# Angelfish w/red line along dorsal fin base



## DKRST

My silver angelfish has developed a faint red line along the upper curve of his back (right under the dorsal fin). I also noticed a red line, looks almost like a blood vessel, that runs toward the tail fin in the middle of his/her body. It's not actually extending into the finnage, it's in the tail's base similar to where the dashed line is here: Body)*--*<

Sorry, can't get a good picture that shows it. I know it's a guess, but 
1) is this an issue to be concerned about 
2) based on this tiny amount of info, any ideas what it is?

Am I wrong to suspect a bacterial infection? Had this for a week. Fish seems healthy, eating well, fins look in good shape. Looks like two of my marble/calico may be developing this line as well. Water parameters seem ok. Going to buy an API kit tomorrow...


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## Plumkin

#1 remove that fish and put it in a hospital tank the red line is STRESS and usally the fish seem to die really fast that same week if they continue to be stressed out do you have other angels picking on the fish or any nippy fish nippin at the angel? How big is the tank angels should have 20 gallons per fish.


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## DKRST

I have them in a 55 gallon. I also have a grumpy dwarf gourami I have to remove from there ASAP, he's chasing them almost constantly. I'm assuming he is the source of the stress!


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## DKRST

*Problem(s) identified - I think!*



Plumkin said:


> #1 remove that fish and put it in a hospital tank the red line is STRESS and usally the fish seem to die really fast that same week if they continue to be stressed out do you have other angels picking on the fish or any nippy fish nippin at the angel? How big is the tank angels should have 20 gallons per fish.


Ok, finally invested in an API kit. Checked pH 3 times, it was 7.4. Stupid dip stick test continues to read 6.8 still. Suspected ammonia elevation, yep, about .35. Nitrates and nitrites both zero. Did really quick water change, moved grumpy gourami to another tank and stuck some ammonia-absorbing stuff into my canister as a stop-gap overnight. 

I think I nuked all my good bacteria fighting off some other issues with antibiotics. I have a lot of plants, I can only imagine how bad the ammonia level may have gotten if I had no live plants at all, ouch! Going to feed very, very carefully, monitor ammonia levels, and keep changing water daily until my tank re-cycles... My own fault for nuking the tank with antibiotics. Don't know what else I could have done, had exhausted other options. Cleared up the original problem, caused a bunch more :-?


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## Plumkin

Sound like you know what to do, after feeding if theres ny food left syphen it out let me know if there red stripes of stress go away keep up those water changes till ammonia is 0.


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## DKRST

Thanks, will do. Ammonia this AM was .25, did another small water change before work, will do additional water change when I get home. Checked tapwater, no ammonia there.


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## daver

*ammonia problems*

If you ever find your fish suffering from ammonia problems and don't have the time at that moment to fix if
try a temporary fix of a few spoons full of baking soda in the tank.It will give them relief for a few hours until you can repair the problem.
I was given this information many years ago by a well known[ at the time]fish wholesaler and it works for me.


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## DKRST

Thanks for the info, although I hope I don't ever have this problem again! Got to be more careful with my meds, and use a QT tank next time!


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## Plumkin

having a qt tank is the best chocie


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