to other inhabitants of the underwater world, or not. Often the cause of the disease lies in the provision of poor quality care, as well as the introduction of new inhabitants and plants into the aquarium without prior quarantine.
Redness
Feature of the breed
Sometimes red eyes in angelfish are signs of the breed; in this case, the iris of the eye is divided into several parts, when half of them are painted black and the remaining red. Of course, there are rare exceptions when the iris is completely scarlet.
A similar color is characteristic of black angelfish, as well as silver and koi, whose eye rims are completely red. In these species, the appearance of scarlet color begins gradually as they grow older, so if all of the above facts apply to your pet, there is no reason to worry.
Polluted aquarium
When water changes occur rarely enough, to the point that it begins to become cloudy, a favorable environment is created for microorganisms that can easily enter the eye of the angelfish.
The inflammatory process begins and the eye begins to turn red. This problem can be easily solved by timely and regular changes of water.
Injury
Despite the fact that angelfish are quite friendly and intelligent fish, at certain periods they become no stranger to aggressive behavior towards other inhabitants of the aquarium.
Such clashes often end in injury for both participants. To limit such skirmishes, a large aquarium with sufficient vegetation is necessary. And in addition to the main one, an additional aquarium is recommended in case of angelfish spawning, where you can place the fish.
Parasites
Serious harm is caused to angelfish by parasites that can get in with live food (bloodworms, tubifex, daphnia, brine shrimp). Some parasites can be introduced with new inhabitants who were infected at the time of purchase. As a rule, external signs do not appear for a long period of time, as a result of which it is impossible to immediately recognize a sick fish.
Worms
If an animal is affected by worms, then you can find out about it only after their development has reached its maximum limit. You can understand that a fish is dying by a number of signs:
- The angelfish practically does not move around the aquarium.
- Lost appetite.
- Breathes frequently.
- The fish does not respond to stimuli.
- In appearance, severe exhaustion associated with malnutrition becomes noticeable.
- Waste products change color dramatically.
- The fish always lies on the bottom.
- There may be bloating in the abdomen, small wounds all over the body (some worms that have reached maximum development begin to leave the body, leaving behind wounds).
If it becomes clear that the fish has the last symptom, then it will not be possible to save the individual. As a rule, such fish die within a few hours or days.
With other symptoms, the animal can be saved. To do this, you will need to purchase anthelmintic drugs intended for fish at any pet store. In most cases, the drug is added to the general aquarium.
If a sick fish is found in a community aquarium, then all inhabitants must be treated.
Microspores
Infection by microspores can be recognized quite easily by the following signs:
- Black spots are visible all over the body.
- The angelfish completely loses its appetite.
- The fish move little and sink to the bottom.
It is important to understand that this disease cannot be cured , so every effort must be made to prevent infection of other inhabitants of the aquarium.
A sick individual should be immediately transplanted separately or killed. The aquarium is cleaned, the water is changed, the equipment is washed, and then methylene blue is added for preventive purposes.
For 2 weeks, feeding is as nutritious as possible; it is best to use live food. In order to prevent this from happening in the future, it is recommended to use high quality food from well-known manufacturers. Clean the bottom and change water by 10-20% daily.
General rules of action when detecting sick fish
If an angelfish is spotted in an aquarium and has suddenly changed its behavior, immediate action must be taken. The sick pet is placed in a separate container with water taken from the aquarium and carefully examined. It is useful to use a magnifying glass for inspection. A chemical test is also carried out to determine the condition of the water in the aquarium. If it is normal and no external signs of disease are found, then it is recommended to observe the fish for several days. If during this time it is not clear what caused the strange behavior, the help of a veterinarian is required.
Healthy pets are a joy for the owner's eyes.
Knowing the diseases of angelfish is necessary for everyone who keeps these beautiful and exquisite pets in their aquarium. Preventing their health problems is much easier than treating them.
Protozoa
Most often, the body of the angelfish is affected by protozoa, which in turn can cause a number of diseases. The following symptoms will make it much easier to recognize the presence of this type of infection:
- The lateral line is deformed.
- Waste products change their color to white.
- The feces are thin, resembling white thin threads, and they are quite long.
