I messed up and it cost my Angel fish his life

[Teefish]

I had a beautiful silver and black stripe Angel for about 10 years. It must have measured nearly 8 inches fin tip to fin tip. A gorgeous healthy fish. He shared the tank with a Pictus Cat (about 5 inches long) and a Plecostomus (about 9 inches long) Over weekend I did a partial water change and cleaned the tank as i have done for years. I also removed some of the flat rocks from the tank where the cats like to hide and i changed the water flow direction some. The next day i noticed the Angel looked sick - it was swimming slowly and a little crooked. It was hanging out in the corner closer to the heater. Last night i found it dead, and when i removed it from the tank I could see where it had been attacked. It's longer fins had been nipped off, and there was an injury to it's side.

After reading one of the other forum strings last night - about the Pictus Cat - Whom i suspected was the culprit - I have decided that indeed the Pictus is guilty! However, I am to blame because the changes i made to the tank agitated the fish and caused the behavior. By removing some of the hiding places, changing the water current flow, and leaving the light on too brightly, i created an atmosphere for the agitated pictus to become aggressive, and the Angel had no where to hide to defend itself.

I feel sad for the Angel. And I am going to get rid of the Pictus before i restock the tank.

I am considering doing a Cichlid tank - one kind i have never had. I have had an aquarium for most of 50 years! But, never Cichlids. I have always leaned toward the less aggressive community tank; Neons, mollies, guppies, angels, various tetras, etc.

QUESTIONS: WHAT Are the Most Colorful Cichlids that you recommend? I prefer a dwarf variety - i dont want them to get too big.
What other breeds would be good with them?
Should I keep the Plecostomus?
I love Corey Cats - are they good with Cichlids?
What temperature do Cichlids prefer?
I have a 29 Gallon tank. Long established. Good filtration. A good heater.

I am so happy to find this website! I look forward to hearing your comments.

"Teefish" - USA - Nashville, TN

 

[Sgooosh]

I had a beautiful silver and black stripe Angel for about 10 years. It must have measured nearly 8 inches fin tip to fin tip. A gorgeous healthy fish. He shared the tank with a Pictus Cat (about 5 inches long) and a Plecostomus (about 9 inches long) Over weekend I did a partial water change and cleaned the tank as i have done for years. I also removed some of the flat rocks from the tank where the cats like to hide and i changed the water flow direction some. The next day i noticed the Angel looked sick - it was swimming slowly and a little crooked. It was hanging out in the corner closer to the heater. Last night i found it dead, and when i removed it from the tank I could see where it had been attacked. It's longer fins had been nipped off, and there was an injury to it's side.

After reading one of the other forum strings last night - about the Pictus Cat - Whom i suspected was the culprit - I have decided that indeed the Pictus is guilty! However, I am to blame because the changes i made to the tank agitated the fish and caused the behavior. By removing some of the hiding places, changing the water current flow, and leaving the light on too brightly, i created an atmosphere for the agitated pictus to become aggressive, and the Angel had no where to hide to defend itself.

I feel sad for the Angel. And I am going to get rid of the Pictus before i restock the tank.

I am considering doing a Cichlid tank - one kind i have never had. I have had an aquarium for most of 50 years! But, never Cichlids. I have always leaned toward the less aggressive community tank; Neons, mollies, guppies, angels, various tetras, etc.

QUESTIONS: WHAT Are the Most Colorful Cichlids that you recommend? I prefer a dwarf variety - i dont want them to get too big.
What other breeds would be good with them?
Should I keep the Plecostomus?
I love Corey Cats - are they good with Cichlids?
What temperature do Cichlids prefer?
I have a 29 Gallon tank. Long established. Good filtration. A good heater.

I am so happy to find this website! I look forward to hearing your comments.

"Teefish" - USA - Nashville, TN

NO. dont get gupppies or livebearers with tetras, guppies require high ph, and neons need soft. if youre getting chiclids just get shiclid by itself. plus you cant keep a common pleco in a 29gal

 

[mcordelia]

Hi, and welcome to the forum! So so sorry to hear about your angel what a loss.

As far as dwarf cichlids are concerned, rams, apistos, and kribensis are popular in the hobby. I have not kept them so I don't have much about compatibility and water parameters, but I recommend you look up all of your fish of interest on a site called "seriouslyfish.com". It is a website recommended by many on this forum and contains detailed information about fish requirements and compatibility.

Also recommend finding out what your water hardness parameters are if you haven't already. As someone returning to the hobby after 15+ years, this is something that was new to me. You can usually find it in your water quality report, or you can buy the API KH/GH test.

Best of luck, hopefully you will be able to set up a new, wonderful tank to commemorate the legacy of your angel

 

[Teefish]

NO. dont get gupppies or livebearers with tetras, guppies require high ph, and neons need soft. if youre getting chiclids just get shiclid by itself. plus you cant keep a common pleco in a 29gal

thank you for that advice

 

[Teefish]

Hi, and welcome to the forum! So so sorry to hear about your angel what a loss.

As far as dwarf cichlids are concerned, rams, apistos, and kribensis are popular in the hobby. I have not kept them so I don't have much about compatibility and water parameters, but I recommend you look up all of your fish of interest on a site called "seriouslyfish.com". It is a website recommended by many on this forum and contains detailed information about fish requirements and compatibility.

Also recommend finding out what your water hardness parameters are if you haven't already. As someone returning to the hobby after 15+ years, this is something that was new to me. You can usually find it in your water quality report, or you can buy the API KH/GH test.

Best of luck, hopefully you will be able to set up a new, wonderful tank to commemorate the legacy of your angel

thank you

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Sorry about your loss. There are many variables in this hobby, and it's hard not to mess up once in a while. It's hard loosing an old fish like that. I am not experienced with cichlids, but overall I would concur with @mcordelia . Do the research and make sure you get compatible species. The common pleco is probably already too big for a 29; they create a huge amount of waste and aren't all that interesting, so if it were me, he'd be the first to go.

 

[Teefish]

Sorry about your loss. There are many variables in this hobby, and it's hard not to mess up once in a while. It's hard loosing an old fish like that. I am not experienced with cichlids, but overall I would concur with @mcordelia . Do the research and make sure you get compatible species. The common pleco is probably already too big for a 29; they create a huge amount of waste and aren't all that interesting, so if it were me, he'd be the first to go.

Thank you

 

[Essjay]

I'm afraid the pictus is also too big for your tank - it needs a tank at least 48 inches long. And it is actually a shoaling fish, though single ones will survive. It is also predatory and will eat any fish that will fit into it's mouth, which means no fish smaller than the pictus.

 

[Teefish]

I'm afraid the pictus is also too big for your tank - it needs a tank at least 48 inches long. And it is actually a shoaling fish, though single ones will survive. It is also predatory and will eat any fish that will fit into it's mouth, which means no fish smaller than the pictus.

thank you . This explains why other fish i tried to add the last few months would disappear overnight! Bye-Bye Pleco! and Pictus.

 

[Essjay]

Something stores don't tell you I'm afraid

 

[Retired Viking]

Sorry about your angelfish I had two that lived for many years but not as long as yours. You must have done a very good job taking care of him. We all make mistakes it comes with being human.