# Bloated Angelfish.



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

So I notice my male Koi Angelfish seems a bit bloated. He was like that yesterday and it hasn't gone down today so I am starting to wonder about him. I am kind of thinking he is constipated, but I am not 100% sure. He looks and acts fine besides the bloat. He does seem a bit on the shy side since this, but other then that he seems fine in behavior. Is there anything I can do for him? He is in a 75 gallon with rainbows, another angel, a couple female bettas, and rasboras. Thanks.


----------



## pandragon (Jul 10, 2014)

I heard epsom salts, magnesium salts, can help, but I am not sure the exact dosage as different sites recommend different dosages. Apparently epsom salts supposedly act similarly in fish as they do in humans as a muscle relaxant that helps with constipation.


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Really? I have never heard of that one. Anybody know the dosage? I have heard peas can help too. His condition is still the same, and I haven't fed the tank in a couple days for fear of him eating and making it worse. He does act like he would eat something though.


----------



## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

Here is an excellent article about bloated fish: http://www.oscarfish.com/article-home/healthdisease/119-fish-bloat.html

Be aware of dropsy/bloat disease. This is an infection in which the scales will be pushed out (usually not so clearly as with this fish, but it demonstrates it very well):









This is a bacterial infection and needs to be treated very fast or your fish won't survive.

If it is just constipation peas and epsom salt will work like a charm.


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Ya he is still bloated, but I don't think he has dropsy. No signs of the typical pinecone look. I think if he had that, his scales would have started to pop out already. He was begging for food earlier, but I didn't feed because he looked a bit more bloated then yesterday. I haven't seen him pass anything in a few days so I am pretty sure he is constipated. I will try the peas thing first and if he doesn't eat that then I will try the epsom salt.


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Ok so I tired feeding him peas and no luck. He doesn't like them. I put him in a Epsom salt dip last night and nothing seemed to happen. I took about 1 gallon of the tank water and put 1 tablespoon in like the article said. I left him in for 15 minutes before putting him back in the tank. His condition has yet to improve and I don't know what to do now. Dip him again? Do something else? I don't want to loose him.


----------



## pandragon (Jul 10, 2014)

If you think it might be bacterial infection you can soak some feed he/she eats in antibiot meds for 15 minutes or so and give to your poor fish. I am sorry your fish still is feeling icky. I lost 6 otocinclus over the last month wit out knowing exactly why and I might lose the last even though he has the most algae covered tank he could eat from of course without any friends cuz they didn't make it more than a week or two at the most.  I really hope your fish survives, I know how it feels to lose a fish you care for.


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Thanks. I am positive though he is not sick as he looks 100% healthy besides looking very uncomfortable from his bloating. I haven't done anything new with my tank in months so I would have no idea what he would have gotten sick from. And last I checked my water quality it was all good, but I guess I could check again just to be sure. At this point I would be willing to try anything though. His body just isn't responding to my treatments the way I would like. At this point I am not sure whats wrong with him. I am pretty sure its constipation, but he just isn't responding to my efforts so it could be something else. I just have no idea what.


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

So does anybody have any ideas for my angel?


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

So after no improvement I did a Epsom salt dip again. This time I did it for 30 minutes. That was yesterday, and he doesn't look any better. WHAT DO I DO!? I have no idea what's wrong with him! He shows no signs of getting better what so ever! He's shy, he is not eating (but shows interest), and is still bloated. He does not have dropsy as he is not pinecony. I feed bloodworms, flake, brine shrimp, and a few other things. The tank hasn't had any new additions in over 6 months so I don't think he could have anything else. I don't know the water quality, but everything else seems well. What's wrong with him? What should I do? I worry for his life


----------



## pandragon (Jul 10, 2014)

Pictures might help us figure it out. It has been a while with the bloating and he or she is still alive, so it doesn't sound like a major bacterial infection. How are the other fish doing, any signs of illness, bloat, shyness, etc? Try getting him/her to eat a pea again or crushed pea? 

Any redness around the gills, fins, or anything else that looks odd? Some fish are sensitive to mineral levels in the water or changes to them, not sure about angels though as I have never kept them. 

I am sorry your fish still looks ill.


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Ok I will give pictures and water quality later. And I will try my best to get him to eat peas. 

Since I don't know what's up with him I am just going to give as much info on my tank so we can eliminate variables. My tank is a 75 gallon planted, with soil and gravel cap. The lighting is a 48" T5HO, one actinic light and one natural daylight (I forgot the watts). I have 2 filters for the tank, one 90 gallon HOB and one 30 gallon HOB, and I just changed out 2 of the filters. One of which was a carbon filter. I do water changes every 2 weeks. My stocking includes 2 angelfish, 6 turquoise rainbowfish, 3 banded rainbowfish, 2 bosemani rainbowfish, 2 female bettas, 6 harlequin rasboras, and 3 otocinlclus. I also have 6 nerite snails (3 horned, and 3 tire tracked). All my other fish look great. They are all eating and show no signs of bloating or shyness. No redness on any of the fish including the sick angel. I will give water quality later.


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Well, the poor guy is still alive, but he looks miserable as heck. I tried feeding peas again, and he has no appetite anymore and on top of not liking peas he wouldn't take them. Surprise. I have yet to test water quality as I have been to busy or tired to do so, but all the other fish look great including the other angelfish. Getting a picture of him will be all but impossible as he just hides behind all the plants now. I cant figure out what's wrong with him! Besides not eating, hiding, and tons of uncomfortable bloat he is showing nothing else out of the ordinary. I just wish I could get him to come out more so I can get a better look at him. At this point I have no idea how to help him and I feel I just have to wait for the inevitable. I will try anything in my power to help him while he is alive, but at this point I feel his survival rate is low


----------



## pandragon (Jul 10, 2014)

You could quarantine him in another tank or other container and observe him. He might need antibiotics. I am not sure if parasites could make him not eat, usually they eat like crazy but lose weight and poop worms, that is unless the parasite blocks the intestines and can't come out. Poor little guy has been sick for a long time I really hope you can save him.


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Why would he have parasites? He has never had stringy poo, and isn't loosing weight either. I feel like I cant treat him if I don't know what to even treat him for. Should I just treat him anyway?


----------



## Shrimplett (Mar 21, 2013)

Well, I still have my angel. I am positive he isn't going to recover though and will end up dying a long slow death. If the bloating doesn't get him, then starvation will. I feel I am out of options with him as his symptoms are so few, its all but impossible to tell what's wrong with him. I am feeling its best to put him out of his misery. He is still much alive, but he is not living a good life right now. He looks uncomfortable from the bloat, wont come out during the day anymore, and hasn't eaten in a long time. I would prefer to end his suffering then watch him slowly suffer until the inevitable


----------



## estead (Sep 20, 2021)

what ever happened?


----------



## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

estead, welcome to APC! This discussion is from 2014, so you are not likely to get a reply from Shrimplett.


----------

