I have three angelfish in my 55 gallon tank, along with several other tropical fish. One of my angelfish has developed very swollen lips. He still eats and isn't lethargic, but is lips are huge! Any ideas? Everyone else in the tank is healthy. I haven't had a death in that tank in a long time. I hate to admit it, but I never check the water parameters anymore. I do partial water changes/ gravel vacuuming every weekend without fail.
Thanks in advance...

Could he have been fighting? ususally mouth damage is caused by sparring or breeding behaviour. Sit and watch him and see if he is being bullied or he is the aggressor.

i agree with Sands - when angelfish are breeding they behave kinda like gouramis.

I am going to move this thread to the tropicals section. You will get a better response there. Good luck with them.

come to think of it, i actually had a very similar problem occur with my female gourami.
my male just would not leave her alone, and he kept 'pecking' at her lips until she a a red kinda 'sore' just on her chin.
i had to seperate her, and i put her in a hospital tank with a high dosage of melafix, and she was a good as new within a few days.
hope you can work this out.

Thanks guys,
I never have seen them fighting, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen! Wonder if I should treat the whole tank with Melafix?

It may help. Keep the water really clean and a close on eye on them to see if theres any agression.

i agree, why not try a light dose of melafix? sometimes i think it can be a bit harsh.

anything in your aquarium it could've caught it's mouth on? a friend of mine had a betta whos lips swelled up; she had a plastic plant in the aquarium (tsk tsk) w/ some sharp edges on the leaves, and she noticed after a while that the betta was biting at the leaves and was scratching it's mouth.

if i remember correctly i think all she did, besides taking that decoration out, was treated it w/ half-doses of melafix which cleared up the 'infection' i guess?.

i agree - any sharp objects could be the root cause. why not try taking out any 'suspects' and see how he gets on?