Possible problem. Please help - flame angel

[aquiman]

Hello. Need help with what appears to be problem with a new flame angel. The bottom rear of the fish appears to have some sort of white slime or rot on the fins that I just noticed today. I added the flame and two other fish last week and all other fish in the tank are fine. The flame has been hiding most of the time since I got it occasionally coming out and grazing on rocks when I see him. Today was actually the first time I've seen him eat what I've fed (not much though) and other than being shy and having this "slime", he seems healthy. Tank is 90 g and running about 6 weeks now. Only issues with water is a ph that just start to read low at 7.8 the past few days so I added some PH+ yesterday and today. (coincidence?) Since he was hiding tonight, I couldn't get a picture but maybe tomorrow I can add a pic if needed. I did a water change tonight 10% and hoping tomorrow I see improvement! Any ideas on what this could be and what I should do? Thanks!:cry:

 

[beth]

It may be stress from the transition to your tank. Does the fish have jagged or torn fins? You do need to get the pH up to at least. 8.0-8.2 range. Have you noticed any aggression?
It will be impossible to threat the fish in the tank, since you're not using a quarantine. If you can get a pic that would help.

 

[aquiman]

Thank you Beth. No torn or jagged fins and absolutely no aggression witnessed in the tank. He is in good hiding so far today so I haven't seen him yet to see how he is doing or take a pic. If its stress, can I expect it's just a condition untill he is more comfortable? I also added some live rock a few days ago and moved a few pieces around so perhaps that added to his stress? When I can take a pic, I'll post it. Actively working on the PH. Thank you!

 

[beth]

Most certainly the added rock and moving things around will add stress to aa new fish. A bacterial infection will present as a white or cloudy film, but so will you see that on a stressed fish, or an injured fish. How are your water readings?

 

[aquiman]

Water readings just taken and are as follows:
Ammonia ~ .25 (LFS isn't alarmed by minor reading since tank is still somewhat new (about 6 weeks running but about 2 weeks with fish) he did not want me to add Amquel since it could mask readings at this important stage of cycle)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Salinity 1.024
Water temp 82. Water temp seems to have risen due to refugium light I just started running 2 days ago for the first time. I'll have to make an adjustment on this so it doesn't run so high.
Did 10% water change last night. There is still no sign of him today... He loves to hid in a spot where it's impossible to see him. He found this spot only a couple of days ago which coincided with adding rock and some minor movement of other rock. Still trying to get a glimps at him so I can take a pic. Thanks very much Beth.

 

[beth]

You should not have added fish in the tank while it was cycling. The live rock would have cycled the tank.
You need to get the ammonia down to zero. Try a water change.

 

[aquiman]

Understood. Another10% again?

 

[aquiman]

Well, I guess he wasn't as good at hiding as I thought. I found him in the spot I thought he was, but unfortunately he didn't make it. I did another water change anyway. Since all other fish are doing great, could stress have been the cause? Thanks again.:sad:

 

[beth]

It could have been, or perhaps a bacterial infection. Just keep the ammonia at zero. pH at least 8.0, however, wait until the ammonia is down since ammonia becomes more toxic with higher pH.