If the condition is satisfactory, it is quite possible to save the animal; to do this, it is enough to select special preparations at the pet store. In severe cases, death is inevitable.
Attention! All fish that were with an infected individual must be treated for preventive purposes.
Bacteria
Bacteria are another common type of infectious disease. As a rule, pathogenic microorganisms are always present in the aquarium, but when their number exceeds all permissible standards, this negatively affects the health of the aquarium inhabitants. In most cases, tuberculosis and fin rot occur.
Fin rot
Fin rot is a common type of disease affecting fish. Individuals with veil fins are most often affected. If the outbreak is severe enough, the infection can spread to ordinary fish.
Fin rot can be recognized by a number of signs:
- Cloudy eyes and fins.
- The edges of the fins do not have a clear line, they become uneven.
- The fin on the back is torn.
If it is noticed that the fins have begun to tear, then it is worth taking immediate measures to treat the animals, otherwise the infection will begin to progress. If rotting moves from the fins to the body, then you can forget about saving the angelfish.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis cannot be cured; the infected individual dies. The sick fish must be destroyed ; the remaining inhabitants of the underwater world are fed live food for 2 weeks. In addition, you will need to change the water and boil the soil.
- You can see clouded and bulging eyes.
- The original body color becomes dull.
- The fish is severely emaciated, its stomach collapses, and its spine is bent.
- A sick angelfish constantly hides in shelters or in thickets of plants.
The animal dies in the shelter found, after which it begins to decompose and spread pathogens of a terrible infectious disease.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
This type of disease is bacterial; the fish begins to experience internal hemorrhage. You can see ulcers on the sides, which is the only sign by which an infected individual can be recognized. For treatment, antibiotics are used, which can be purchased at a specialty store. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to cure animals. The population or some part of it dies.
Sources of bulging eyes and methods of combating
What can cause bulging eyes?
The reasons may be the following:
- glucoseosis;
- chemical composition of water;
- systemic bacterial infection;
- eye flukes.
If the angelfish has bulging eyes, white spots and bumps on its body, then the fish has a serious disease - glutenosis. The diagnosis can be confirmed by the behavior of the fish, it loses its balance, swims on its side and turns over. The prognosis in this case is disappointing - the fish has been infected by sporozoans, which will lead to its death. It is urgent to isolate the angelfish and treat and disinfect the aquarium. If you do not clean the reservoir, the disease will spread to the rest of the inhabitants. A diseased scalar needs to be eliminated.
Are the fish's eyes bulging, but there are no changes on the body or fins? The reason may lie in the increased content of nitrates and nitrites in the water. After checking the water and confirming the diagnosis, the fish is transferred to another aquarium. The prognosis is favorable, the condition will stabilize within a week, but you should not forget to change the water.
When the angelfish's eyes became cloudy, whitish ulcers appeared on its body, and the ends of the rays of its fins began to fall off, a rod-shaped bacterium appeared in the aquarium. Treatment is carried out with hydrochloride, bacillin, and green malachite. The reason for the infection is that the water in the reservoir is rarely changed.
Another cause is eye flukes. If the angelfish has a white eye and a cloudy pupil, then this disease cannot be ruled out. Eye worms infect the fish's cornea, causing the pet to become blind. There is no cure for the disease.
Viruses and fungus
The proliferation of fungal and viral diseases occurs mainly in conditions of severe pollution of aquarium water.
If we consider the most common fungal and viral diseases, we can highlight the following:
Glucose
It is the most dangerous disease for which it is impossible to cure. As a rule, almost all fish die. A white rash appears on the body. The angelfish swims on its side, coordination suffers greatly. The sick individual must be immediately destroyed, and the aquarium must be treated (the water is drained, the soil is boiled);
Dermatomycosis
The causative agent of the infection is a mold fungus, as a result of which a white coating appears on the body of the fish, and the eyes may become cloudy. The most important thing is to start the treatment process in time, when the damage to the scales has just begun, otherwise the fungus will begin to penetrate inside. “Streptocide” must be added to the aquarium. Baths with added salt will not hurt;
Ichthyosporidiosis
The internal organs of the individual are affected, so it is impossible to immediately determine the disease. In infected animals, the scales begin to darken, the eyes bulge, and the angelfish does not eat. If the infection has reached the nervous system, then the fish loses coordination, it swims upside down, moves in leaps and bounds, after which it sinks to the bottom of the aquarium and lies on its side. Fruitful treatment is only possible if the disease is detected early;
Rubella
A fairly acute and contagious viral infection that spreads very quickly in an aquarium.
