help! My pygmy angel is dying!

T

tmsdc

Guest
I just bought a pygmy angel about 20 days ago for my 75 gallon tank. I acclimated it as suggested and when I released it, it went into hiding, typical. But today I noticed it was very stressed and is literally dying. Any suggestions? I feel so bad!
My chemistry is fine.
This has been the first fish I have introduced into my tank for some time. I have a 6 line wrasse but I also have a older Fiji blue damsel that's at least 5 inches long an has become territorial. I have a lot of rock and plenty of room, but the angel never really came out. I never noticed it eat. I did notice that his tail was nipped at, the blue most likely the cause. So, another question, other than the obvious, how do I get the blue to leave my other fish alone? I ultimately want a green mandarin and would like other showy species but also a peaceful tank. Any help would be great!
 
V

vinnyraptor

Guest
Originally Posted by tmsdc
http:///forum/post/3129883
I just bought a pygmy angel about 20 days ago for my 75 gallon tank. I acclimated it as suggested and when I released it, it went into hiding, typical. But today I noticed it was very stressed and is literally dying. Any suggestions? I feel so bad!
My chemistry is fine.
This has been the first fish I have introduced into my tank for some time. I have a 6 line wrasse but I also have a older Fiji blue damsel that's at least 5 inches long an has become territorial. I have a lot of rock and plenty of room, but the angel never really came out. I never noticed it eat. I did notice that his tail was nipped at, the blue most likely the cause. So, another question, other than the obvious, how do I get the blue to leave my other fish alone? I ultimately want a green mandarin and would like other showy species but also a peaceful tank. Any help would be great!
you have to get him out! thats the ONLY way. you can try "fishing" him out with a tiny hook and some shrimp but most likely you'll have to move stuff around and net him. good luck but you'll have learned a valueable lesson about damsels...
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by VinnyRaptor
http:///forum/post/3129884
you have to get him out! thats the ONLY way. you can try "fishing" him out with a tiny hook and some shrimp but most likely you'll have to move stuff around and net him. good luck but you'll have learned a valueable lesson about damsels...
Yeah, as long as you have that damsel; the little monster will dictate everything you can do with your tank. Here's a post I've used countless times, on how to catch a damsel:
"This may have been me, I always suggest this; but most people think its
silly...until they try it. Tiny hook (hair hook, used to catch bait. Flatten the
barb and bait with a bit of raw shrimp..after the little monster has been eating
it for a day or two. A lfs called me several times, when I I lived in another
state, to help them get unwanted fish out of customer's tanks (almost always
damsels). I never failed, nor hurt a fish (much). I think this one of the most
common questions on this forum. I suspect it is often the result of lfs selling
damsels as "cycle starters".. I'll bet I've posted this reply 20 times; I'm
going to copy & save it...I type very slowly. BTW, I never heard from anyone
that tried this and failed, but have heard several success stories. IMO, it is
no big deal on the fish, far less stressful ,(on the damsel AND tankmates),than
tearing a tank apart."
 
small triggers

small triggers

Active Member
unfortuently, as the others have stated, i will concur that as to the obvious, the only thing you can do is to get rid of the damsel. Good luck. Maybe a fish trap???
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by tmsdc
http:///forum/post/3129883
I just bought a pygmy angel about 20 days ago for my 75 gallon tank. I acclimated it as suggested and when I released it, it went into hiding, typical. But today I noticed it was very stressed and is literally dying. Any suggestions? I feel so bad!
My chemistry is fine.
This has been the first fish I have introduced into my tank for some time. I have a 6 line wrasse but I also have a older Fiji blue damsel that's at least 5 inches long an has become territorial. I have a lot of rock and plenty of room, but the angel never really came out. I never noticed it eat. I did notice that his tail was nipped at, the blue most likely the cause. So, another question, other than the obvious, how do I get the blue to leave my other fish alone? I ultimately want a green mandarin and would like other showy species but also a peaceful tank. Any help would be great!

Sounds like this would work...but can you imagine how funny it will look? Fishing in your fish tank. ..
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3129936

Sounds like this would work...but can you imagine how funny it will look? Fishing in your fish tank. ..

You could also fish the way I did as a kid; but dynamite would be a little rough on the live rock.
 
aquapod 24

aquapod 24

Member
srfisher, whats up with u and blowing up fish???????
lol the thing under your name says "nuke the whales" and u suggest putting a stick of dinamite in a aquarium to get rid of a damsle??????????
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
Originally Posted by AQUAPOD 24
http:///forum/post/3131040
srfisher, whats up with u and blowing up fish???????
lol the thing under your name says "nuke the whales" and u suggest putting a stick of dinamite in a aquarium to get rid of a damsle??????????

Whales aren't fish. The 'Nuke The Whales" was a bumper sticker I saw a long time ago, when "Save The Whales" and "No Nukes" were very popular stickers.
 
matth2181

matth2181

Member
yea that damsel is waaay to big, hell push everyone around. i have a fiji as well with my false percula, but the percula is bigger and does an excellent job of standing up for itself, and they tend to get along and swim around together now. i did however replace a regular blue damsel, i caught him just by feeding, waiting with a net over the tank, and when he came up to grab food i stuck the net in and scooped him up... worked for me
 
T

tmsdc

Guest
Sadly, my angel bit the dust. Thanks for all who helped.
The damsel was easy enough to catch. I used a regular net and threw some pellets in front of it and voila! The blue is now separated in a modified breeding net until I can find him a new home. Lesson learned. With him gone, I'm looking at re-stocking my live stock but am afraid of pairing up stuff that won't get along. I posted another question concerning that in hopes I won't have to go through that again. :(
 
srfisher17

srfisher17

Active Member
I'd bet that the stress from the damsel was a big part of losing this fish. There are several species called "pygmy angel"; but I assume you're talking about Centropyge argi. These are not very difficult or expensive fish. They do need a peaceful environment and plenty of mature LR for grazing. If you can meet these requirements, I wouldn't hesitate to get another. They are very pretty, somewhat shy fish.
 
rlablan

rlablan

Active Member
Can't tell you why it died, but I can say
Feeding is a big part. you MUST have sponge in the diet. Buy live sponge or get the prepared but you have to have it for them, otherwise they just waste away. I buy the "angel formula" cubes and all of my fish just eat that too.
Also, they are shy at first, but once they make friends, they will swim in the open alot. Mine really likes my clowns and thinks they are buddies.
They are a good fish, with the right foods and tank mates. Good luck on the next try...
 
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