I have a new 50 gallon tank. Right now I have 3 white tetras, 2 serpae tetras, 7 neon tetras and a small pleco. I want to add some angels eventually, maybe two? I'll probably increase the neons to 10 or 12 and the other tetras to 5-6 each, eventually. But my question is, what livebearers could I add that would get along with the rest of the population?
Suggestions For Livebearers To Live With Angels And Tettras?
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I wouldn't advise guppies. Two of those tetra species (the white skirts and the serpaes) are quite nippy and guppy's tails would be a prime target.
OP; is your water hard or soft? The sorts of fish you're talking about really prefer quite different water; the tetras (and angels) prefer it soft, whereas most livebearers like it hard.
One or the other is not going to be too happy and they're really not compatible.
OP; is your water hard or soft? The sorts of fish you're talking about really prefer quite different water; the tetras (and angels) prefer it soft, whereas most livebearers like it hard.
One or the other is not going to be too happy and they're really not compatible.
dave840f1 said:
Which? The Angels become agressive with age?
I'll have to read some more. I'd really like to have angels and my daughter is in love with neons. I wonder if the angels would be less agressive if there were a small school of them?
As far as hard or soft, I guess my water is on the hard side - seems to be around 7.6 or 7.8. I've been told that most fish will be fine in most ph's, as long as it doesn't fluxuate.
Angels and neons is a bit hit or miss. It's not so much the aggression (which is normally limited to other angels) but the fact that neons form a main part of the angel's diet in the wild so they will, most likely, eat the neons as son as they're large enough to fit them in their mouth's.
Two angels is a really bad idea, unless they are a mated pair (and angels are almost impossible to sex and like to pick their own partners; you can't just get two and expect them to pair up). Either just one (and they do fine on their own) or a small group; you may still have issues if and when any pairs form though, as they will pick on the others.
If you really must have livebearers (and you won't get any fry surviving with the skirt and serpae tetras, and definitely not with angels later) then probably swordtails or platies would be your best choice.
Two angels is a really bad idea, unless they are a mated pair (and angels are almost impossible to sex and like to pick their own partners; you can't just get two and expect them to pair up). Either just one (and they do fine on their own) or a small group; you may still have issues if and when any pairs form though, as they will pick on the others.
If you really must have livebearers (and you won't get any fry surviving with the skirt and serpae tetras, and definitely not with angels later) then probably swordtails or platies would be your best choice.
BerryAttack
Fish Addict
angels will do fine, as long as they grow up with the neons they shouldn't attack. 30 gallons per angel, so i would get one.. but you can push 2 if you choose.. just when getting angels they need to grow up together to be able to live together in a tank if they don't pair.
ex. i got (came with the tank) 3 female angels in a 65, should only be two, but they get along and i see no issue. they grew up together so the aggression is less compared to if you just threw in random large ones.
the other tetras beside the neons are nippy, and personally i don't like them. so with an angel they might nip at the fins, so you'll have to watch out about that.. IMO i would rehome them and get a breed of tetra that won't nip them, or at least not have the chance.
if you rehome those tetras, the serpae and the white then you can get guppies.
ex. i got (came with the tank) 3 female angels in a 65, should only be two, but they get along and i see no issue. they grew up together so the aggression is less compared to if you just threw in random large ones.
the other tetras beside the neons are nippy, and personally i don't like them. so with an angel they might nip at the fins, so you'll have to watch out about that.. IMO i would rehome them and get a breed of tetra that won't nip them, or at least not have the chance.
if you rehome those tetras, the serpae and the white then you can get guppies.
I agree with fluttermoth, platys won't have that long wavy tail that can be nipped on and both females and males are colorful and come in many colors. maybe get a matching color of platy to complement your tank? fry won't survive but it's good live food for other fish. The only thing I don't like about live bearers is that they poop a lot.
You could perhaps go for Cardinal Tetra, instead of Neons? Being a little bigger, the Angels will be less inclined to munch on them. The colouring is very very similar to the Neons, but in fact a little more colourful, the red section on the Cardinal extends all the way forward, whereas with the Neon, it stops midway down.
the_lock_man said:
The problem is, I already own 8 neons, and I'd like to add another 4-6 in time. That and I like the neons better than the cardinals - their colors seem brighter.
I'll keep thinking about other optiions, but I like berryattack's suggestion that if I add one or two angels when they're young, they're more likely to get along with the neons. Though I'd hate to see the bigger tetra's nipping at the angels.
If you rehome the serpaes and white skirts, you could try angels.
I've found that modern angels, ones that have been line/inbred for colour or finnage, never grow as big as the old wild type angels. I haven't had one big enough to eat fully grown neons for a long time.
But it is a risk, and you should have a back up plan for separating them if it doesn't work out.
I've found that modern angels, ones that have been line/inbred for colour or finnage, never grow as big as the old wild type angels. I haven't had one big enough to eat fully grown neons for a long time.
But it is a risk, and you should have a back up plan for separating them if it doesn't work out.
So I rehomed the serpaes and increased the White skirt (or are they gold skirt, or is there a difference) tetras to 7. I'm thinking I want a pearl gourami, so on saturday I made the rounds, looking for one. My favorite fish shop didn't have any. Two petsmarts didn't have any. None at petco. Then I tried a small pet shop I'd never been too, and lo and behold, pearl gouramis!!! I was so excited to take one home, but after taking a good look at them, they all looked sick. Sad. I'll wait.
White/black/gold tetras are all the same; just colour variations.
Good decision on the gouramis; it's never a very good idea buying fish if they look sick. you'll find one
Good decision on the gouramis; it's never a very good idea buying fish if they look sick. you'll find one
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