Red spots and inflamed red gills appear on the abdomen. Unfortunately, there are no treatment recommendations and, as a rule, the individual dies. In order to prevent the occurrence of many diseases, it is recommended to provide angelfish with favorable living conditions.
How to treat?
To treat parasitic infections, only antiprotozoal drugs are used, since antibiotics are not effective enough against flagellates.
Currently, there is a whole range of medications that allow you to quickly and quite effectively cope with hexamitosis. The choice of strategy and treatment method depends on what factor became the catalyst for the problem. It has been practically proven that hexamitosis is always accompanied by a viral infection.
Before treatment begins, infected fish are placed in a separate pond or pool for a kind of quarantine. Next, one of the following treatment methods is used.
Hyperthermic treatment
This treatment method involves increasing the temperature of the water in the pond. This option is possible if appropriate heating equipment is available. Processing has to be carried out in small containers where sick fish are placed.
The temperature is increased by 3-4 degrees per day. If necessary, it is raised more than 8-10 degrees from normal, but this is done as smoothly as possible. This method is more often used by owners of aquarium fish; it is less popular in pond breeding.
Metronidazole
This is an effective antiprotozoal drug, repeatedly tested in practice. It is an environmentally friendly product because it contains no substances that pollute the environment.
The drug is used both in a common reservoir and in a quarantine pond. The maximum dosage is 500 mg per 70 liters of water. Metronidazole is used for 3 days. If treatment is ineffective, stop using the drug.
The result of treatment is usually visible within the first week. In addition to metronidazole, other medications can be used in parallel.
Ornidazole and Tinidazole
These are synthetic antimicrobial drugs that have an inhibitory effect on gram-negative bacteria and anaerobic microflora. The drugs have the same mechanism of action, but differ slightly in the speed of effect.
Treatment is carried out in a common reservoir or in a fish tank, in the following dosage:
- tinidazole - 1 g per 200 liters of water;
- ornidazole - 2 tablets of 500 mg per 200 liters of water.
The drugs are used three times at intervals of one day. Then they take a break for 3-4 days and repeat the cycle. Usually two cycles are enough, but in order to definitely cope with parasites, it is recommended to carry out three courses.
The use of medications can be combined with hyperthermic treatment.
Other drugs
To treat fish infected with flagellates, the following drugs are used:
- Furazolidone. It is used in combination with Tetracycline or Kanamycin. Prepare a solution - 0.05 mg of the drug per 10 liters of water. Add 2 g of kanamycin or 0.25 g of tetracycline per 50 liters of water. Treatment is carried out until improvements appear.
- Ciprofloxacin. It is used in combination with aquatic preparations. A solution is prepared from 0.5 g of the drug per 50 liters of water. ZMF HEXA-ex (a drug for the treatment of hexamitosis and other invasions) is added to it.
- Ofloxacin. This drug can replace ciprofloxacin. It is diluted with furazolidone - 0.2 and 0.6 g per 40 liters, respectively. The mixture of drugs is poured into the fish tank, where the fish are kept overnight.
Quarantine measures
In case of rapid progression of the disease and a threat to the life of the fish, treatment is carried out in a separate pool. During quarantine, drugs aimed at combating flagellates are combined with antibacterial agents (antibiotics).
Quarantine is the first priority measure when symptoms of hexamitosis appear. All sick fish are placed in a separate pool - a fishpond. New fish are also placed in a similar tank to undergo preventive treatment.
Homemade medicinal food
To prepare medicinal food, you need granules that do not soak well in water. If granulated food becomes porridge-like 5-10 minutes after soaking, it is not suitable for medicinal purposes.
