Angelfish Question?

[FishHobbyist1564]

hi everyone i just have a few questions with angelfish.

How many angelfish can i keep in a 20-gallon tank? (the tank is more long than it is tall)

Also, how do i tell the difference between male and female angelfish?

Also how many gallons would you recommend if i wanted 4 or 5 angels with other types of cichlids as well?

Also is it possible to cross-breed angelfish (such as breeding a ghost angelfish with a marble angelfish)?

Lol sorry there are so many questions, but i am new to cichlids and i know you guys always have a great answer!

 

[Straydum]

How many angelfish can i keep in a 20-gallon tank? (the tank is more long than it is tall)

i would only say 2, though 3 is possible but it'd be pushing the system alittle unless u have a powerful filtration. moreover, i discourage odd numbers of angel keeping, its just my way of keeping them.

Also, how do i tell the difference between male and female angelfish?

its hard to do so unless your angels actually pair up and start spawning. on then is the papilla is visible. the male's papilla is pointed, the female's is more blunt. its found between the anal fin and the ventral fin

Also how many gallons would you recommend if i wanted 4 or 5 angels with other types of cichlids as well?

i would personally go for 4 or 6, not 5. a 55 gallon would be ideal for 6 angels and some other smaller fishes. other cichlids i'm afraid are not really compatible with angels, unless u are refering to new world cichlids which may include rams and discus.

Also is it possible to cross-breed angelfish (such as breeding a ghost angelfish with a marble angelfish)?

yes it is very possible.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Personally I think 20 gallons is too small for Angels, unless you wanted to keep one.


It's normally a 29 gallon minimum for Angles, and a 20 long isn't correct, the height of the tank isn't high enough, so your best bet is to go for some Ram or Apistogramma instead!

 

[DAL32]

Apologies for hijacking this thread, but rather than start a new toipic, I'll post my enquiry here: I also have a 20 gallon that I recently acquired - it is 20 inches long and 16 inches high from the surface of the substrate. Would this be suitable for at least one adult Angel, and say, three cories?

 

[FishHobbyist1564]

lol those are the same dimensions of mine From what Straydum said, i think it is okay to keep just one angel and three cories.

 

[Straydum]

16 inches i feel its okay for an adult size angel of height around 8 inches average. yeah maybe 2 angels would be abit overboard but i just cant stand to see angels alone. lol. personal opinion though.

 

[FishHobbyist1564]

lol i agree so i think im getting a 75-gallon for 6 angels, some rams, and maybe some discuses...

If i dont get the discuses though, what other cichlids can i put with these fish?

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

lol i agree so i think im getting a 75-gallon for 6 angels, some rams, and maybe some discuses...

If i dont get the discuses though, what other cichlids can i put with these fish?

Okay well, I think 16 inches is way too small for an adult angel, it needs an 18 inch bare minimum. Actually, someone asked Tolak (big mod here and angel breeder) if angels did well on there own, and he said they sure did!

A 75 gallon is pretty ideal for Discus. Discus are cool, but they aren't the most hardy fish, and have a lot of problems with tank mates. Normally Discus need 10 gallons per fish, and Angels are compatible with Discus, they just do better in smaller groups. I would go with this:
2 Ram
2 Angel
5 Discus


If you don't like the Discus, you can get big Tetras, cory cats, Apistogramma, Tiger Barbs, Danio, pretty much anything that isn't to aggressive.

 

[FishHobbyist1564]

i dont really want discuses though because they are really expensive and arent really hardy. So i have 6 angels right now... what others can i put with them?

 

[rodrigoflores]

I would have 2 or 3 angels if you keep up with the water changes... with so many hybridization and extreme specialized breeding the natural clues have mostly been bred out but the vent one is still used, males pointy females round. Also the females tend to be wider while the males are more laterally compressed. I would say 4 or 5 angels with other cichlids depends what type of cichlid... I would have them with some Apistograma or Rams, they would not be dangerous for the angels in a 55 or 60 gallon aquarium with plenty of hiding places.

It is more than possible to "cross-breed" all types of angels since there are mainly the same species (Pterophyllum scalare) there are other 2 species in the wild (P. altum and P. leopoldi) but they are seldom seen in the trade.


Ro
www.tropicalfishpages.blogspot.com

 

[Straydum]

Actually, someone asked Tolak (big mod here and angel breeder) if angels did well on there own, and he said they sure did!

lol yeah its a personal opinion thing like i said. no doubt single angels wont come into any harm but i just cant stand seeing it alone.

i think angels go awesome with discus and they make the tank look real exquisite. in your case, more rams could be an option. try having golden rams with other varities at the sametime. apart from that, i keep my angels with dwarf gouramis, tiger barbs etc. your usual community fishes that arent too small to risk having eaten.

 

[FishHobbyist1564]

hmm ill have to consider the discus. I'm looking into rams also.

Can angels be put with smaller cichlids such as those little yellow ones (i think they are called lemon something) or convict cichlids?

 

[Straydum]

if you mean african cichlids, i would advise you not to. new world cichlids dont really mix well with african cichlids.

 

[kev_kb]

Angels are not ideal tank mates for Discus. If you ignore the fact some believe Angels carry parasites that do them no harm, but will harm the Discus, I have found Angels to be much more aggressive and fast eating than Discus. Discus can be kinda shy at times and if they decide to stop eating you'll have problems, especially in the early days of them settling in the tank.

In large tanks it can work out, but I tried in a 55 for a while and it was a disaster. I would not try again until I could buy a 125 or something to give them each lots of room.

This isn't meant to sound nasty, but if you need to ask what tank size is suitable for an Angel you are not ready to keep Discus. You have much more research to do before deciding if they are right for you. They need to be kept in soft water with a high temperature and are fussy about tank mates. Personally I would keep the group of Angels in a suitably sized tank and leave it at that. Discus are a big commitment and easily stunted/killed plus you already said you didn't want them...

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

Angels are not ideal tank mates for Discus. If you ignore the fact some believe Angels carry parasites that do them no harm, but will harm the Discus, I have found Angels to be much more aggressive and fast eating than Discus. Discus can be kinda shy at times and if they decide to stop eating you'll have problems, especially in the early days of them settling in the tank.

In large tanks it can work out, but I tried in a 55 for a while and it was a disaster. I would not try again until I could buy a 125 or something to give them each lots of room.

This isn't meant to sound nasty, but if you need to ask what tank size is suitable for an Angel you are not ready to keep Discus. You have much more research to do before deciding if they are right for you. They need to be kept in soft water with a high temperature and are fussy about tank mates. Personally I would keep the group of Angels in a suitably sized tank and leave it at that. Discus are a big commitment and easily stunted/killed plus you already said you didn't want them...

People have different opinions. I also think a 55 is too small, but in a bigger tank (60+) I feel it can work great! I have talked to a angel breeder/discus breeder. If you don't know he was selling Discus the size of dinner plates! He had pairs in the tank (2 pairs of Discus and 2 pars of angels) and he said the secret to success is to mix both species, angels in smaller numbers though. He totally swears by it, and says it's the best advice he can give! Of course, the tank was a little bit bigger maybe 90 gallons or so, but I saw it with my own eyes.