40 gallon with angelfish?
- Thread starter Acorno
- Start date
To give you a good answer, we need to know the reason for the question. An angelfish cold certainly manage in a 40g breeder, if this is for health reasons (quarantine, isolate, etc). But not for a normal healthy angelfish, as it has specific needs that cannot possibly be met in this small a tank.
For adult females it is fine - i guess - but for an adult male it is not tall enough. There is a 50 breeder (as well as a 60) which are taller. An adult male angelfish needs an absolute min of 18 inch and more is always better for full life span. For raising frys or short periods a 40B is ok. You cannot sex young angels but if you found several normal size females they would be ok - occasionally females will get as larger as adult males - less common - so you would have to deal with that case - but typcially they are a bit smaller (they are also a lot meaner if that helps).
The point of a breeder tank is that it isn't as tall to make it easier to retrieve fish out of it, whether the parents to prevent them from eating their fry or the offspring once they've grown.
There are some issues with this. First, it is just not fair to the angelfish to put it in isolation. This species is what we term shoaling or some term it schooling. What it means is that the fish live together in groups, with this species the groups are usually around 30. They develop an hierarchy, and pairs will generally form to spawn. The pair will claim a territory, and the others in this group will remain outside. To puta lone angelfish in any tank is as I said simply not fair to the fish because it expects the group and associated behaviours, this is partially what makes the species unique. It has needs and expectations, and these should be provided.
There is also the issue of tankmates, the other fish that angelfish will have to manage with. I won't go into this, because as other members have noted, this tank does not have the depth for angelfish, regardless of the above. I would strongly suggest you consider other fish. If you want something that sort of "stands out," there are some peaceful gourami which have similar behaviours (males are territorial) but some of the species are much more peaceful.
Another totally different issue involves the water parameters of your source (tap) water. These are the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness or Alkalinity), and pH. The three are closely connected. You may be able to ascertain from the website of your water authority (if you are on city water, as opposed to a private well) these numbers. The GH and pH especially are important because they can impact fish, depending.
There is also the issue of tankmates, the other fish that angelfish will have to manage with. I won't go into this, because as other members have noted, this tank does not have the depth for angelfish, regardless of the above. I would strongly suggest you consider other fish. If you want something that sort of "stands out," there are some peaceful gourami which have similar behaviours (males are territorial) but some of the species are much more peaceful.
Another totally different issue involves the water parameters of your source (tap) water. These are the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness or Alkalinity), and pH. The three are closely connected. You may be able to ascertain from the website of your water authority (if you are on city water, as opposed to a private well) these numbers. The GH and pH especially are important because they can impact fish, depending.
Assuming the water parameters are compatible, one of the features of a breeder tank is more surface area. Which would benefit labyrinth breathers like gourami.
another option is a colourful dwarf cichild like a male borelli. A little bit depends on how your aquarium is scaped as to what would fit in it as well as your water condition (hard/soft/et all).
Lots of advice from lots of people that don't know Angelfish and like to repeat things they hear on the net. Yes an Angelfish or two would work in a 40 breeder. It is not too shallow. And yes a single Angelfish would be great in there. A lone one will experience no psychological harm whatsoever. Go for it if you want.
This is intended as serious, not being funny. I wish you would explain to all of us how you manage to talk with the fish to ascertain they are not under psychological stress. Because the science says they are. And it is wiser to go with proven scientific fact rather than thinking one can somehow change how a fish reacts to its environment. This is part of the DNA genetics of each species. And that we cannot change, so just accept it.
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