Angelfish, Overbreeding

[Straydum]

i use to have 6 angels in one tank, until recently 2 paired off and started breeding so i separated them and placed the pair in another tank. following that, they wouldnt stop breeding. every 2-3 weeks, there'd be a new spawn of eggs and i'd have to remove the free swimming fry to make way for the new batch. currently, i have 4 batches off young angels, about 30 - 100 in each batch, and 4 is probably my max as i've run out of tanks. will the pair continue breeding? or is there a way to make them stop? cause i cant bare to wash the eggs away once their laid, its the whole idea of killing new life that stops me

 

[DevUK]

i use to have 6 angels in one tank, until recently 2 paired off and started breeding so i separated them and placed the pair in another tank. following that, they wouldnt stop breeding. every 2-3 weeks, there'd be a new spawn of eggs and i'd have to remove the free swimming fry to make way for the new batch. currently, i have 4 batches off young angels, about 30 - 100 in each batch, and 4 is probably my max as i've run out of tanks. will the pair continue breeding? or is there a way to make them stop? cause i cant bare to wash the eggs away once their laid, its the whole idea of killing new life that stops me

I'm not an angel expert, but could you not put the pair back into your main tank? If they spawn, the eggs may get eaten by the other tank inhabitants. Surely this is a nice natural way for some of the inhabitants to get a nutricious snack, at the same time as controlling the population? You're not needlessly disposing of eggs, but also not running out of space to care for them.

 

[Straydum]

it is possible and a solution. thanks. but i was thinking wouldn't cause damage to the other angels? surely the parents would defend their spawn and i've seen them done that before with the 1st spawn. surprisingly aggressive and surely with the ability to kill off at least 1 angel.

 

[kribensis12]

Leave the babies with them, and either they will stop breeding or kill their batch. Either way the baby situatuion is coverd. And yes, the parents will defend to the death if needed.

 

[Tolak]

Split the pair up, put one in the first tank in your sig, another in the second. Or you could just put a divider in the tank they are in, split them up.

 

[aquaticadmirer]

I have an angel pair that also breeds every 2-3 weeks. They fiercely defend the eggs when they're first lain but once the lights go off either they give up defending or they just can't see well enough to defend the eggs because they always disappear overnight (eaten by my barbs). If you add a few tankmates that will eat the eggs or fry, nature will take its course. I'd recommend some barbs as they're big eaters. Livebearers eat them too but breed like rabbits so won't help your overpopulation problem much!

 

[part-timer]

there really isn't a lot you can do. Possibly lowering the temp to slightly below 80 might get them to settle down (I'm assuming the temp is slightly higher than this if they are breeding regularly) but they will probably still display pairing agression even if not spawning. Once they pair off and begin spawning, the aggression towards other fish will continue and without a huge tank the other fish will become stressed. Splitting them up will help in the short term but the liklihood is that another pair will form as your conditions are obviously right for them.

Its a case of either giving them more space, their own tank, or moving them on. I've a spawning pair which I've put in a dedicated breeding tank and will just move the babies on, the plus side is its allowed me to add 2 gorgeous marlboro red discus to my community tank.....

 

[ArauraDiscus]

Yeah as one mentioned you can split them up, but this risks splitting their bond entirely if you do this for too long, and they may never breed again. Also you can leave the eggs with them. The great majority of angelfish will eat their offspring and will not raise their young like they do in the wild. Also you can take their eggs out and feed them to the fish in the other tank. Many people who cull their angel fry will end up feeding the culled babies to other fish as a healthy snack like feeder guppies. Kind of mean but it's an option if it's one of the few you have.

Good luck