Angelfish Woes...

[amanda huggenkiss]

I've fairly recently added otos to my community aquarium. All was well for the first week or so, but then my angel decided they looked tasty. So he tried to eat one. Emphasis on the word "tried".

The oto got stuck in his mouth. Too big to swallow, and it took him a few hours to get it out. The oto didn't survive.

That was a couple weeks ago. Two days ago, when I went to feed the fish at the end of the day, I noticed that once again, there was an oto tail hanging out of the angel's mouth. Sheesh. Well, I left him alone (what was I gonna do?), but then the next morning it was still stuck. By the time I got home from work yesterday and it was still stuck, I started getting worried.

Well this morning, finally he'd gotten the oto out. Yay. Unfortunately, now he can't close his mouth. It's the end of the day now, and he still can't get his mouth closed. I think he's managed to eat a little bit (at least he tried).

Anyone else ever see anything like this? Any advice? Is there an ichthyologist in the house??

[DARKPHREAK]

I had an angel do that to a neon. His mouth seemed to be locked in the open postion and he wasnt able to close it therefor he died. They need to open and close thier mouths to breath. Maybe yours will work his jaw and get it to close.

[amanda huggenkiss]

Dang. I didn't want to hear that.

[DARKPHREAK]

Im sorry but better to be prepared. You might want to consider saving him the pain if you know what I mean but then again I could be totally wrong which is what I hope for you.

[amanda huggenkiss]

Yeah, I was thinking that too. :cry:

He's acting fine apart from the mouth thing tho. Like I said, he did attempt to eat earlier... I think I'll give him a day or so and keep an eye on his behaviour.

Thanks for the info, even if I didn't want to hear it. :?

[amanda huggenkiss]

Update: He seems to be back to normal this morning.

I swear tho, if he tries to eat one more oto... grrrrr!

(And I just realized I really should've posted this under "Fish". Oops. I was sleepy...)

[Fat Guy]

Don't be surprised if he does it again. Ottos must be the most tasty looking fish to them in that tank. I used to feed my angel feeder guppies every now and then. It's very interesting watching my super veil tale go for the feeder guppies. All of her fins perk out, and she looks amazing as she shoots in.

I just don't have the means to feed my angels feeder guppies. no car.

strictly flake food. Maybe tonight I'll give her some frozen blood worms.

Nice to hear that your angels mouth is working again. I had that happen to an electric blue dempsey a couple years ago. He died. Sucks.

[amanda huggenkiss]

Unfortunately all of the otos I've got are going to be too big for him to eat. And I've got a school of harlequins -- many of which are much smaller than the otos -- and the angel has never gone after any of them. I've never even seen him try.

Sorry to hear about your dempsey, fat guy. Beautiful fish.

[corigan]

Originally Posted by amanda huggenkiss

Unfortunately all of the otos I've got are going to be too big for him to eat. And I've got a school of harlequins -- many of which are much smaller than the otos -- and the angel has never gone after any of them. I've never even seen him try..

Properly hard for him to catch one of the harlequins out of a school, they have the numbers to be tricky when they disperse. They also could be alot faster for him. Otto's are definately slow and peaceful. When they are sitting there digesting a big feasting of algae just chilling on a leaf, they would be an easy sitting target for your angel.

Matt

[unirdna]

Glad to hear he coughed it up. Ottos are catfish, and like every cat I know of, they stick those pectoral spines strait out when they are threatened. In my 'local' fish tank, I had a pair of bullheads spawn once. The fry were on the menu of my bluegill for many weeks......until the last few remaining got big enough to be hard to swallow. Those dumb bluegills, conditioned to eat em, couldn't help themselves. Eventually, all but one bluegill died from having the bullheads lodged in their throats. He was the only one 'smart' enough to stop trying.

[GDominy]

Mouth-locking injuries do occur from time to time. My bala's have suffered more then one rather painfull looking jaw injury. At one point my large bala got his inner mouth "tube" stuck in its extended position.. he was like that for a week before his jaw healed enough for him to close his mouth (he had slammed into the glass brace at the top of the tank and broke his jaw).

[amanda huggenkiss]

Originally Posted by GDominy

...(he had slammed into the glass brace at the top of the tank and broke his jaw).

Ouch!

I hope my angel smartens up. Seriously, if it happens again (and he survives), I think I'm going to see about finding him a new home. Don't want to have to do that, but if it comes down to it... well... the otos perform a function, and he just looks purty.

[GDominy]

How big is he? I have a single Female Angel who needs a friend.. I'm just a ferry ride away :-) I could meet you at the ferry terminal if you need to re-home him.

[amanda huggenkiss]

I may take you up on that! It'd be good to know he was going to a good home.

I'll send you a pic later, 'kay? (supposed to be working now )

[GDominy]

Hey no problem :-)