Can I Keep Just One Angel?

[three-fingers]

Well there is one ickle tiny baby 2-inch angel fish at my lfs that I particularly like and have become attached to (i work there Saturdays), and i was thinking about buying him next Saturday if he's still there to go into my 16uk gal tank temporarily until my 50 gal is set up and ready for fish in one-two months.
But is it OK to keep just one angel?
I know your not supposed to buy them in twos because it is unlikely they will pair off and your not supposed to buy them in threes because two of them will pick on the weakest (i've witnessed this and it's not pretty).
Also the other reason I want to buy one so small of so that it can be brought up with small tetras, so in the future is I am to buy any tetras smaller than two inches they shouldent be eaten by the angel - this is correct right?

 

[Tolak]

Buying a single angel will work, the older the better though. Like most cichlids they like the safety of being in a group when young.

 

[three-fingers]

Ah right, well this guy is the only one left in the tank so I don't think that's too much of a problem anyway...he/she may not even be there by Saturday, but hopefully will be...
If I was to buy a bigger one would it eat any smaller tetras i may add to the tank? The main reason I wanted a smaller one was so that it could grow up next to small tetras .
Thanks .

 

[Tolak]

Sometimes it works with smaller fish, sometimes it doesn't. A 2" tetra is just a little big for an average adult angel to eat, a 1" fish would probably be eaten. It also depends on the temperment of the angel, some do fine with smaller fish, others will try to eat them even if it's obvious they won't fit in their mouth.

 

[The Amazonian]

That should be fine...

 

[three-fingers]

Right, I think I'll try it then with the baby one or if he's not there, a slightly larger 3-inch one . All my fish are ~2" right now and I wont add anything under 2" until I'm sure that the fish are getting on together. When I add more fish, it will be in my 50gal and it will be heavily planted anyway and I'll buy the biggest tetras I can find, but sometimes that may not work If I have to order them in.
I was thinking about a large (12+) shoal of cardinal tetras or similar sized fish, and I will probably have various other smaller shoals of fish...
I guess I'll just try it slowly and see how it goes.
Thanks .

 

[Mystix212]

In my 40 G tank the first fish I brought brought were 2 3" angels ( They are now 5-6" long & 6-6.5" high ). They still co-exist 10 months later with many many other fish, smallest being 1.25". I have plants, lava rocks, and live plants with probably adds to thier good natured behaviour. I couldnt be more lucky.
I would give it a go anyway, if they start out with fish to big to eat, then grow larger, chances are they'll accept that fish even if it coud kill and or eat it.

 

[-germ-]

Early temperment is no indication of the aggresiveness of a mature fish, personally, having tried my always peaceful and juvenile angel with my mountain minnows last night and spending a good hour retrieving the minnows due to my angel nibbling away at them (even though they are much too large for her and not natural prey) i'd say to avoid the risk altogether.
You can't predict animal behaviour only attempt to manipulate it, you are not guaranteed your angel will/won't eat neons and i'd say your better off finding a more suitable small fish, especially as you may have to order neons which would make returning them a nightmare.
Your solitary angel, based on my experience, would be happiest if there is a similarly coloured and sized fish to group with. Mine spends all its time with two honey gouramis and has shown no signs of stress.
Worth bearing in mind although like i said you'll never be able to predict its behaviour.

 

[cheesy feet]

Early temperment is no indication of the aggresiveness of a mature fish, personally, having tried my always peaceful and juvenile angel with my mountain minnows last night and spending a good hour retrieving the minnows due to my angel nibbling away at them (even though they are much too large for her and not natural prey) i'd say to avoid the risk altogether.
You can't predict animal behaviour only attempt to manipulate it, you are not guaranteed your angel will/won't eat neons and i'd say your better off finding a more suitable small fish, especially as you may have to order neons which would make returning them a nightmare.
Your solitary angel, based on my experience, would be happiest if there is a similarly coloured and sized fish to group with. Mine spends all its time with two honey gouramis and has shown no signs of stress.
Worth bearing in mind although like i said you'll never be able to predict its behaviour.