One of the medicinal drugs is added to the food: metronidazole, tinidazole or ornidazole, furazolidone. The granules are mixed with tablets, ground into powder, and soaked in a special veterinary starter (probiotic).
Additionally, it is recommended to give the fish immunomodulatory drugs. Interferon, Echinacea purpurea and special multivitamins for fish are suitable.
Prevention of hexamitosis
Hexamitosis develops when conditions in a reservoir are favorable for its pathogens. Prevention comes down to a number of measures aimed at maintaining an ideal ecological balance in ponds where fish are kept.
Prevention measures:
- Periodic feeding with special medicinal feeds with spirulina, kanamycin and furazolidone.
- Change food and diet from time to time.
- Adding the multivitamin preparation Fishtamin to the aquatic environment.
- Checking the level of nitrates and phosphates in water.
- Constant operation of aeration and filters.
- Quarantine measures for new fish.
- Disinfection of vegetation, soil, live food.
Video about hexamitosis, how it looks under a microscope in fish:
Hexamitosis can cause irreparable damage to the health of fish. Damage to the digestive system causes the death of livestock. Competent prevention of parasitic infestations can prevent losses and unnecessary expenses on expensive medications.
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Digestive diseases
Hexamitosis
Hexamitosis is a parasitic disease found in aquarium fish that affects the intestines and gall bladder, resulting in severely damaged appearance. Holes, open wounds, and ulcers appear on the body. This disease has several names - hexa, octomitosis, hole, spironucleosis. Other symptoms:
- Loss of appetite is the first sign of the disease. Quite often you can notice that the angelfish spits out food without even swallowing it. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, the animal will completely lose interest in food. Many aquarists classify this behavior as fish selectivity, however, this is not always the case.
- Thread-like white discharge is another symptom. Since the individual’s body is affected, the epithelium begins to stand out and come out of the fish in large quantities, which becomes noticeable. Often you can see discharge with undigested food - this is a signal of intestinal damage.
- The fish swims at the surface of the water, stays apart from its relatives, and the color of its scales becomes much darker.
- In addition, the sick fish loses a lot of weight, the stomach changes its original shape - it becomes concave, the back is deformed. In some cases, abdominal bloating is observed.
Very rarely, sufficiently deep holes appear on the body from which fluid comes out. Many fish have lateral lines, which in normal conditions are almost invisible. During the course of the disease, these lines become clear and painted in bright shades. Ulcers can run along the entire body up to the head.
Breeding angelfish
For breeding, a high temperature is required (up to 28-30°) and necessarily some broad-leaved plants (for example: cryptocorynes, echinodorus, etc.). The fish clear the leaf they have chosen of sand, silt, and food residues, and the female lays one egg on it, arranging them in rows, and the male fertilizes each of them separately. At the end of spawning, both fish remain near the eggs and fan them all the time with their fins to ensure an influx of fresh water. The male and female free the fry that have developed in the eggs from the egg shell and spit them out onto the leaves. Here the fry hang on short threads for the first time. Later, the parent fish transfer the fry to a flat hole they dug in the sand and keep them there for 4-5 days. After this, the fry make their first attempts at independent swimming. After another day, the two parents take the flock of fry out for a walk. At this time they need to be given the smallest live food. The fry very soon switch to relatively large food, such as small cyclops, so that there are not too many difficulties in obtaining food. Some hobbyists prefer to transfer a plant leaf with eggs laid on it into a jar with the same water, but without soil and plants, placing it near an air spray. From the laid eggs, of which there are up to 600 pieces, fry are hatched, as a rule, in quantities equal to half or two-thirds of the number of eggs.
Prevention
All diseases of aquarium fish are directly related to the conditions of detention. Angelfish are considered the most unpretentious and peaceful cichlids, and to maintain their health, it is recommended to adhere to the rules of keeping.
The conditions of detention are as follows:
- The first step is to buy a large aquarium. For one pair of angelfish, a container with a volume of 100 liters is required, since the animals love space, they grow quite large and can reach a height of 25 cm, including fins. Thus, the height of the aquarium is from 50 cm.
- In nature, angelfish live in flocks, but do not forget that they are territorial cichlids and two males can quarrel with each other not only for the attention of the female, but also for territory.
