Please Help Me Treat My Flame Angel

[jessicarabit]

I got the angel from here & all seems well with her activities & eating (mixture of all kinds of flakes w/spirulina, shrimp pellets, freeze dried brine shrimp), but her eye(s) gets cloudy & if you look really, really close where here gills are on the side, you see a very light 'film' or something that looks like the cloudy whitish stuff on her eye(s). Also, she love going into 'caves' in the LR or in between where the LR meet & she like lays there??? Sometimes she seems to be looking for food, other times is like she 'playing dead'. As soon as I go over to the tank to look at her, she wiggles out. Lastly, at times....very seldom she shakes her body...kinda wiggles it real fast. Not like she's scratching, but 'twitchy' like. Is this normal???
Now I'm know almost for certain my clown doesn't have anything, but she likes to take her body & rub up very aggressively against this conch shell she has made her home. I have tested her by removing it & she doesn't behave like this. I think it's a sigh of territory or aggression towards the other fish. Oh, this behavior has been seen in her for 3 or 4 months. Could it be a connection to the Angels behavior...they tend to hang around each other???
Beth,
Sounds like you might have a bacterial problem with the angel which could well be a secondary infection.
There's nothing effective you can do to treat the fish in your reef tank. If you have a QT, then you could treat the fish using antibiotics.
It is so important to treat fish before they go in to your tank. Please look at the FAQ section, if you haven't already.
jessicarabit ,
What is a secondary infection??? I have a QT & I have Penicillin....will this treatment be effective??? Do I have to worry about my firefish & clown fish being infected by the Angel??? I still don't understand why she wants to lie down in the rocks...I've seen her do it already today.

 

[beth]

A secondary bacterial infection can result when the fish has a "primary disease", such as ich or other parasite. The wounds caused by the parasite feeding off of the fish tissue results in a "secondary infection".
If you have a cycled QT, then place the fish in it and begin antibiotic treatment using Maracyn Two for Saltwater fish. Not the penecillin. The treatment is 5 days, 1 dose each day, double the dose provided by the manufacture. Just prior to administering subsequent doses, do a water change, or use carbon filtration for a couple of hrs, followed by a double dose.
What are you water readings? How is your water ciruculation in tank?

 

[jessicarabit]

My readings are stable & normal as always (8.2,0,0,5[& under].019). I have tons of LR & use RO water so I know my water is always flawless! My other fish are well, though I am nursing a Firefish that got caught in the current of a pump & rock.
My Flame Angel is now in a QT. No LR, just PVC. Readings are 8.2,0,0,0,.019. It has an Aqua Clear 150 filter with 2 foam filter (bio) & 1 carbon filter. I've already added 1 dose of penecillin, but can stop. Have ordered Maracyn 2 & was going to do hypo anyway...down to .009, correct??? How many days to get there??? Have Aqua Plus Water Conditioner (treating fins & gills) & I have just ordered Tropical Science Marine-Care Plus (feel it may be a better quality product), already use Tropical Science Marine-Max consistantly. Is this set up OK for my QT??? Too much??? Too Little???
Thanks you guys so much for the advice! You two had help me in the past with a parasite breakout & taught me about hypo....unfortunately I learned & lost most of my community back then because my LFS recommended Green-X I now totally trust ya'll (my country there) recommendations. I have just started over & I have this...I do feel it is treatable & will come through better then parasites. Oh just order 3 cleaner shrimp, coral banded & cleaner wrasse...thought I can help even more with possible parasites problems. Are Angels like Tangs & get sick often??? Is it true Angel need sponges in their diet for long term success??? I know Firefish are hearty, correct? See, I plan on only having Clownfish, Firefish, Wrasses (1), Damselfish, Angels(1) & Tangs(1...Blue Hippo), & I think my only 2 problematic areas could be the Tang & Angel.

 

[beth]

Hypo is 1.009, not .009.
Angels are hartier in captivity than tangs, but they do require more care than your average fish. They should have sponge, which you can get as a frozen variety is sold for the hobby.

 

[jessicarabit]

I understand it's 1.009 Beth, sorry I put .009, 009 or 9 for short. I will look into the frozen sponges (THANKS). Does it specifically say 'sponges (only)'??? I have ordered & am waiting for the Maracyn2. In the meantime I'm doing hypo. I just fed her & she's eating mad-crazy . The temp in the QT is a bit higher (80/81) so she can eat more food w/garlic to help aid her immune system.
Btw, there are 1-2 in chunk of LR & a cup or 2 of ground up LR (fell off, so it's LS ) in the QT. Is this gonna be a major problem??? I read your 'sticky' post Beth...good spelling & grammar . I think it may help if you say 'READ FIRST' or something...I almost missed it even though it's at the top. Good idea though .
I feel confidante she'll make it. I'm just finding out about Angels (the non-religious type ) & how they 'think', 'work' & 'function'. I mean I just got Firefish (1st time) & already nursed/nursing 1 that got into an accident (non-disease though). These fish seem hardy & I am having no trouble w/3 of them in a 55g. So my attention is for the Angel. Wish me & her luck. Will keep posting.