Help With Angelfish Situation

[Sweetpea Strong]

Hello All!

Okay so here is the situation. I wanted 2 angelfish for my 38 gallon bowfront. But I found a great deal on 3 veil tails and when shipped to me, they generously gave me 5 total. right now the average size of them is quarter size and I just got them yesterday.

The only other inhabitants in my tank are mystery snails (4). My filter is rated 40-70 gallons and I have the filter rigged to slow the water flow. And I have a large sponge filter inside the tank also. They honestly seem happy and as far as I can tell, not affected by crazy water flow... none of which really matter to this post, lol, just giving you the lay of the land.

So I still only want two. Right now they are small enough that I know they have plenty of space. Being new in the tank, I am already witnessing territory disputes (everyone wants the cool wood in the corner! haha) which I see nothing extreme and from what I understand this is just normal behavior. But I want to let them grow out so I can hopefully choose 2 females but I'm afraid by the time I can determine their sex and have an attachment to the ones I want to keep, they will be wayyy to smushed in the tank. Any advice on when to let go of them, how to choose, or how to handle this situation? I know I said I only want 2, but OMG I adore them all and with I could keep them all. But I also know, it really is far too many.

And in case anyone is wondering, which ever ones I decide to let go of, I will just find them new homes.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I would keep all 5 and let them grow up together. When they mature, 2 will pair off and you can keep them and get rid of the others.

 

[Guyb93]

I like the idea above of let them pair and keep the pair , I just think 5 angels would be too many in a 38g

 

[jams]

I was in a similar situation a few years back. Picked up 5 juveniles DD Phillippine Blues about quarter size bodies. They grew up in a 55g. Of course I had the normal hierarchy and sparing issues, no damage. Mine grew fast after about 6 months I was lucky enough to get a pair. At that point the dynamic changed in the tank and I did re-home the other three. The pair did spawn continuously but I could not get the fry past the 14 days mark. I eventually sold the pair at a club auction.

Good Luck!

 

[Sweetpea Strong]

Hi and welcome to the forum

I would keep all 5 and let them grow up together. When they mature, 2 will pair off and you can keep them and get rid of the others.

Thank you! But what are you people trying to do to me?? (haha just kidding?) But dealing with Angel babies every time they mate seems like a lot of work. It would be fun, I love baby fish but I'm not sure I'm up for that.

 

[Sweetpea Strong]

I like the idea above of let them pair and keep the pair , I just think 5 angels would be too many in a 38g

Exactly. Which is why I said I only plan to keep two of them ?I'm not sure I want to deal with babies though. Thank for the idea though! ??

 

[Sweetpea Strong]

I was in a similar situation a few years back. Picked up 5 juveniles DD Phillippine Blues about quarter size bodies. They grew up in a 55g. Of course I had the normal hierarchy and sparing issues, no damage. Mine grew fast after about 6 months I was lucky enough to get a pair. At that point the dynamic changed in the tank and I did re-home the other three. The pair did spawn continuously but I could not get the fry past the 14 days mark. I eventually sold the pair at a club auction.

Good Luck!

Hello and I'm so sorry you had trouble with the babies ?

It's very helpful for me to hear your time line and how they interacted during that time. I know my tank is much smaller than that and I hope it will last them a while at least.

I like Angelfish so much but having to constantly find new homes for babies, or as in your case, the heartbreak of loosing them after you get attached to them, that would super hard to deal with.

Thanks for sharing your story and your experience ???

 

[Colin_T]

Other fish in the tank with deal with the babies, and there's a chance the parents will eat the eggs and fry too.

 

[Sweetpea Strong]

Other fish in the tank with deal with the babies, and there's a chance the parents will eat the eggs and fry too.

That's actually good to know. I only have the angels in there but I'm just afraid of having to deal with hundreds of babies. At least I have time to think this through. Thanks for your perspective

 

[Colin_T]

It will be at least 6 months, probably 12 months before they breed. And even if they do produce 100 babies, sell or trade them in at the local pet shop and use the money to buy fish food, plants or pay the power bill.

 

[Sweetpea Strong]

It will be at least 6 months, probably 12 months before they breed. And even if they do produce 100 babies, sell or trade them in at the local pet shop and use the money to buy fish food, plants or pay the power bill.

Yeah, I guess it would have some potential benefits. Would I be able to raise them all in just my 38 gallon with the parents? Guess have I have some more research to do if I am considering this as an option

 

[Colin_T]

The first batch of babies that starts swimming around would probably be ok, but when new babies come along, the first lot of babies usually eat the smaller fry. However, you can see angelfish by the hundreds when they are 1 inch in diameter and it only takes about 2 months to get them that big. So every couple of months you sell the young fish and let the parents breed again.