Gold Flake Angel getting too thin

DRoth335 · Jul 3, 2018

So, we've had our 5-6" Goldflake for 3 years and he has always been a good eater. While he still readily eats we have noticed he is getting very thin the past few weeks. Alarmingly thin. Not sure what the problem is- could it be internal parasites after 3 years? Other ideas?

We feed NLS pellets, a DIY frozen (shrimp, fish, nori, scallops, octopus etc.) and Nori daily. Tank mates are: Blue face angel, regal angel, sailfin tang, blue hippo tang, one spot foxface, melanarus wrasse, pakistani butterfly, moorish idol.

Any thoughts on what might be causing and what/how to treat? TIA.

Maritimer · Jul 3, 2018

It could be internal parasites - they could be taking advantage as the fish grows weaker, and they could have been picked up as he sampled the poop of one of your other fish. My go-to for that kind of thing is API's "General Cure", which is Praziquantel (worms) and Metronidazole (other internal bugs), along with Seachem's "Focus", which binds the medication to food. Use one "Seachem measure" of meds and one of Focus, mixed with about a tablespoon's worth of food. You can use frozen/thawed or lightly moistened pellets for the food, and you can refrigerate leftovers. Feed 1 - 2x daily for 14 days or more, and hopefully you'll see some improvement.

Another common symptom of internal parasites is white, stringy poop. Have you seen that from any of your fish?

~Bruce

DRoth335 · Jul 4, 2018

Thanks for the input. I will give that a try. I haven't noticed stringy poop on any of the fish. Hopefully, I will be able to catch him for QT! Or would you treat the tank so all fish are treated is case others may be infected as well?

lion king · Jul 4, 2018

I have heard some report a similar decline in the goldflake over time with no reason. I have been surprised when I've caught white stringy poo from a fish I had had for 2-3 years, even after they had been treated for parasites during qt, so figure that out. Another theory of the decline of these Angel's could be nutrition, lack of the nutrients found in sponges, their main source in the wild. I try to add Brightwell Angelixir to feeding my flagfin.

ca1ore · Jul 4, 2018

Can you get a picture? Could be any number of things. Maybe parasites (though I'd be inclined to think that less likely in a 3 year kept fish). Could certainly be nutrition; could also be some kind of underlying disease or even old age.

DRoth335 · Jul 8, 2018

Sorry for the slow response. I appreciate the insight. We lost him on Thursday morning before even beginning treatment.

lion king · Jul 8, 2018

What a bummer, did you happen to see anything that you could share. I've heard your story line before, so I'm concerned how we can avoid this in the future.

DRoth335 · Jul 8, 2018

lion king said:
What a bummer, did you happen to see anything that you could share. I've heard your story line before, so I'm concerned how we can avoid this in the future.

That's the weird part in that he seemed to be eating right up to the end although my wife said that when she fed the tank that sometimes he appeared to bite at the food but miss like it might be eye sight related. Here's a pic of him a year ago. I didn't get any while he was in decline the past couple of months.

lion king · Jul 8, 2018

Bingo, maybe. I'm currently caring for a blind pinktail trigger for a year and half now. the harlequin tusk that came from the same source went blind also, he didn't make it. The pinktail managed to hide behind the rocks for months, maybe found a spot where the food swirled; when he came out I coulds tell he had lost much of his eyesight. same thin you said, missing the food. I got him eating from a stick, then he trained me by coming to a specific spot when I was feeding the tank, he's been with me now for several years. As much as he is high maintenance, he is one of my favorites.

My own personal theory, I believe that repeated and long term exposure to copper treatments causes blindness. In retrospect I have had other blind fish, then ended up just not eating or retreating into the rocks to die, I never figured out it was because they had went blind. I believe this happens alot and we just go, he was fine then just stopped eating one day, then died.