- Many diseases are associated with poor water quality. Therefore, you need to purchase a powerful filter, but at the same time regulate the water output, making it moderate.
- Angelfish prefer warm conditions, so the water temperature should be between +26 and +28 degrees. If the water is +25C, then the reproduction process multiplies; if the indicator drops below, then the development of diseases begins.
- Once a week, do a water change - 30% of the total volume.
- Fish like to spend most of their time in shelters, so it doesn’t hurt to plant the aquarium with plants, place driftwood and other decorations.
- It is not recommended to use bright lighting, as the fish may get scared. It is worth choosing suitable lighting, taking into account the comfort of the inhabitants and plants.
- The fish are unpretentious in food. Therefore, they can be given both dry food and live, frozen food. It is important to consider that angelfish are quite voracious and should be limited in their food intake.
If you follow these recommendations, you will not need to take other preventive measures, and the fish will grow healthy and active.
Angelfish (Pterophyllum)
Categories: Angelfish Angelfish
( lat. Pterophyllum) are the most popular and most widespread aquarium fish from the cichlid , or cichlids (lat. Cichlidae) . The color and shape of the angelfish are very diverse, but mostly they have a light silver background of the body, through which there are dark or black transverse stripes; the appearance is very attractive. Round, laterally compressed body. The pelvic fins are elongated into threads, the dorsal and anal fins are elongated, and the scales are small. Angelfish reach a length of 15 cm and a height of 25 cm. Adult males, unlike females, have a denser body and a convex forehead. Floats calmly, majestically. Afraid of sharp and loud sounds. Demanding on living conditions and water quality. The lifespan of these fish in an aquarium is, on average, about 10 years. Although there are known cases of angelfish living twice as long. At approximately the age of 10 months, the fish reach sexual maturity, and they split into monogamous pairs. The homeland of angelfish is South America, the Amazon River basin, where they live in slow-moving rivers with strong vegetation. The generic name of this fish translates as “winged leaf” . In the West it is called “angel fish” . Angelfish have always been considered one of the most beautiful aquarium fish. Her graceful movements and manner of swimming calmly and importantly give her a special decorative value. In the aquarium they get along quite well with other aquarium fish. Angelfish have three main varieties - Pterophyllum scalare, Pterophyllum altum and Pterophyllum leopoldi (formerly called Pterophyllum dumerilli ).
How can angelfish get sick in a home aquarium?
Angelfish are quite hardy; if the fish is healthy, then it can resist various infections. The main cause of diseases in beautiful fish is inappropriate living conditions. Angelfish diseases are easier to prevent than to treat. Therefore, the main task of the owner is to provide adequate living conditions for scalars in the aquarium.
But even with proper care, it is not always possible to avoid some diseases; lethargic fish make their owners nervous. What do angelfish most often suffer from and what to do in critical situations? Let's look at the main diseases of these beautiful fish.
Parasitic diseases
Parasites that can affect fish can enter the aquarium from the outside, for example, with low-quality food, or develop inside.
Angelfish are susceptible to the following parasites:
- helminths;
- microspores;
- protozoa flagellates.
Infection with helminths can only be determined when the signs have entered the final phase. The angelfish refuses to eat, is exhausted, and its discharge changes color and shape. Treatment is carried out using antihelminthic drugs.
Symptoms of infection with microspores are gray spots on the body, the angelfish does not eat, it is lethargic and motionless. There is no point in treating fish for this disease, but it is possible to prevent infection. To do this, you need to monitor the quality of their food. If an individual infected with microspores is found in the aquarium, it should be isolated immediately.
Protozoa flagella form a disease such as hexamitosis in angelfish. How does this disease manifest itself in fish?
- Ulcers on the scalp.
- The appearance of the side line changes.
- The excrement becomes white and thin.
With hexamitosis, the intestine can sometimes prolapse, but this is not the main symptom of the disease. If the angelfish eats a lot, then when it overeats, its intestines may also come out. Hexamitosis can be tracked by “holes” on the head. Infection occurs through water in which there was excretion from a sick fish and through food. Scalars are treated with special medications to prevent scarring. If the process is not started, then the disease can be cured.
