Si my fish seem all swollen and puffy, like they have bloat or something. My friend says they have sore throats, wha can I do to help them.

I just bought new carbon for the filters and did a water change. I've attached some pics. There is also some weird stuff growing on my plants. See attached pics.

More pics.

I can't help with the fish but I have the same thing growing on my ornaments.

In my Betta tank I only have an air stone running, no filter and that whitish crap collects in between the tube and the ornament I have in there.

Try cranking your filter up a bit to get the water flowing and it won't build up.

How many angel fish and how large and old are they? I can't see the pictures clearly. The stuff on your plants aren't eggs? Angles will look bloated when laying eggs, and they will put them on any surface. They prefer plant leaves, however, lay eggs on heaters, glass sides etc. When the eggs are not fertile they turn milky white from clear.

Unless removed from the tank, all will eat the eggs when the lights go out. Especially the parents.

Let me just add. When you change the water, it mimics a rainfall, which get angel fish excited and in turn they breed. This all has to do with the Amazon and their natural environment.

My tank may be a bit over crowded, but I have 1 Angel fish, 1 peal Guarmi, 1 rainbow guarmi (the swollen one), a molly, 3 fantom tetra's, a king blue and a red eyed tetra, and a red rummy nosed barb. The tank is a 21 gallon high, and the plants are all real. I guess the angel and the pearl are close to the same size, probably half the size of your palm, as they are about the size of mine. As for age... umm my guess is 6 months?

I actually buy the 18 liter blue water jugs from the grocery store with the "pure" water and minerals, use a water conditioner, melafix and cycle. My water is still cloudy 2 days after the water change.

Shazzy, my filter is on full blast as it is.

Cloudy is fine. It take a week or to clear up. You did state you changed water,the carbon, and I'll assume the other filter media as well. When you do it all at once you deplete all the good bacteria. Carbon holds a lot of bacteria as do the pads or floss. So does the water column. Just be patient all is well.
You should change one segment of the filter at a time, never all. It keeps most of the bacteria at good levels.

Why do you buy water? Do you have municipal or well water? I ask because its not usually necessary. Tap water is fine. Use declorinator or just let it sit for 24 hours. And water is very heavy to carry back from the store.

Does the grey stuff look similar to mold?

My friends tank grew mold (or that's what it looked like), it happened within a day, we took out the plants (what the mold was growing on) and siphoned the tank, the mold then grew on the glass walls as well as the rocks, so we took the rocks out and wiped it off the glass. It was SUPER fast growing and no matter what we did it was a lost cause, all her fish ended up dying...

No it's a form of algae. The most stubborn is "black beard", it is dense, dark grayish, and about a 1/4" long. It is near impossible to control. I believe only one algae eater has been know to eat this stuff, the "Chinese Algae Eater". Only problem is they grown large an are territorial.

I presently have this in my angel fish tank. It does not harm anything. Lends itself to the natural look of the tank, so, I don't mind it, but it's the fastest growing thing in the tank. I just keep trimming the leaves on the sword plants, which seem to be their favorite.
Oh, yeah, I tried the algae eaters, they grow as fast as the algae and angelfish want to rule their territory, So my fish coexist with the algae.

I have read it can be eradicated by cleaning the tank with bleach, which I think is drastic. But if you really can't stand it. Give it a shot.

I guess it's not that bad, I wouldn't go as far as bleaching the tank. I was wondering more about why the rainbow Guarmi is all bloated, and what can I do to help him?

That is something called "Dropsy". You need an antibacterial treatment. I've used "Marcy Plus" to treat the symptom. You have to weigh the cost of the treatment, as medications are expensive. I spend the money most of the time. However, there have been times where you just question the cost. Do you spend $20-$30 to save a $3. fish?

The amount of medication depends on the volume of water. So, a smaller hospital tank will save you money.

Well today the Guarmi seems to be in great health. No more bloatedness. The water is still couldy though. I can usually tell the health of my fish by my rummy nose. His nose is bright red and his checkered tail is very defined. So I am assuming all is well in the tank again. Thanks for all the help guys! :)

He could have been constipated, feeding a cooked peeled pea usually helps with that.

Just a little tid bit in case it happens again!

Like a frozen pea? Or a canned one?

Honestly. I don't know, I just read everywhere it says to feed a pea. I don't think it matters? Canned might be easier, unless you dethaw the frozen one... Maybe GZDZ will come back and clear it up... Ive never had to use this method...

No! Don't feed peas.. Feed romaine lettuce. Gourmi's love veggies.. The angel might pick at it.

Your fish looked over fed. My little oscar gets a gut on him after he over eats.

"Constipation in fish is typically revealed by bloating and the production of stringy feces. Normal fish feces will immediately fall to the substrate; constipated fish feces will appear stringy and hang from the fish. Fish with chronic constipation tend to be lethargic, disinterested in food and generally out of condition. In severe cases, constipation can make it difficult for a fish to swim normally.



Goldfish are prone to constipation when fed a flake- or pellet-based diet.
Constipation can be confused with dropsy, but while fish with dropsy are bloated and lethargic, they also have raised scales that stick out from the body, resulting in a characteristic pineconelike effect when viewed from above"


Aquarium Fish Constipation

"Constipation is treated primarily by providing high-fiber foods that can act as a laxative. During the treatment phase, no other foods should be given (and certainly not pellets, flake or freeze-dried foods). Tinned peas are the classic laxative for most fish, either whole (in the case of species like goldfish) or squashed (for smaller species, such as bettas). Other good foods include plants (particularly Elodea and Egeria) and chitinous live foods (such as Daphnia and brine shrimp)."

Let me add: Gouramis are a special breed with the likes of Betta's ( Labyrinth Fish), where as they breath oxygen from the water and from the surface. They both come from Asia and have adapted to standing water such as rice field, ditches, etc. The organ that allows surface breathing from the surface is also called a labyrinth, like a lung. When they breed they will build a bubble nest at the surface as do Betta's.

Back to peas, all fish benefit from a varied diet. Frozen foods, as brine shrimp, Daphna, blood worms etc are beneficial. Dried foods are 100% acceptable as their only diet, but they will do a bit better with some treats. Some fish are strictly herbivores or carnivores and some are omnivores, eat plant and animal. Gouramis will eat anything, so you have nothing to lose trying it. Just don't overdue it as it will pollute the water faster, and will promote the growth of algae. Which you are trying to avoid.

Don't just drop in the peas and walk away. Observe them eating it and remove the left overs quickly.

I think its harder to introduce peas then it is romane lettuce. Romane lettuce when achored to a rock or something looks more natural and they tend to pick at if quicker. Goldfish are the only fish I witnessed eat peas without a fuss lol I think you're suppose to keep the veggies in the tank for 4 hours max.