Bellus angel swimming head down

[CindyKz]

I added this Bellus angel to my qt on Mar 7. I had an immediate breakout of ich (or velvet idk) for which I treated with cupramine then moved all fish to another, unmedicated tank (another female bellus, a Klein butterfly, and a flame hawk). This is the tank in which they all remain.

I've noticed the larger Bellus swimming with a head down orientation kind of off and on. I have tried a boiled pea ( she didn't eat it) and treated the water with Epsom salt in case she is constipated. The behavior diminished after the Epsom salt but now is back so possibly a coincidence. She is in no apparent distress and eats frozen like a champ. She won't touch flake or pellet.

Not sure what I should do, if anything. I'm not opposed to medicating but I want to be fairly certain what I am medicating for, not just taking a shotgun approach.

Thoughts?

 

[Flippers4pups]

I don't really seen any issue.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Looks like she is hunting.

 

[NB Reefer]

Looks like she is hunting.

Agreed, it looks like she is hunting/searching for food, etc. Looks healthy to me.

 

[CindyKz]

Thanks to everyone for your replies! I'll stop worrying.

 

[Bpfor3]

How’d it go? Some of these have swim bladder issues, but mine had the same orientation at first.

 

[CindyKz]

How’d it go? Some of these have swim bladder issues, but mine had the same orientation at first.

I still see her doing it once in a while but she seems fine, eating and swimming normally. Guess she is just looking down lol

 

[Cwentz758]

I had a flame angel back when I was very new to the hobby who would full nose dive into this bubble bar I had in the tank and just go back and forth though it. Shame I was dumb then, he didn’t make it.

 

[CindyKz]

So I moved her to the DT and now she is swimming sideways, usually near the top of the tank. I can only think it's a swim bladder issue, although it seems strange that it got worse since I added her to the DT. There was a significant amount of aggression when I added them so she could have been injured as well though I don't see anything.

I tried boiled peas previously and she didn't touch them, though she's eating frozen fine. I used epsom salt in the QT also and it didn't make an appreciable difference.

I'm thinking I'll try dosing food with metronidazole? Thoughts, anyone? I don't want to pull her out of the DT without a really compelling reason because everyone seems to be working out their places in the pecking order and I don't want to stir the pot.

 

[Bpfor3]

Give her a few days. My male looked like he was having issues first day or so in DT, but it went away. Fish is stressed, which can exacerbate swim bladder issues. As long as she can swim and isn’t getting the crap beat out of her I’d ride it out for a bit. Good luck!

 

[CindyKz]

I treated her with general cure for 3 weeks, the treatment just ended. She looked completely better until today i notice her struggling again. This is getting frustrating. B

 

[Bpfor3]

I treated her with general cure for 3 weeks, the treatment just ended. She looked completely better until today i notice her struggling again. This is getting frustrating. B

Is it worse or better as the day goes on or after eating. My male seems to get worse after a big meal and later in the day. It’s not significant but he definitely has a bobbing type motion when he swims. I think that is just how he is going to be.

 

[CindyKz]

Is it worse or better as the day goes on or after eating. My male seems to get worse after a big meal and later in the day. It’s not significant but he definitely has a bobbing type motion when he swims. I think that is just how he is going to be.

Good question - I just noticed it came back today so I will have to pay attention to whether it is better or worse after she eats. That's how she is now - bobbing motion with her head slightly down when she swims and she seems to have to exert effort to get down to the bottom of the tank. When she does get down she's ok for a bit, then she pops up like a scuba diver with poor buoyancy control LOL. I just hope it doesn't get to the point that she is suffering or it's fatal Hopefully it will just be something that comes and goes.