LGart Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 Hi all, my angelfish has been sick for several weeks, hasn’t been eating for about three weeks. It’s mouth kind of disappeared, it has a hole like it’s flesh has been eaten off, and some smaller holes in its body. My LFS suggestion was to treat with erythromycin, wich i did. Then I thought it might be HITH so I switched to seachem metroplex. Nothing helps. It’s horrible to see. I am considering euthanizing with clove oil, but can’t make myself doing it. Can someone give me an advice please? Should I do it? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 I am sorry this is happening to you and your fish. I don't know that I have ever seen a fish look that bad and still be alive. I have seen people recommend putting the fish on a wet towel and injecting medicine into the fish's mouth or using a shallow water bath where the fish flops around in very shallow water with a high concentration of medicine so that the fish ends up actually swallowing some. I have not used either treatment. But if extreme measures are ever called for, it would be here. The other option is to euthanize. That is hard, but there are times when it has to be done. If it were me, I think I would euthanize this fish. Sometimes that is the kindest thing you can do, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theresa W Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 Unfortunately, your choices are to try another medication (something broad-spectrum, for example, Seachem Paraguard), euthanize, or leave it alone and let Nature take its course, whatever that course may be. I'm no expert with angelfish, but in general, when a pet has been suffering for some time and can no longer eat, it's time to let go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 I have had an angelfish mauled by cats so badly she didn't have any fins and floated sideways. She recovered over time and and is now one of breeders. And all of her fins grew back. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 On 6/23/2021 at 3:49 PM, LGart said: Hi all, my angelfish has been sick for several weeks, hasn’t been eating for about three weeks. It’s mouth kind of disappeared, it has a hole like it’s flesh has been eaten off, and some smaller holes in its body. My LFS suggestion was to treat with erythromycin, wich i did. Then I thought it might be HITH so I switched to seachem metroplex. Nothing helps. It’s horrible to see. I am considering euthanizing with clove oil, but can’t make myself doing it. Can someone give me an advice please? Should I do it? It looks like hold in the head disease what are your water parameters and how many courses of metroplex and erythromycin did you do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 That appears to be a pretty advanced case of hole in the head to me as well. I know that fish can survive advanced cases but later become susceptible to infections. Once you have successfully contained it you will have to keep a very close eye on the scar tissue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGart Posted June 23, 2021 Author Share Posted June 23, 2021 On 6/23/2021 at 11:25 AM, Colu said: It looks like hold in the head disease what are your water parameters and how many courses of metroplex and erythromycin did you do I moved it to a QT tank. ammonia is 0, nitritre 0, nitrate about 20, ph 7.5 temperature 78 i did erythromycin for 4 days. But i was sure that it’s HITH, at least looked like it so as soon as metroplex arrived i started it and it’s the third week, but I don’t see any improvement. And the fact that it has not been eating for at least three weeks makes me think that it’s over. He looks at his food and even swims to it, but can’t even open his mouth. There’s basically no mouth left 😢 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGart Posted June 23, 2021 Author Share Posted June 23, 2021 On 6/23/2021 at 12:50 PM, Biotope Biologist said: That appears to be a pretty advanced case of hole in the head to me as well. I know that fish can survive advanced cases but later become susceptible to infections. Once you have successfully contained it you will have to keep a very close eye on the scar tissue. I wish i knew it before. In the beginning when I noticed a small hole on his face I thought he maybe accidentally scratched himself over the rock ( i had a dragon stone in the main tank) he was eating well and looked ok so I didn’t do anything. I am not that experienced with treating fish, and was only able to save some from ich. When I asked the LFS store guy if it was HITH he looked offended and said “who told you that?” They hate when people do research on the internet. So I had nowhere to go and did my best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGart Posted June 23, 2021 Author Share Posted June 23, 2021 On 6/23/2021 at 11:10 AM, HH Morant said: I am sorry this is happening to you and your fish. I don't know that I have ever seen a fish look that bad and still be alive. I have seen people recommend putting the fish on a wet towel and injecting medicine into the fish's mouth or using a shallow water bath where the fish flops around in very shallow water with a high concentration of medicine so that the fish ends up actually swallowing some. I have not used either treatment. But if extreme measures are ever called for, it would be here. The other option is to euthanize. That is hard, but there are times when it has to be done. If it were me, I think I would euthanize this fish. Sometimes that is the kindest thing you can do, Thank you for your support. I don’t think i can ever get another angel. The way he looks at me, it seems he understands everything. They look so intelligent:((( 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 (edited) On 6/23/2021 at 6:00 PM, LGart said: I moved it to a QT tank. ammonia is 0, nitritre 0, nitrate about 20, ph 7.5 temperature 78 i did erythromycin for 4 days. But i was sure that it’s HITH, at least looked like it so as soon as metroplex arrived i started it and it’s the third week, but I don’t see any improvement. And the fact that it has not been eating for at least three weeks makes me think that it’s over. He looks at his food and even swims to it, but can’t even open his mouth. There’s basically no mouth left 😢 At this point There's a small chance but they can recover I would treat with a different med sometimes treating with med with a different active ingredient will do the trick treat metroplex active ingredient is metronidazole I would treat with paracleanse or general cure active ingredient is praziquantel and metronidazole and aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 2 gallons to cover against secondary bacterial infection Edited June 23, 2021 by Colu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGart Posted June 23, 2021 Author Share Posted June 23, 2021 On 6/23/2021 at 1:17 PM, Colu said: At this point There's a small change but they can recover I would treat with a different med sometimes treating with med with a different active ingredient will do the trick treat metroplex active ingredient is metronidazole I would treat with paracleanse or general cure active ingredient is praziquantel and metronidazole and aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 2 gallons to cover against secondary bacterial infection Thank you, I’ll try that. I think they sell general cure in pet stores. Paracleanse might take longer to be delivered, i wish I had ordered that before, because I planned to get trio med, but didn’t even know that it treats hith too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 Hopefully it works out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGart Posted June 23, 2021 Author Share Posted June 23, 2021 On 6/23/2021 at 3:13 PM, Colu said: Hopefully it works out General cure is out of stock😭 i ordered paracleanse through aquarium coop, but it might take several days. I’ll do salt … thank you for your help! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGart Posted June 30, 2021 Author Share Posted June 30, 2021 I thought I’d post an update. Coop shipped the medicine super fast and I started the paracleanse first dose on Sunday. Yesterday, when I checked on my angel, I was horrified and had no doubts that it should be immediately euthanized. It was rapidly breathing and a weird big “horn” was protruding from it’s “chest”. Ive never seen anything like it. It wasn’t looking at me anymore and wasn’t swimming much. I euthanized it and buried it, because I couldn’t just throw such a beauty, and so brave one, in trash. So sad. I just feel guilty that I let it suffer for so long. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Thank you for updating. I am sorry to hear about your fish dying. It happens to everyone in this hobby. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Sorry to hear he didn't make it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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