angelfish floating & feeding greens peas

Question
Hi Karen.  I have been raising 2 angelfish in my 20 gallon tank, and have watched them grow big from such a small size for the past 2 years.  Sadly 2 weeks ago, one of them seemed to be stuck floating at the top of the tank.  I assumed that it was some sort of endstage due to some disease process, so I figured that I'd humanely keep it isolated in a fishnet initially to keep the other tankmates from picking at it, but later kept it in a breeder net, hanging within the same 20 gallon tank.  I thought it was going to die, but it seemed to be hanging in there.  When I did an internet search as to possible causes for this "floating disease" I came across your posted answer to a similar question about it being swim bladder disease and immediately started the green peas feeding...finally figure out the most effective way of hand-feeding the green peas by way of the rounded edge of a toothpick to get the smashed green peas into the poor angelfish's mouth - 2 smashed peas,twice a day.  It actually seemed to still be healthy after a few days of green peas feeding, but still no improvement by way of having it swim freely.  Now, after a week of green peas feedings, there's still no improvement...in fact, now the fish is looking a bit worse, in that it looks more bent now rather than fully floating on its side.  So, it's at this point that I ask what more should I do for some improvement, or for a more humane way to ease this poor angelfish's suffering?  Thanks...I will appreciate your advice!

Answer
Hi Joseph,
I'm so sorry to hear about your poor Angelfish.

When swim bladder gets this bad. It could be an infection or simply kidney failure in a condition where there is nothing you can really do for it. The swim bladder may have been severely injured by the fish ramming into something and hurting himself for example.

I do appreciate to hear that you are trying all you can for the angel instead of just giving up on him. So cheers for that. I would imagine if it were swim bladder disorder triggered by constipation that he would be much better by now with the treatment.

Please read this article that describes the many causes of swim bladder and ways to treat them. It offers understandable information and just might help you out better than I can explain.

http://flippersandfins.net/SwimbladderDisease.htm

As for euthanasia. Only you are the one to decide if its right. The most humane way to do so is by the Clove oil method. Which is what I've used and had no bad experiences with.

You can read more about that here-

http://www.oscarfishlover.com/index.php/Euthanasia/Fish-Euthanasia-using-Clove-O...

Best of luck and I wish only the best to you and your sickly angel.
Karen~
Please let me know what happens.