Angelfish acclimation?

Sauzo · May 5, 2024

Hello. Been a lurker here for a bit but finally got a question. So I picked up a Majestic Angelfish. It didn’t go through quarantine….i know I know. So I get it home and put it in the tank. Looked alright last night. This morning, I see the fish is dark in color and sometimes will lay on the sand or lay against a rock under cover in a couple caves. He does this for 5 mins at a time or so but then gets up and moves around. Seems scared as it won’t leave the caves. My water parameters are 460 Ca, 8 Dkh, 8.1 ph, 35 ppt salinity. The other fish are all fine and eat like horses. The quarantine tank from the LFS runs copper and lower salinity of around 1.017. I didn’t know about the lower salinity part so when I acclimated the fish, I just did a temperature acclimation. Never had problems. My question is do angelfish sometimes lay on their sides or “sit down on sand” when stressed and acclimating? And if so, when should I begin to worry?

Jay Hemdal · May 5, 2024

Sauzo said:
Hello. Been a lurker here for a bit but finally got a question. So I picked up a Majestic Angelfish. It didn’t go through quarantine….i know I know. So I get it home and put it in the tank. Looked alright last night. This morning, I see the fish is dark in color and sometimes will lay on the sand or lay against a rock under cover in a couple caves. He does this for 5 mins at a time or so but then gets up and moves around. Seems scared as it won’t leave the caves. My water parameters are 460 Ca, 8 Dkh, 8.1 ph, 35 ppt salinity. The other fish are all fine and eat like horses. The quarantine tank from the LFS runs copper and lower salinity of around 1.017. I didn’t know about the lower salinity part so when I acclimated the fish, I just did a temperature acclimation. Never had problems. My question is do angelfish sometimes lay on their sides or “sit down on sand” when stressed and acclimating? And if so, when should I begin to worry?

I suspect this is osmotic shock.

I wish stores wouldn’t keep fish in such low salinity. You really need to take 48 hours to move a fish from 1.017 to 1.025 .

There isn’t much you can do at this point unless you can lower the salinity of your main tank down to perhaps 1.021

Sauzo · May 5, 2024

Thanks. Think doing that would mess with my corals and all the other fish. Think the Angel can still survive?

Jay Hemdal · May 5, 2024

Sauzo said:
Thanks. Think doing that would mess with my corals and all the other fish. Think the Angel can still survive?

Tough to say. Just try to keep the lights dim for now.

Sauzo · May 5, 2024

Jay Hemdal said:
Tough to say. Just try to keep the lights dim for now.

Thanks again. Really liked this fish too. Is my first full size angelfish. I really hope he makes it.

MnFish1 · May 5, 2024

Sauzo said:
Thanks. Think doing that would mess with my corals and all the other fish. Think the Angel can still survive?

This would be the argument for having a quarantine tank (one of many) - i.e. slowiy increasing the salinity (since you're right - you don't want to lower your display tank) - I hope your angel does well. I posted this mainly for the rest of the readers!