Bellies too Big?

[wallace]

I began to notice this about a month ago. Even in the morning, 10 hours after the last feeding they have big stomachs. It seems abnormal to me. These pictures were taken about 3 hours after some FDBW. They looked almost the same before feeding. I have been giving 5 or 6 lighter feedings per day.

They are active, beg for food, and are growing well. I got them 2 months ago at a little smaller than dollar size. Now they are at least 6.5" tall and 3.5-4" total length minus the streamers.

Poop has been normal and dark, but yesterday I noticed one that had a clear whitish tube hanging with two 1/4" long segments of dark poop in the "tube". I have seen this kind of poop before in other fish and don't associate it with disease... but I don't know. I wouldn't describe it as 'stringy' or 'slimy' like hex in discus, its a partially empty tube. A picture would be better than this lengthy poop description - lol.

..pictures to follow.. just saw that they need resizing.

[wallace]

 

[wallace]

 

[Mugwump]

..sounds like a female has an extended tube....ready to spawn....do any, several/all, the males have a pointy tube displaying?...the other thing is egg bound...they'll get plump, show tube but can't deposit the eggs....? 

Why are you feeding that much anyway..?....even 5-6 light feedings is too much for adults....

[Mugwump]

I'm not seeing any tubes in the pics.....and while plump, not to an extreme....try a once a day med. feeding....see if they poop some of that off....

...any fighting?...posturing?

[wallace]

I thought the more the merrier, but I guess I've been overfeeding, ?

There is lots of play, some chasing and nipping, twitching face-offs, but I haven't seen what I would consider mating behavior or pairing. But then I might not necessarily recognize it as that. I will look for breeding tubes extended. So far have seen none.

[Mugwump]

I thought the more the merrier, but I guess I've been overfeeding, ?

There is lots of play, some chasing and nipping, twitching face-offs, but I haven't seen what I would consider mating behavior or pairing. But then I might not necessarily recognize it as that. I will look for breeding tubes extended. So far have seen none.

....pop a slate in there.....LOL.....

[wallace]

Yep, there has been a slate in there for weeks and it gets no action. 

[Mugwump]

Yep, there has been a slate in there for weeks and it gets no action. 

..any broad leaf plants?....Anubis etc....

[LizStreithorst]

I didn't know that your Angels were so large when you first contacted me.  I separated a group of my huge males just this afternoon for pics.  They are all heavy chested like yours but not so full looking.  I feed 3 times daily.

All your fish look male to me but I'm not the best at telling without seeing how the fish behave.  If I were you, before I medicated I would try Epsom salts in the water 1 T per 10 gallons, and see what kind of poop they pass.  Do a WC change the next day.  If they pass normal poo then you might just have a group of fat bellied fish.

If Angels are like Discus, if they don't eat, or go for food then spit it out it's hex whether or not you see white poo.  If the fish eat and get get skinny despite eating, it's worms. I hate being at a loss, but I'm at a loss.

[wallace]

Its a 40 breeder, with a large but cut back potted amazon sword near the slate, anubia in the middle held down by a rock, and a potted val on the other end.

There are 4 angels. I figured if a pair formed I would move the other two into a 75 that's been sitting out the yard, or maybe into the 90g with the rams. Running out of space here, this is supposed to be an office but its more fishroom than workplace lately.

[LizStreithorst]

Sounds to me that you need a fish room.

[Mugwump]

Sounds to me that you need a fish room.

+1.....you need more tanks...

[LizStreithorst]

Sounds to me that you need a fish room.

+1.....you need more tanks...

For a nice group of Discus.

[wallace]

Yeah, more tanks! I will get some wilds in a few months. Gonna need a third ageing barrel.

Liz, I raised these angels like discus. 60% water change every day, aged water, clean glass. I hope they aren't all males.