Weird angel behavior, what do you think is the problem?

[iatetheweatherman]

Here are two videos of my angelfish that I have with weird swimming patterns. It has being doing this since I got it which was about 2-3 months ago. It eats fine and usually swims at a 45-30 degree angle. But today I was in the room when the lights came on and I noticed it seemed worse. My guess is a bad eye possibly?

What do you think the problem is?

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owxr82DWolA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzixMq-OBRE

[Shawn84]

Could be a nerve issues that's telling the fish to swim side way. From my understand it is still an unknown cause. Keep a close eye on them. If things get worst you might have to put them down. Which is what a lot of people had done. 

[exv152]

It looks like it could be swim bladder, a fish doesn't have to appear bloated to suffer from it.

[angelcraze]

I know angelfish swim at an odd angle when the light source is coming in at an odd angle, like they are disoriented, but you would see the rest doing the same.  Any issues in water quality would cause the others to do the same again.  Since it is eating, and swimming around, I would hope it works itself out, looks like swim bladder issues, as mentioned earlier, there are no other obvious indications.  Either that, or I have seen fish (panda cories) swim in a whirling pattern due to brain damage, also mentioned above, in my case, it was a parasite, and there was no cure.

What was it doing in the tank you got them from?  Did you have a chance to see them swimming before you brought them home?  They are very pretty angelfish, I hope he/she comes around.

Since the others are fine, and it's been months, idk if treating it is necessary.  If you do, I would suggest isolating he/she in a hospital tank and not treating the whole tank, the affliction doesn't appear to be contagious.  That's just my opinion, but others might have better advice.

[lucius]

I have seen fish (panda cories) swim in a whirling pattern

It's funny you mentioned this.  Some of my cories were swimming like this as well.  I put one of it's misery but it kept happening to the others.  I think it was because I was pouring my liquid carbon in one spot and it was affecting them because the concentration was too high for them.  So now, I disperse it the entire length of my tank and I haven't seem them swimming that way since.

[angelcraze]

It's funny you mentioned this.  Some of my cories were swimming like this as well.  I put one of it's misery but it kept happening to the others.  I think it was because I was pouring my liquid carbon in one spot and it was affecting them because the concentration was too high for them.  So now, I disperse it the entire length of my tank and I haven't seem them swimming that way since.

This was when I was very new to fishkeeping, I was determined to have panda cories, but they kept doing the same thing after awhile in my tank.  I wasn't adding anything, I had no plants, I attributed it to 'whirling disease' in the end, I couldn't find a cure, all I could see is that it was caused by a parasite that attacks the brain. I had one survivor, which I decided was the carrier.  She was alone in the tank for a year as a result.  I find panda cories are very sensitive, so if I had added things, that would make sense too.

To go back to iatetheweatherman's  problem, I was just saying I have seen first hand that brain or nerve problems can cause a fish to swim improperly, as well as swim bladder issues.  I am leaning more to swimbladder in your case though, since your fish is just swimming tilted, and not in a circle.  Off-balance. 

[Shawn84]

I don't think its swim bladder issues as I had it before with my angel. His angel stomach does not look bloated from the bids and he's not swimming almost up side down. I'm leaning more toward brain issues.

[angelcraze]

I don't think its swim bladder issues..........His angel stomach does not look bloated from the bids and he's not swimming almost up side down.

It looks like it could be swim bladder, a fish doesn't have to appear bloated to suffer from it.

Who knows I guess.  The thing is, it's been doing this for months and shows no other symptoms still.   I hope it recovers nonetheless.  How is it doing, iatetheweatherman?