Sick Angel

Yes you can leave it unfed for a week. Maybe feed it daphnia - only a bit - before you go away as that can help "unblock" constipated fish.

Are you sure the angelfish is female? It is very difficult to sex them unless you can see their breeding tubes, and they are only usually visible during spawning.

And to answer your question on the other forum, angelfish don't get pregnant like livebearers. The female lays her eggs on a solid surface then the male fertilises them. Without a male, eggs are usually either laid and remain unfertilised (and then get eaten) or the female fish reabsorbs them. It has even been known for 2 female angelfish to pair up and lay eggs.

and thanks for answering the question re: eggs. I did feel a bit silly asking it.

I'm sorry to hear that.


If you are sure the fish is suffering, you need a bottle of clove oil from a pharmacy (it comes in a tiny bottle about 2 inches tall and is an old remedy for toothache - my local pharmacy keeps it in the section for tooth problems behind the counter). You will also need a tub of some sort big enough to hold the fish, and a bottle/jar with a lid. And a pair of rubber gloves is a good idea as clove oil smells.
Put the fish in the tub with enough tank water to keep it covered. Put 20 to 25 drops clove oil in the bottle/jar, add a bit of water and shake well till the oil is thoroughly mixed in. Pour the oil/water mix into the tub a bit at a time, taking a few minutes to put it all in. Clove oil is a fish anaesthetic which kills when overdosed. You need to leave the fish in the tub for a couple of hours to make sure it is really dead not just unconscious.