Why would you want to avoid the risk altogether just because you have had a bad experience.Other members had said it will probably be fine...Ofcourse you can't predict an animals behaviour.Just try it out,i would anyways.

 

[ScoutCarcer]

three-fingers did you get the little angel you wanted or did someone buy it?

 

[-germ-]

Why would you want to avoid the risk altogether just because you have had a bad experience.Other members had said it will probably be fine...Ofcourse you can't predict an animals behaviour.Just try it out,i would anyways.

I wouldn't, because if it did go wrong, especially when of all the small fish neons are one of the least suitable, i'd feel guilty as hell!
I know it can work, i just don't see why three fingers should risk it when theres plenty of small fish that'd be better suited?
---zip---

 

[01edmn]

i'd say it should b ok as it on its own i the shop does it look healthy and lively but angels are quite grygerias fish meanin they like company

 

[three-fingers]

Early temperment is no indication of the aggresiveness of a mature fish, personally, having tried my always peaceful and juvenile angel with my mountain minnows last night and spending a good hour retrieving the minnows due to my angel nibbling away at them (even though they are much too large for her and not natural prey) i'd say to avoid the risk altogether.

Hmm....It's a bit late now . But I guess I'll just have to monitor his/her behaviour. He doesnt bother the other fish at the moment .

You can't predict animal behaviour only attempt to manipulate it, you are not guaranteed your angel will/won't eat neons and i'd say your better off finding a more suitable small fish, especially as you may have to order neons which would make returning them a nightmare.

Not a problem, I work at my lfs . The only reason I have to order neons is because I refuse to buy the commercially (in)bred ones that everywhere sells (most of them have neon tetra disease) . If I was to go for neons I'd get wild ones and quarantine them with anti-parasite treatments for a month or two.
Although I've pretty much decided to stay away from small tetras. I'm going to be going for things like silver dollars, the larger species of danio, hatchet fish, gouramis, more red eye tetras, two small red crabs and corydoras.
My existing fish are pretty old (I've had the minnows and tetras for ~3 years, thats pretty old right?), and although they hopefully will be, I'm not going to count on them being around when my angel fish is large enough to eat them.

Your solitary angel, based on my experience, would be happiest if there is a similarly coloured and sized fish to group with. Mine spends all its time with two honey gouramis and has shown no signs of stress.
Worth bearing in mind although like i said you'll never be able to predict its behaviour.

My angelfish loves to stick around my female dwarf gouarmi right now, so I think I'll get something like a blue gourami when the bigger tanks set up.

three-fingers did you get the little angel you wanted or did someone buy it?

Got it . Pictures from when I got him!

 

[-germ-]

Congratulations on the new addition
What minnows you got? White clouds can live 5-7 years in the correct conditions (dunno about other minnows)
Note: I've only been keeping fish about 5 weeks now, so i don't know much but i've been looking for a shoaling fish to go with my angel and i've decided against hatchet fish due to their being so delicate and top dwelling (at least i think they're top dwelling), my angel always eats at the surface and hatchet fish with my angel is just asking for it. Just a thought.
Obviously doesn't necessary apply to your angel, depends on his/her individual behaviour.
I dunno
Good luck with your angel
--zip--

 

[three-fingers]

The white clouds, my oldest one died a few months ago after I had him for 5 years...and I thought that was a good age for them...7 years..thats a long time for such a small fish .

Hatchet fish aren't nearly as delicate as people make out. Marbled hatchet fish seem to only do good in acidic water IME though.
The regular silver hatchet fish are very easy and seem to be more adaptable.

They are top dwelling, but there's no way an angel could eat one, marbled hatchets are very fast and would swim rings round any aggressive angelfish.
The silver hatchet fish are larger and sometimes nippy towards each other, an aggressive angel would cause them no bother and they would most likely just swim away, though they can nip back .

The only downside to hatchet fish is you need a tight hood or they will jump (they are the only fish that can technically fly) out the tank when they get a shock.

So yeah, now I'm more concerned about my white clouds, but If the angel gets aggressive I can always move them to a retirement tank .