2 Male Angels OK Together?

[lgreenmk]

Hi, I'd like to get 2 angelfish, but I don't want any babies. Which are the most colorful, how do you tell the boys from the girls, and if I get two males, will they be ok together in the same tank?

Thanks!

 

[Cian McLiam]

Hi lgreenmk,
I have two Angels which I believe to be both males. They do fight regularly but they always stick together, they also lose their colour and are very shy when I seperate them. I wouldnt recommend two males tho if I were starting over, one is usually battered and bullied constantly.
Its very difficult to tell the sexes apart except when they are spawning, when a tube appears on the underside of the fish, on males its short and pointy and on females its thicker and blunter. Like a pen nib v a thimble.
Some people think you can sex them by the angle of the anal fin where it meets the body, a lot of people find this a little suspect tho!
A mated pair is the best combination but as you dont want babies this is not ideal. If its for a community tank, the fry probably will do very well to survive and most domestic angels tend to eat their eggs for the first few times. It couldbe a little upsetting to see the tiny fry dying tho...

Ken

 

[Shark_Lover]

I think the females have a slopped face and the males don't.

 

[KnuckleHead]

Having 2 angels will be fine most of the time IF you get them at a young age. Say around dime size. And at that size you will not be able to sex them. In regards to sexing angels that are not in breeding mode, its next to impossible. Even breeders that have been doing so for many many years often get fooled by trying. I got the following insert off of www.angelsplus.com. The info found there is quite indepth.


"If you decide to buy male and female adult fish separately, be sure their sex has been proven through spawning. No matter what anyone may try to tell you, there are no absolute methods to sex young adults positively by anatomy (except when breeding tubes are lowered or when an experienced person has examined the breeding tubes with a magnifying glass). Even if they can be sexed, not all males and females will be compatible. Some older fish will have discernable sex characteristics but you don't want older fish. You don't really know for sure how old the fish is you're getting, it may be past spawning age. If you have more time than money then it may be best to get 10-12 young fish to raise and pair off. This will require a smaller initial investment in stock, give you the possibility of several pairs and allow you greater freedom to try and match up the traits you wish to preserve (you get to pick the best ones)."