angelfish update

After several days apart, both my angelfishes seem a lot calmer. Skye looks content solo in the 20H- doesn't hide as much as I expected (the tank is right by my front door). For a day after the separation I was concerned because although the fish was able to eat, never moved the mouth -as if stuck in position half-open- and gill movement very subtle. However now it uses the mouth again, although still can't close it all the way. Looks like it might be okay.

Mr. Beautiful, I'm not sure what's up with that fish. Still often has washed-out stripes and startles easy.

The day after I split the fish up, it seemed very nervous while feeding- would make quick dashes to grab food from the surface and dart away again, even splashing water out of the tank it was so hasty. It colored up better when tank lights were off for the day. Next morning I went to sit and observe the angelfish while the tank lights were revving up. I sat nearby like I often do and while Mr. Beautiful came up to the front, stripes washed out. After a while my cat came over and walked about in front of the tank (ignoring the fish). Angelfish watched the cat. Cat came over to me and I began petting him, in long strokes across the body. The movement of my arm made the angelfish freak out. It dashed away back and forth across the back wall in a panic even bumped against the tank wall several times I could hear it.

I don't know why the fish is still uneasy. Water parameters are fine (nitrates at ten). Maybe I need to remove the leaf litter? or do the kuhlis bother it? (although it doesn't seem to notice, never goes pale when they swarm around the tank). Maybe I need to put more floaters in (the frogbit is still sparse) or add more tall plants (crypt balansae one leaf is nearly half the tank height, but it will take a while to fill in).

Today it was better- bold stripes more often than not, came up to greet me and beg, didn't act nervous while feeding. Maybe it just took more time to get over the stress of its objectionable companion being caught. I'm debating now, if I should try again with another angel, or add some blackskirt tetras.. . . .

but nothing soon. First I have to re-home Skye.

Now my serpae tetras are in poor shape. They aren't beating each other up, and eat fine but they do have reddish gills and look a bit pale. Skye's 20H kept stable parameters when I moved fish around, but this 10g went into a cycle. When I saw it starting I moved in the last piece of ceramic out of the 45, and more spare sponges. It's in full swing now (ammonia dropped to zero, high nitrite). I feel bad for them, but I have nowhere else to put them (this pic just shows the center of the tank). They're getting partial water changes daily meanwhile- today it was 50% due to the nitrites.

Maybe it's at the point where I should quit feeling obliged I have to keep these fish to the end of their small lives, and find them a better home, as none of my tanks are really suitable for them anymore (unless I find a new place for Skye and can move them back into the 20H).