Diamond Scale Angel - trouble keeping upright

[Ghoti]

Came in from outside to seem my favourite diamond scale male angel spialing down to the bottom of the tank. He seems to swim ok for a while near top of the tank, then fall on his side and timble downwards. Will post a short video if it ever uploads!!!

Colour etc is fine andf he looks fine physically and ate enthusiatically this morning. Ph 6.5, ammonia 0, nitrITE 0, nitRATE 10ppm, TDS 138ppm. Temp 28C.

Hes roughly 14cm top to bottom, beautiful fish. I'd hate to lose him!

6 other angels in tank seem fine as do the gazillion community fish.

Cheers,
Scott

[lpiasente]

Maybe some epsom salts???? Poor fella

[ILLUSN]

Swim bladder infection
Treat with epson salt to reduce gloating and slow water entering tissue use metro at 6-10mg/L 2x a day for 7 days

[Ghoti]

Have isolated him in QT tank and have added epsom salt at rate of 2tbs/40lt.

I was surprised he lasted the night - dunno how he'll be when I get home from work.

Is a vet the only source of metro?

EDIT: I also meant to ask is this something the other fish may now get, and where would it have come from? I did add some angels last month, but they were QT'd for 2 weeks first.

Cheers,
Scott

[ILLUSN]

likely an internal defect that allowed the swim bladder to get infected (water enters the swim bladder, becomes septic and everything goes wrong) if its a diamond its likely expessing afew recesive traits like pearlscale, fish that exibit recessive traits are generally weaker then other fish. (eg my albino diamond anlgels from wild type sclare parents that grow 1/4-1/6th the speed of their wildtype bothers and sisters)

[Ghoti]

UPDATE: Well I popped him in the QT tank, added epsom salts at the rate of 1 tbs per 20lt and upped the temp a couple of degrees.

I tried a couple of LFS for Metro but it seems vets are the go there, so did not have any to use.

He spent a couple of days upside down at the bottom of the tank. At one stage I thought he was dead and tried to grab him with the net and he sprang back to life.

Got home from work tonight to find him right way up and swimming round the tank, though one of his pectoral fins is very badly damaged.

I thought he was a lost cause, but now hoping for a full recovery.

Thanks lpiasente and ILLUSN. :D

Cheers,
Scott

[lpiasente]

So glad he is better.