Circular holes in gill plates?

Question

Hey guys.  I was just given three angels from a friend that couldn't care for them anymore.  They came in their own tank with two tetras, a rubber lip pleco, a cory and a pictus catfish.  Because of their bad health, most of them didn't even make the five mile drive home.  The three angels, the cory and the catfish remain.  They are all back in their tank.  I've taken the old substrate out and added fluorite and some live plants.  I did keep their old filter and media alive so that I wouldn't have to recycle the tank.  I also added on another filter from one of my tanks.

I know the the cory and the catfish need to be with more of their kind, but I cannot remove the angels until I am sure they are healthy enough to go with my current angels.  Looking at them today, I have noticed that they breathe very heavily and have some holes in their gill plates.  The holes look perfectly round but do not go all the way into their gills.  They also have huge chunks taken out of their fins, like someone took bites out of them, but I assume it was their care and not another fish.

Does this sound like anything serious or familiar?  One of them has three holes on one side and one on the other.  The others have several holes too.

On a different note.  I want to remove my pink kissing gourami from my angel tank.  Would he be ok with the catfish?  He is fully grown, docile and about the same size of the catfish.

? · Accepted Answer

The Gourami will be fine. The holes in your Angelfish's gill plates can only be two things. Firstly, possible Hexamita (Hole in the Head Disease), but this doesn't usually confine itself to the operculum. If they continue to grow, then it is, and the treatment is Flagyl 250 mg/10 gallons.. Considering the shape your fish were in more likely it is Argulus, the lice louse. They may be gone but their bites drill holes in the gill covers that can get infected. If there are any lice left, use Clout, If not, treat the wounds with Furan 2 so they dont get infected.

Alyssa · Answer

I too have an angelfish with holes in gills and round spots on the body that have scale damage. one of the holes in the bottom of the fish has gone right through now. one of its pectoral fins is almost gone and now it wont eat. it stays near the top of the water gasping for breath. the gill holes continue to get bigger. I see black shadows within the skin under the gills. I have treated the tank with broad spectrum parasite medicine and liquid scale and fin protector for wounds and nothing seems to help. none of my other fish show signs of illness. I have 4 tetras which were pre-existing with the angel, added later was 2 African cichlids, 1 pleco, and 1 clown loach. please help.

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Circular holes in gill plates?

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