Koran Angelfish Discoloration???

[milwaukeem]

I bought a Koran Angelfish about a week ago, when I bought him he did have some discoloration in his face area that wasn't too bad... I asked the at my LFS where I bought him about it and he said I could feed him color enhancing plankton to help bring his color back. I have done this for the past week and his color seems to be fading throughout his whole body? Is this normal, if not what can I do to bring back his color? Is it a diease? Thanks, any help, helps.......

 

[unleashed]

from what your discribing it could be begining of HLLE (head ,lateralline errosion)
this is very much a dietary issue .angel fish need a spacific diet of meaty veggie and sponge .i reccomend getting a good angel food formula .ocean nutrion makes some very good frozen formulas for angels spacificly.my feeding schedule concist of thera+A non medicated anti paresitic forumula pellets by spectrum fed 2 times per day(all fish will benefit from this food) then angel formula at pm(i use ocean nutrion angel food and pigmy angel food for my coral beauty)soaked in selcon and garlic extreme once thawed in a cup of water i smoosh the cubes to be dispursed through the tank for all fish to eat. spuctrum pellets are formulated to enhanse coloring by adding multi vit to the formula making these foods highly nutricous for your fish. dont waste the phlankton it also goes well in a mix of prepaired foods for pm feeding. as for scarring if this is HLLE the scars may never go away some do some dont.but giving your fish a good balenced diet will help ensure they do not get worse. ps after i started this diet i i noticee def color and apearance changes(improvements) in one months time.

 

[beth]

Please take a look at the pictures of fish with Head and Lateral Line Erosion located in the Diseased Fish thread at the top of this forum, to get a ID on the problem.

 

[scubadoo]

Originally Posted by MilwaukeeM
I bought a Koran Angelfish about a week ago, when I bought him he did have some discoloration in his face area that wasn't too bad... I asked the at my LFS where I bought him about it and he said I could feed him color enhancing plankton to help bring his color back. I have done this for the past week and his color seems to be fading throughout his whole body? Is this normal, if not what can I do to bring back his color? Is it a diease? Thanks, any help, helps.......
Koran angels often get "fright spots" from numerous causes. Stress, poor water quality and poor diet can all contribute to white blotches and/or fading/loss of color. If it appears your angel does not have HLLE try checking for the contributors to the fright spots. make sure you are feeding him an adequate diet for the species, water parameters are within acceptable limits, and there is no aggression .
Your initial desrciption sounds like it could be HLLE, but your later descriptions sounds like "fright spots". COuld be both. The cure and/or reversal for both is found in what I have posted. No need for meds.....check your system and his diet. You need to provide hima regular source of sponge...use angel formula.

 

[milwaukeem]

I thank all of you for your advice... I am sad to say I was a little late... He passed away sometime this afternoon??? Not sure why... I noticed last night that was behaving very irregular... Swimming sideways, laying sideways on the bottom of the tank, leaning up against rocks in addition to hanging vertical with his mouth at the top of the water... Although these were actions we would spuractically go back into normal swimming mode... Also when feeding yesterday he did not come to the top of the water like he usual does..... Considering this happened yesterday after all stores were closed I had to wait until today to contact my LFS.... I explained what was happening and he advised me to continue watching his befhaviors since the same day this occured I test my water and everythign was perfect he told me that if he continued to behave the same way then to test the water again and then we could go from there... This was his advise from earlier today, now just a couple of hours later he is dead??? I have only had the fish for a little over a week... When I purchased him there was some discoloration on his face, which adventually over the past week spread... I am wondering if something was wrong with him from the get go... Everything else in the tank seems to be fine... Foxface rabbit Fish, Percula Clown, and a Red General Starfish... Another thing I was wondering if it would be possible if he got poisened by the Foxface's venomous fins??? Any thoughts on my situation would be great!!!

 

[scubadoo]

Whenever these large angels show signs of discoloration, "bleached" areas, etc it is a sign they are under stress.
In this hobby, stock selection is important. If a fish does not look right and/or displays odd behavior...best to walk away.
From what you have described, the fish was under stress at the lfs. There are many causes regrading this with desease being one of them. I doubt your foxface did him in given your timeline and how the animal looked at the lfs at the time of purchase.
Sorry for your loss.

 

[unleashed]

im very sorry for your loss.because this fish was showing imperections at the time of purchase and duly noted to your sales person about this under his advice we convinced to purchase anyways.i suggest asking your lfs for a replacement fish .a good store will honor this if they refuze to honor the health of there stock and replace him for you or give you full instore credit for another to compensate .simply politely state I like the store but if i connot get this resolved i may have to shop elsewhere(this is for refusal only) i will have to find another LFS for my needs..a good tip for future LFS practice always tell them if your happy with there survice and stock and that you have highly recomended them to others ( if this is true at least)

 

[milwaukeem]

Well after I got home yesterday and took the fish back up to the store they did point out to me several places where he got nipped by the Foxface, they did say the bites alone did not kill him but the stress from everything is probably what did him in.... They have offered me instore credit towards another fish... They said maybe I should wait a week or two beofre adding another fish to the tank.... See at the LFS that I go to there are a number of employees.... The woman who normally helps me I believe she is the owner is always a great help, always explaining everything in detail and makes you feel comfortable about making decisions, etc... The there is this younger guy who kind of gives you an arrogant impression and hurries you along.... Guess where my bad advice came from.... So from now on I am going to shop there when she is working... She did mention to me yesterday that this is really part of "New Tank Syndrome" I have only had the tank literally set up & running for two weeks and fish in it for just over a week... She did state that once my tank becomes stable within the next couple months everything becomes easier??? I hope this is true.. Once I get the hang of everything....

 

[scubadoo]

Originally Posted by MilwaukeeM
Well after I got home yesterday and took the fish back up to the store they did point out to me several places where he got nipped by the Foxface, they did say the bites alone did not kill him but the stress from everything is probably what did him in.... They have offered me instore credit towards another fish... They said maybe I should wait a week or two beofre adding another fish to the tank.... See at the LFS that I go to there are a number of employees.... The woman who normally helps me I believe she is the owner is always a great help, always explaining everything in detail and makes you feel comfortable about making decisions, etc... The there is this younger guy who kind of gives you an arrogant impression and hurries you along.... Guess where my bad advice came from.... So from now on I am going to shop there when she is working... She did mention to me yesterday that this is really part of "New Tank Syndrome" I have only had the tank literally set up & running for two weeks and fish in it for just over a week... She did state that once my tank becomes stable within the next couple months everything becomes easier??? I hope this is true.. Once I get the hang of everything....
It is quite possible that the fish was picked at after it was dead and before you removed it. If aggression killed the animal you probably would have witnessed some tormenting long before death. The lfs cannot make that diagnosis with any certainty that another fish killed the angel, if the dead fish remained in the system for a brief period. Also, fish that are in a weakened state may also be picked on shortly before dying.
Angels require mature systems of a least 6 months wiht planty of mature live rock. While there is such a thing as "new tank syndrome" fish losses can be avoided if you stay away from certain species early on.
It appears to me the lfs owner is telling you it is acceptable to have loss of fish due to a new system. This is 100% false if you are careful as to what you add, the timming between addtions and when you add them.