Angelfish at surface - please help!

[Dragonfoxx]

I brought home muy first two angels yesterday along with 3 hatchets to fill my 30gal bowfront. I lost my last fish (except my 3 Cory cats) a few days ago and that's why I decided to get my new angels.

They've been doing great, very active yesterday and today, but this evening they are chewing at the surface of the water then swimming back down like usual, where they stay for a bit then return to nom at the surface.

I am really attached to them already and I'm worried. Any ideas? Other than this odd behavior they look and act healthy.

 

[Byron]

It is difficult to say from your description if this is normal behaviour or a problem. Angelfish, like some other species, will sometimes cruise the surface for food, like floating insects/insect larvae in their habitats. It could also be the sign of respiration issues, such as water quality, oxygen deficiency, ammonia/nitrite/nitrate, or a toxin. The rate of respiration can be a clue, but this takes some experience. Knowing your water parameters (GH, pH, temperature) and test results for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate will help. Is the tank cycled--I assume so if it held other fish for a few months. Any chance of disease that killed the other fish?

To a general matter, hatchetfish are shoaling fish and they must have a group. A minimum of seven or eight is best for these fish; if it is one of the smaller species like the Marble, a few more will be even better.

A 30g is really not sufficient space for more than one angelfish, and even that is not the best. They will (or should) grow to six inches body length, with an 8-inch vertical fin span. And, they are not all that peaceful. Two males will undoubtedly fight until one is dead; females may or may not do this. A male/female pair may bond, or may not. My advice is to return the angelfish and consider species more suited to the tank space.

Last, welcome to TFF.

Byron.