Sick angel fish freshwater

[fishboy15]

Sorry I'm in the wrong forum but Iv always had good help from here. I have a 55 gallon tank, parameters are great. All the fish are healthy besides my one angle fish. He can't swim normal. He just lays on the gravel on the bottom. He has been like this for quite some time. I would say about 6 months he has been this way. Iv tried to look up what is wrong with him but can't find anything. I'm not sure if it's "swim bladder"? That's the only thing Iv seen what it could be. When the lights come on or if he sees me or if I move my light above to feed the fish, he just rushes up to the top and starts eating. He has trouble but he does eat. He doesn't really swim and eat he just jumps a little so he can stay up and he does a good job. I just want him to be normal and happy

 

[Greatreefer]

Is he breathing heay?

 

[fishboy15]

Only after eating time

 

[Greatreefer]

does it look like he has labored breathing?... it could be a sign of gill flukes.
Is this a new fish or have you had it for awhile?
Have you tried a salt bath?
Post a picture or better yet a video.

 

[fishboy15]

Labored breathing? Iv had it for a long time. No bath salt.

 

[Greatreefer]

Is the 1st picture after he eats?

The 2nd picture kinda looks swim blatter. ( where is head is facing up)

Does he have a hard time swimming?

What do you feed. Flakes, pellets, frozen?

 

[Cleo642]

He could have a swim bladder issue.
@Humblefish do you know anything of freshwater fish health problems?

 

[Cleo642]

He could be just getting old, I had one for like 8 years, then one day he was just gone.

 

[fishboy15]

The pictures are me just moving the light head, he comes up when he hears or sees me. How do I take a video and post? I'll show you exactly what he does.
I feed flake food!!
He does have a hard time swimming. He lays then when he sees or hears me, he tries to swim in place and then he gets the strength to get off the ground and he just looks like he's having a lot of trouble trying to stay floating instead of crashing to the ground.

 

[fishboy15]

The second picture is him on the way to the top looking for food. The first is him getting ready to lay down cause there was no food.

 

[fishboy15]

He is usually laid flat on the ground, not just resting on his bottom

 

[Greatreefer]

Ok. How long has he been doing the weird swimming thing?

 

[Greatreefer]

It very well could be swim bladder.
Try pre soaking your food in water to make it sink. this way it forces the fish to take in water instead of air dislodging the air Bubble. However, from what I've experienced as well as read sometimes if you wait too long it can become permanent. =(
But again, it MAY NOT be swim bladder.

 

[fishboy15]

Other scenarios could be that I used to have other angel fish, I sold them. But it may have gotten very hurt with them. He was like this when I sold the others. I kept this one to nurse it back to health but hasn't worked since. I have a pleco if that guy does anything to the Angel at night. Been doing it about 7-8 months

 

[fishboy15]

He only likes and eats the food that is floating at the top of the tank on the surface of the water, he doesn't eat any other food floating around below the surface.

 

[Greatreefer]

How big the tank?
Plecos only get super aggressive when food has been exausted.
Do you notice any lacerations or any signs of external trama? Open wounds, sores, ect. Looking at the pictures I feel pretty confident that it's an internal issue not external.

 

[Greatreefer]

Huh. Have you tried frozen food like brineshrimp or blood worms?
Hey, maybe even try a little bit of live food like black worms or live brine?...

 

[fishboy15]

55 gallon.

 

[Greatreefer]

huh. Should've been fine. Unless you don't have a whole lot of decorations in the tank. But, that's besides the point now.. other angles are Gone.

 

[fishboy15]

I think the food thing might be a good reason why he is like that. He only eats the food on the surface of the water so when he jumps up to grab a piece of flake he goes above the water line so he might be getting air bubbles in him. He doesn't eat the food floating below the water line only above. I also only feed flake food. Do you think if I only feed frozen he will eat it? Because Again he doesn't eat food below the water line.