Feeding angelfish
The main factor in the long life of fish is proper feeding. You should not overfeed your fish; it is better to underfeed them. Give your fish a daytime fast once every 3 months. Feeding the angelfish is done 1-2 times a day. At the age of up to 1 month, fish are fed every 2-3 hours, at the age of 1-2 months 4 times a day. Angelfish feed mainly on live food. They can move very quickly, chasing guppies or other small fish, tadpoles, various insects and their larvae. But they also nibble on algae and pieces of leaves of tender aquatic plants. They grow best when alternating food from fish fry and mosquito larvae (bloodworms, coretra, etc.). Feeding these fish with minced seafood also gives excellent results: mussel meat (scallop, rapana clam) and shrimp.
Bacterial infections
There are a large number of harmless bacteria present in the aquarium. They are found in water, decorative objects, and on the skin of fish. Some even perform a useful function, such as providing biological filtration in the aquarium.
But some bacteria are pathogenic for angelfish; they cause a number of serious diseases that affect both the internal organs of the fish and their body. Some types of bacteria become dangerous only when the immune system is weakened or when infected with parasites. If bacterial infections are not treated, angelfish die en masse.
What bacterial diseases are most common in scalars?
- Mycobacteriosis or fish tuberculosis. The disease manifests itself in loss of color, the fish have bulging eyes, and weight is reduced, since the angelfish eats little. Their behavior also changes. Often the fish tries to hide, for which it chooses secluded places. How to treat angelfish for tuberculosis? Unfortunately, there are no effective drugs to combat this bacterium. It is unacceptable for a sick individual to be in the aquarium; all inhabitants must go through quarantine, and the water must be completely disinfected and replaced.
- Fin rot. The disease begins with the fins, the edges change color, the shape is torn. Urgent treatment is required. What is it for? If no action is taken, the rot spreads to the body and the interradial tissue decomposes. The treatment process includes treatment with an antifungal agent and improving water quality.
In more rare cases, scalars may experience diseases such as vibriosis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- lethargy, angelfish eats little;
- bulging eyes;
- red fins;
- white coverings on the skin;
- abdominal bloating.
With a transient form of vibriosis, angelfish die. It is necessary to introduce quarantine and monitor water quality; antibiotics cannot be avoided.
Infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa leads to hemorrhages in the mouth. In addition, the hemorrhage can be internal, affecting the liver and kidneys. External symptoms are ulcers on the sides of the body. Treatment is difficult, but a favorable outcome is possible if the antibiotic is chosen correctly.
Diagnostics
Making a correct diagnosis is difficult and complicated by the vagueness and variety of symptoms. When the most striking sign appears - holes in the head, the disease has already gone too far.
The symptoms of hexamitosis are extremely similar to the symptoms of diseases such as mycobacteriosis and ochthyophonosis. The exact cause of the pathology can be determined after opening the gastrointestinal tract and microbiological analysis.
Intestinal or fecal preparations are examined. Flagellates move quickly and chaotically, so they are easy to see during mass infestations through the eyepiece of a microscope.
Poisoning
One of the main reasons from which angelfish die and get sick is poisoning with ammonia, chlorine, and nitrite. Some diseases of angelfish begin with poisoning, since the fish have a reduced and weakened immune system.
What causes poisoning and how do the symptoms appear?
- Ammonia poisoning. There is a small amount of oxygen in the water, so the angelfish begins to suffocate. The behavior of the fish changes; they can jump out of the aquarium, which is unusual for them. Angelfish damage their gills, and their body color becomes dark. Excess ammonia is caused by the lack of a filtration unit, a large amount of unused food in the water, and the death of inhabitants.
- Nitrates are not harmful to most fish, but they are very harmful to angelfish. When poisoned, they become lethargic, the gills turn pale, and the fish eat little. Signs of poisoning appear from the first to the third day, sometimes scalars die from nitrate shock.
- Chlorine poisoning causes fish to appear pale and may have red gills and other body parts. The behavior is restless, the angelfish itches, and there is disorientation.
