Help Angelfish Kills Everything :(

[Dwashko]

Hi my name is Dylan, i recently got a 29 gallon fish tank and i have been having a few problems with my angelfish.
First off my tank is 29 gallons, i have an abundance of live plants and several rocks that create a lot of hiding places.
My current tank inhabitants are
-2 male guppies
-1 female guppy
-1 female betta
-1 albino bristlenose pleco
-2 dwarf frogs
- 1 platinum angelfish

So my angelfish has killed 4 fish so far and im not sure how to keep him from killing again. He is very agressive.
He killed a
-male betta (i now know that they werent compatible)
-female guppy
-red tailed black shark
- koi angelfish

In addition
My water is almost perfect the ammonia only spiked when fish started to die. I did a water change today to fix that.
What should i do with my angelfish and will i be able to add another angel and a red tailed shark?
Thanks for your help
-Dylan

 

[DrRob]

Sadly this is an angelfish being an angelfish. They're somewhat territorial ambush predators and guppies with flowing tails are seen as a prey item by some and they're simply not quick enough to escape if the angel takes a fancy to a snack. They're also quite territorial at times, 2 males may well fight, or worse a pair with a less than willing participant could result in the killing of another angel. Did you add the Koi angel after the other was already established? That tends to get viewed as a invasion of territory.
 
The betta and RTS are likely victims of counter aggression. Both species can get territorial and aggressive and, whilst the shark is small, neither are a match for the angelfish.
 
It may be that you simply have one that is on the more territorial and aggressive end of the spectrum, some of them are simply nutters. Not knowing your tank set up it could be a lack of cover and hiding places. Hardscape and plants will break up the eyeline of the tank and create territorial boundaries, giving anything being chased somewhere to go that isn't still where the angel views them as an intruder.
 
Depending on the answers you may be able to add another angel, it may be simpler to get two to grow up together if you can get the LFS to swap this one out.
 
Personally I'd not keep a RTS in a 29 gallon tank. Angels are aggressive enough to bother it when it's small, especially if they decide that it's cave (they tend to take on a cave type structure as home) as part of their turf, and the RTS is likely to one day decide that it wants a territory many times the size of the tank and then go on a killing spree.

 

[attibones]

I would not add another angelfish. I certainly wouldn't add the shark (which needs a larger aquarium). It sounds like he needs a new home. If you can afford a second aquarium, I'd let that angel be the sole inhabitant. There really is no way to change a fish's behaviour.

 

[Dwashko]

Thank you so much for your help.
Yes i added the koi angelfish 3 days after the platinum angelfish.
In addition there are a lot of hiding places, as soon as i noicted one of my guppies had nipped fins i bought several rocks.   It is heavily planted and thats why i think its werid that so many fish are being killed.
I think the RTS cave was in the Angelfishs territory because the RTS kept to himself and didnt bother the other fish.
Thanks for your help
       -dylan

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Sounds like you need to rehome one or the other.  Depending on how big your angelfish is....
 
Could you place your cave facing a corner and leave enough room for the smaller fish to get in but not enough for the angelfish to follow them?  Might be a temporary help until you work out your stocking issues.

 

[Sophie]

They are Cichlids after all. When the LFS says 'peaceful community fish' I do have to laugh.
 
I had 6 small Angels and let them grow - two paired up and began attacking the others, and that brought out aggression among the rest
I have only witnessed the pair being aggressive to other fish when they had eggs but I have heard horror stories of them killing everything, all depends on the particular personality of the fish.
 
What size are they? Sometimes it's better if you get them very small and have them "grow up" with tank mates rather than having them once they are sexually mature.

 

[TekFish]

I'd be careful in watching those Dwarf Frogs. They can be starved by competition, so I would either set up a species only or rehome them.
 
Tek oot.

 

[tejas]

Yes,I have 5 angelfishes.Their names:
Putty a.k.a Pearl harbor
Penny bun
Rani prasanna.h
Ivory lee ray
Silver Tyson
 
I have 5 sharks.Their names:
Munni prasanna.h
Minchu Tyson
Eddie Tyson
Crash Tyson
Argentum a.k.a argon ring fish
 
Despite the angelfishes pecking at each other,they are pecking my sharks too,but  i am afraid that my angels will one day kill my sharks.Silver is busy pecking Crash,Eddie,Argon,while Rani Is busy pecking Minchu and Munni,but I get bad dreams that Rani and Silver killing them.Thank god,Pearl is guarding the sharks and back-pecking Silver and Rani.
 

 

[Munroco]

What kind of sharks are these and what size is your tank? You should probably move your post as this thread is 3 years old.