Flame angel laying on his side

AllSignsPointToFish · Mar 12, 2016

I bought a flame angel yesterday. He looked very healthy and active in the store.

I put him into quarantine yesterday and managed to get him to eat some brine shrimp.

I wake up this morning, and he's on the bottom breathing rapidly laying on his side.

Any thoughts about what I might try? The quarantine tank is just saltwater with a SG matching the display tank and some Kick-Ich/Rally as a preventative measure.

I've added an air pump just in case, but the regal tang also in the tank appears to be doing okay.

AllSignsPointToFish · Mar 12, 2016

@Humblefish

Any thoughts? Help, please, if you can.

ridawg · Mar 12, 2016

This happened to my coral beauty but I'm sorry to say I lost him

ridawg · Mar 12, 2016

And in that tank with the coral beauty is a sailfin tang and he is doing great

AllSignsPointToFish · Mar 12, 2016

That sucks. I'm sorry to hear about that.

twilliard · Mar 12, 2016

Flame angel fish don't travel all the best. Must be acclimated slowly as they stress easily.
If he is laying on his side there is not much hope for him and sorry in advance.

AllSignsPointToFish · Mar 12, 2016

Thanks. I took three hours to acclimate him, but I guess that wasn't enough. :/

Humblefish · Mar 12, 2016

AllSignsPointToFIsh said:
Thanks. I took three hours to acclimate him, but I guess that wasn't enough. :/

How long was he in the bag before you acclimated him? Did you add an ammonia reducer during the acclimation? It's possible he was exposed to ammonia during that time.

AllSignsPointToFish · Mar 12, 2016

He was in the bag about 90 minutes for temperature equalization before I began the acclimation. I did not add an ammonia reducer during acclimation :/ I guess that's where I screwed up.

Humblefish · Mar 12, 2016

AllSignsPointToFIsh said:
He was in the bag about 90 minutes for temperature equalization before I began the acclimation. I did not add an ammonia reducer during acclimation :/ I guess that's where I screwed up.

Ammonia burn sometimes has a delayed reaction to it. I've seen fish I knew had been exposed to ammonia eat fine that same day and then be dead the following morning. It's probably too late for him, but if you have Methylene Blue give that a shot (nothing to lose.)

Ammonia Burn/fish injuries:

Symptoms - This appears as redness around the gill areas. The cause is exposure to ammonia, which can happen during acclimation, quarantine, or when a fish is placed in an aquarium which has not been completely cycled. Prolonged ammonia exposure can damage a fish’s gills, liver and kidneys, usually resulting in death within a few days.

Treatment options - Malachite Green or Methylene Blue, used either in a quarantine tank or as a bath treatment. Both help heal wounds, including gill damage from ammonia poisoning. For eye and other injuries, you can also dose Epsom salt (1 tablespoon per 5 gals). Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, making it reef safe.

AllSignsPointToFish · Mar 12, 2016

I don't have any methylene blue on hand. There is no obvious redness around the gill area. I plan to freshwater dip the carcass to see if anything falls off, then call the store to see if they can work a deal with me. Those are about the only options I have left. :/

Humblefish · Mar 12, 2016

This will help you for the future: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-acclimate.192300/

Next time you bring a fish home, set your QT SG to match the bag water so you can just float & release. No drip acclimation required.

Most LFS and online places should know what their SG is before you make your purchase.

AllSignsPointToFish · Mar 12, 2016

Thanks for all the help. This isn't my first rodeo, but I will admit this was my first attempt at a flame angel and maybe they are more sensitive than others.

Humblefish · Mar 12, 2016

AllSignsPointToFIsh said:
I don't have any methylene blue on hand. There is no obvious redness around the gill area. I plan to freshwater dip the carcass to see if anything falls off, then call the store to see if they can work a deal with me. Those are about the only options I have left. :/

When you do the FW dip, look for flukes (see below). In fact, I would go ahead and do it now following the instructions below (nothing to lose). In the off chance he has velvet (or flukes), it may provide some temporary relief. It's a Hail Mary but .....

Freshwater Dip: Provides temporary relief for Brooklynella, Flukes, Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium); possibly even Ich & Uronema marinum (both unproven). Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes.

How To Treat - Fill a bucket with RODI water, and use a heater to match the temperature to the water the fish is coming from. Aerate the water heavily for at least 30 minutes prior to doing the dip, then discontinue aeration while performing the dip. Fish aren’t overly pH sensitive for short durations like this, but you can squirt a little tank water into the dip just before the fish goes in to help bring it up.

Place the fish in the freshwater (FW) dip and observe closely. It is not unusual for them to freak out a little at first. Also, tangs are notorious for “playing dead” during a FW dip. The important thing is to watch their gills; they should be breathing heavily at all times during the dip. If breathing slows, it’s time to exit the dip. Dip the fish for no longer than 5 minutes. Multiple dips may be done, but it’s important to give your fish a day to recuperate in-between dips.

For flukes, use a dark (preferably black) bucket so you can see if tiny white worms fall out of the fish (especially out of the gills) at around the 3-4 minute mark. The worms will settle to the bottom, so you can use a flashlight to look for them there as well.

Pros - Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases in a chemical free environment. Can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.

Cons/Side Effects - Not a permanent “fix” for any disease, as FW dips are not potent enough to eradicate all of the parasites/worms afflicting the fish. Some fish can have an adverse reaction to a FW dip by appearing unable to maintain their equilibrium once returned to the aquarium. If this happens, hold the fish upright (using latex, nitrile or rubber gloves), and gently glide him through the water (to get saltwater flowing through the gills again). It is also a good idea to place the fish in an acclimation box until he appears “normal”.