My Angel Fish Are No Angels

[I Love my fishies]

I got 2 small/medium sized Angels fish and they got along really well with each other then a week later I put 2 smaller ones in and the bigger ones picked on the little guys.......... so mean

I have the ring leader in a breeder net for a little time out and see if that sorts him/her out as I am not really to sure what I can do to stop the bigger ones picking on the small ones.

I want to breed them eventually is it better to keep them in a group or just have 2 (a pair in the tank)?

 

[afishdude]

angels are very territorial.
its best if you add 5 or 6 juvies at one time, then they will form pairs. if you just add two at a time, its unlikely you will get a breeding pair. i got lucky and bought two small ones and now they are doing breeding rituals.

 

[I Love my fishies]

hmmm what are angels breeding rituals?

 

[Tolak]

With territorial cichlids, which angels are, it can be a little tricky introducing new tankmates. What you can try is removing the angels that have been in the tank, and have established territories. Keep them in another tank, or bucket with an airstone while you rearrange the decorations in the tank. Add the new angels, and let them settle in for a few hours, lighting with just room light will help. Add the angels from the bucket or tank.

Angels key their territories off of objects in the tank. Moving the decorations removes these territories. They then get added to a tank where their old territories are gone, and there are already some fish in there.

Multiple pairs can work in a larger tank, 55 gallons+. Even then sometimes it doesn't work. Using decorations to your advantage as a sort of natural divider will help in any tank with a pair and unpaired fish, or multiple pairs.

 

[afishdude]

hmmm what are angels breeding rituals?

lip-locking and constantly rubbing together. then fighting the big one off lol. teamwork

 

[Straydum]

i had mine over a divider for months before i released them. it helps ease out the aggression i think.