# I think my angelfish rescue has a fuzzy lip



## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

So here's the background story

An acquaintance of mine, and her family was moving, and could not take their fish. So she offered them to me. As far as I know, they had been keeping two angelfish, a swordtail, and a bronze cory in a 5 gallon tank. So I immediately said yes, and arranged my other fish so I could take them in. They brought the tank to me on Saturday (9/1/12)

Now the angels, swordtail, and bronze cory are in my 29 gallon with lots of plants, two filters, other cories, a bn pleco, and zebra danios (the danios, i'm considering giving to the the pet shop for several reasons). I didn't notice if it was there the first couple of days, but last night I noticed what looked like some fuzz on one of the angels' lips. It might not be fuzzy exactly, but it looks off.

I can't seem to get a good picture, because this particular angel has a tendency to shy away from the camera. I was thinking maybe it could be either some sort of fungus, or slime coat weirdness? I don't think their tank had been cleaned very often...not sure how the angels looked so nice, and so big!


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

here are a few bad quality videos. The one that just swims off and stares at me is the one i'm worried about. the one trying to photo bomb, then chase the one i'm worried about, has a torn/bitten pectoral, but i think he/she's alright.

Video09042033_1.mp4 video by the_captivator - Photobucket

Video09042033.mp4 video by the_captivator - Photobucket

Video09042031.mp4 video by the_captivator - Photobucket


sorry they're so bad  they probably wont help, but i tried!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Little hard to tell from the videos but it could either be the beginnings of columnaris or lymphocystis. Little bugger would do himself a favor if he'd stay still for a pic, haha. Since he won't, google lymphocystis and see if the pics match what you're seeing. If not, I'll lean toward columnaris. Either way (and this will be the hard part), you need to QT him. Do you still have the 5 gal he came in? Can you set it up? For a QT, he doesn't need much, just so long as he's separate from the others. Both diseases are contagious so try not to cross-contaminate equipment. 

To start with, until we know for sure which disease we could be dealing with, I'd say 20 minute salt baths would work. Fix up a container of water big enough to safely hold him while he's netted. Keep track of the gallonage so you know how many tsps of salt to add (usual dosage of 1 tsp per gal). Net him and lower him into the mixture IN the net. You may need to cover him with your hand so he can't jump out. Let him stay, IN the net, suspended in the salt water for 20 minutes at least, 30 minutes if he'll take it. Then take him out and put him back in his QT. Do this twice a day for a few days and see if there's any reduction in the fuzz. 

If it does turn out to be lymphocystis, though, salt baths won't help much. Lympho is a virus and is non-treatable. All we can do is wait for it to run its course and make sure the water stays clean because if he bursts a cyst, it could get infected and that's where the danger starts. Even if it's just lympho, he'd still need to be QTed since it's contagious. 

Poor Bekah, you did a good deed by taking him in and now he's turning into a medical case. You're a doll to care for him.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

oh dang. i got Zeddie all set up in the 5 gallon because first glance, the angels looked okay 

would 3 gallons be okay? argh...and i can do the salt bath in a one gallon. I also don't have a heater for it ;-; ugh. okay. I'll get a heater for the 3 gallon on thursday and put the poor guy in there.

poor guy  i feel awful. i dont want him to be sick! i'm in love 

eck it could be lymphocystis but i'll try the salt baths...


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

ugh mom swears up and down its just bubbles but it is not.


also, epsom or AQ salt?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

AQ, 3 galls with have to do, should be okay with it as long as you keep the water clean. I'm sorry you have to go through all this trouble. He's such a gorgeous guy though, I can see why you're in love. He seems pretty active so I'm hoping it's just lympho. But I dunno, keeping him in a 3 gal for 3 months (since it can take lympho that long to heal) . . . you COULD put him back in once we're sure it's just lympho but you'd have to keep a good eye on everyone to make sure their immune systems are fighting it off and they're not getting sick too. Also, trouble with lympho breaking out on the mouth is they have difficulty eating.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

okay...daily water changes in the 3 gallon? 100%? i'm putting him in there tonight. I feel so bad for him


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Do you have an ammonia test kit? Test daily and see what the ammonia levels are each day. Once you hit .25, change it, 50% at least. 

If you hadn't rescued him, chances are his fuzzies would've gone unnoticed and he would've died a sad sad death. Now he has a good chance with you.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

okay great, i have got a test kit. i feel so bad for him. he was frustrated with me catching him and looked at me sadly, but he is in the 3 gallon. Can i add anything to make him more comfortable? not sure Kaepora knows what to do withut him, but at least she has the other fish to watch


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

A fake sword plant if you have one. Poor guy. I wish I could send you a 10gal for a QT but I've already learned it costs like $80 to ship a 10gal. Asked once at my local UPS store. And that was just shipping it two hours away to Fremont, CA.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

alright. i dont have a fake sword plant right now- all the fake plants are in the sorority u.u i guess i'll see what they've got at walmart tomorrow...poor guy...

now i'm mad i bought m&ms today! lol. payday is close though...if i cant get a plant tomorrow i'll get it thursday.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

He'll be okay for now. I mean, look at what he lived in before he came to you. A bare tank at a pet store. A 5 gallon with too many other fish. He's in heaven with you.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

thank you. about to do his first bath now :S nervous he'll have a fit


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

i might be crazy but it looks almost gone already...? i'll give him a couple more days but i'm thinking it was fuzz?? o.o


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

no its still there....might be smaller though! i'll keep doing the baths


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Keep with the bath, yes, yes! If it is disappearing under salt it could be we caught columnaris right at the beginning. To be on the safe side, I would say keep with the baths for a week. Normally I would say to leave him in the salt round the clock but I honestly don't know if angels react as well to salt as bettas do. So to be safe, I'd rather not do that and stick with baths if you don't mind the work. I don't want to say "Sure, let's leave him in salt!" and then have him get pickled and brined.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

okay! i'll do it for a week. Poor Kaepora is lonely. Swimming all over and not happy  cant wait to get Gaebora back in with her!



i like how i assigned them genders lol.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

With fish you can't sex, that's about all you can do.  That or call them all Pat.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

hehehe. Pat's a nice name, but not my thing xD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Mine either.  You're doing really well with him. I think he's got a good chance of recovery.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

good  i think he's pretty much better, but he'll get the soaks til next wednesday


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

aaaaand today there are fuzzies >.< sigh i wish he would just get better and go back in his tank


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## aussieJJDude (Jun 9, 2012)

dam, really was hoping that he would go into the tank ASAP! Dam


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

i'm hopeful though. if i keep up with the salt baths, or if that doesnt work, buy medicine Sakura8 recommended, he'll get better  He's real healthy otherwise.


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

his lips dont really look fuzzy at this point, just weird and white. in any case, I put him back in the 29 gallon because my unheated tanks have been dropping down to like 65 degrees >.< I'll watch everyone really closely...ugh


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