Why else would there be mass death? One of the reasons is overcrowding in the aquarium. The symptoms in this case are similar to poisoning: damaged or red gills, mucus spots on the body, the fish is lethargic and does not eat. This is due to the fact that the new aquarium does not have the necessary biological environment, that is, it has not yet matured. To avoid this, you should monitor ammonia and nitrite levels and take care of biological filters.
Symptoms of hexamitosis
At the initial stage, it is almost impossible to recognize the disease, which makes it extremely problematic to start treatment in a timely manner. The only indirect signs are a darkened natural color of the fish, sudden weight loss (even despite regular nutrition) or loneliness. If these symptoms are present, it is necessary to examine the pet as early as possible for the development of hexamitosis, so that the treatment provided in the future is effective.
Symptoms of hexamitosis
In addition, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the main symptoms of the development of the disease in a community aquarium.
- Decreased appetite . In a more acute form, the fish may completely refuse to eat food.
- Destruction, loss of fins.
- Picky eating . For example, a fish may grab food and then spit it out.
- Enlarged anal opening.
- Deep erosions in lateral areas . These erosions extend to the scalp.
- White mucous discharge . The disease affects the intestines, causing intestinal cells to be rejected and often released in large quantities from the body.
- Bloating . This symptom is observed mainly in cichlids. Usually, due to the disease, the shape of the abdomen and back changes.
Hexamitosis (Hexamita)
Note ! In addition, during the disease the external color of the inhabitants of the aquarium undergoes changes.
Typically, with hexamitosis, not all of the listed symptoms are observed. Sometimes white discharge even indicates poisoning or enteritis. However, you shouldn’t neglect what you see either. Ideally, the infected fish should be placed in a separate aquarium for examination. Then the ecological microclimate in the common tank will not be disturbed, and treatment with metronidazole will be more effective.
Video - Signs of hexamitosis in Malawian forest
Fungal and viral diseases
Fungi actively appear where there is a favorable environment, for example, the remains of fish or temperature changes.
What can angelfish get sick with?
- Ichthyosporidiosis. This fungal disease develops internally, making it difficult to trace. As the disease progresses, the fish's color darkens and their eyes become goggle-eyed. Sometimes the angelfish does not eat, its scales stand up. Treatment with fungal drugs is necessary.
- Glucose disease is a dangerous disease; its carriers die. Symptoms of the disease: white bumps, spots, dots. The fish loses coordination and lies on its side. After eliminating the infected fish, their aquarium is thoroughly treated.
- Dermatomycosis. The cause of the disease is mold. Fish must be treated at an early stage, otherwise the fungus will penetrate into the internal organs. If you do nothing, then in advanced cases the scalars die. The main symptom is a whitish coating in the form of plaque.
- Branchiomycosis. This contagious and acute disease is characterized by the fact that the fish's gills disintegrate. Red and white spots and dots appear on them. The angelfish changes its behavior, tries to stay near the water surface, eats very little, and does not react to stimuli. The fish needs to be treated as early as possible, but even with recovery, the gills will take a long time to regenerate.
- Iridovirus infection. The angelfish becomes weak, does not eat, and the belly is visually enlarged. Treatment is ineffective and the fish die in most cases.
- Rubella. This is a dangerous viral disease in angelfish, and it is also very contagious. The main symptoms in the acute phase are red gills and inflammation of the scales. The body of the fish becomes covered with spots, they are red and accumulate in the abdomen area. Rubella most often causes mass extinction of fish.
What to do if symptoms of disease are discovered in angelfish?
Compatibility of angelfish with other aquarium animals
Angelfish are by nature peaceful, schooling fish, but during the breeding season they become uncooperative. They can be shy. She gets along easily with other non-aggressive fish breeds, although she can sometimes be aggressive towards smaller fish, especially her own breed. Compatibility depends on the volume of the aquarium in which the scararia live, on the number of plants. The larger the aquarium in which angelfish are kept, the more species of aquarium fish can safely exist together with angelfish. Only telescopes (fish with bulging eyes) will not get along with scalars; telescopes will simply be left without eyes, and then inevitable death will occur for them. Angelfish of the same color and approximately the same age get along well with each other; placing a very young angelfish with an adult can lead to the death of the young individual, since it simply will not get food.
