angelfish diease

Question
I had a few angels had a sore appear on there body one sore on each body mainly on top of head or side close to the gill waiting to see  what it was it started to get cotton look and than became  bigger started to treat with melafix  but two of the fish die was ok  for two week than notice another angel getting the same thing  it start out as sore or bump

Answer
Hi Tony,

The fact that it started with a sore/bump is strange. It may have been from an injury with another fish, and then it got infected. The cottony growths are actually a type of bacterial infection, so you were correct in treating it with MelaFix. It was most likely a secondary infection.

In order to prevent another occurrence like this, we must pinpoint the original cause of the sores/bumps. Were any of the fish slightly aggressive or chasing each other? Sometimes, large Angels will pick on small ones, etc. Signs of aggressiveness include torn or damaged fins. If there was no aggressiveness, the sores and bumps were most likely part of another bacterial infection.

So, if this ever occurs again, and treating with Melafix does not work, I'd recommend using a stronger antibiotic like Maracyn, tetracycline, or another powder-based medication. Remember to do a 30-50% water change before, and remove any carbon from the filter.

I hope your fish recover, and Happy Fishkeeping!