Angelfish

[FishSticks]

I was wondering if anybody knows the dimensions for a 55 gallon aquarium, like the ones they sell in wal-mart? Well, lets suppose the tank will be tall enough for angels...how many would I be able comfortably house in a 55 gallon tank. I was thinking maybe 4 or 5 angels?

My second question is about tankmates. I'm planning on adding 4 or 5 Gouramis for the top and 3 or 4 clown loaches for the bottom, is that ok?

 

[karrihug]

the 55 that walmart sells is 48x15x18 think it is 15. anyway yes you can have some angels in there. 4 or 5 should be fine. just remember how large they will eventually get. you don't want to have too many more fish in there with them, and what ever you get should be slow moving and calm.

 

[JeremyD]

4 or 5 will be fine! Heck you could keep more than that if you wanted to. But if they begin pairing off, your effective tank area for the other inhabitants will be cut drasticaly.

 

[FishSticks]

All right, I know I might be pushing my luck a little. But, could I possible keep Veil Angelfish? I really have no experience with these type of fish and I have no idea how tall they get, I know they can get up to 6" long. I don't want my Angel to look like Jaws with their fins sticking out of the water!

 

[tmlhaus]

You should not add ANY clown loaches to a 55 gallon tank. It's just not big enough. They will get close to a foot long, entirely too large for even one. Have you thought about yoyo loaches? They only get to be about 4" long and they're real pretty too, just not as colorful.
The gouramis you will just have to watch to see if territory becomes a problem. I have 2 in my 55 and they are both males and leave each other alone. They both know where they can hide and they do stay away from each other's territory. If you notice any problems, trade them in for something more peaceful. And definitely just get the dwarf species. Other gouramis, again, will get too large for a 55.
I only have 1 angel because I didn't want to worry about the whole territory thing during spawning so I can't help you on that issue. Good luck!

 

[FishSticks]

I don't think my Clown Loaches would reach 1' in less than a year. By the time they get to 6" I plan to move them to a bigger aquarium. I currently have 2 Blue Gouramis and 2 Gold Gouramis. They are actually quite peaceful since I have 1 male and 3 females in a 10-gallon aquarium. Of course they will be transferred to the 55-gallon aquarium later this month.

Let me refrain my question... Are Angelfish good tank mates for Clown Loaches and Gouramis? I'm a bit more worried that the Angels will be aggressive towards other fish since they come from the Cichlid family.

I'm also still wondering if Veil Tail Angels are ok for a 55 gallon tank?

 

[tmlhaus]

My angelfish does fine with my gouramis. But mine is still very young..

 

[Cali]

I'm also still wondering if Veil Tail Angels are ok for a 55 gallon tank?

Yes, you can keep several veil angels in that 55 gallon tank.

 

[FishSticks]

I am now satisfied!

 

[ramesses]

FishSticks,let me see if I can help you out,buddy.I do have a 55 gal tank from Wal-Mart,and yes I do have angelfish,,it gets even better,two of them are veils.

So,now we know that you can definately keep a few angels in a 55 gallon.(Remember that amount of gallons decrease with every plant,driftwood,gravel,and any ornament you decide to add)
So far so goo,let's continue...........
1---------------Yes you can keep angels,even the veil varieties
2---------------Veils don't get to grow as big as some of the other less fancy varieties.So,stop worrying about the fins sticking out.
If you decide to mix veils and regular size fin angels,be aware that in case of fightings,veils usually loose the battle.To avoid this,get the veils first,then the others.If possible,the veils should be slightly bigger so,the others won't try to bite their long fins.
3---------------tank mates.Well,I see you would be mixing asian and amazon fish.It could work.About angels attacking the rest,well,they are chiclids after all.Territorial fish by nature,and let us NOT talk about pairing up and breeding.I would not refer to them as being "angelic".
Now moving on to your gouramis.....It would be OK for a while,until your angels start to grow and feel more territorial.I wouldn't even mention breeding time uffff .
I leave you with some old pictures of my 55 gallon tank and some of its inhabitants

 

[FishSticks]

Thanks for answering all my questions ramesses, that's a real nice looking tank. Someday my will look just as good

 

[ramesses]

I have no doubt you will have even a better one that the one in the picture.Remember all it takes is some knowledge which is why you are asking questions,lots and lots of patience,and yes,some money.