Koi Angel?

[bobd_uk]

Can I put a couple of koi angels in my community tank?? I currently have a couple of flying foxes, quite a few tetras (not too small) ranging from cardinals to white widows. There's a couple of catfish and ancistrus'.

I would like to put a couple of small koi angels in, but I don't want them to eat everything else when they grow!

Thanks,
Bob.

 

[aernympha]

by koi angels i think u mean calico angelish right................they would be fine with those tetras but i havn't heard of a flying foxes??

 

[Lateral Line]

Flying Fox is Epalzeorhynchus kallopterus, in the US I think they call them Siamese Algae Eaters - no trouble from them.

 

[bobd_uk]

Cheers guys!

 

[KnuckleHead]

I guess Ill ask. How large is your community tank? Koi angels, as with all other types, make perfect additions to a community tank. Angels can get up to 10 inches including all finnage so a tall tank is highly recommended. If flying foxes are like the chinese algae eaters they can be aggresive when they get older. I personnely wouldnt put angels in less than a 30g standard tank. Thats just my opinion. I breed angels and use 30g tanks for all my breeding tanks.

 

[AquaNut]

Siamese algae eaters or flying foxes are not the same as Chinese algae eaters. SAE are small and peaceful. As knucklehead said, the problem wouldn't be with the compatibility of tankmates, but perhaps with the size of your tank. I have a pair of angels in a 33gallon 'community' tank, but there's little community left. Over time, the angels have staked claim on all the space in the tank, and everyone else has been relocating to other tanks. Next project on the agenda is to get those two into a bigger tank they can call their own. These angels are a mated pair and spawn, which makes them far more demanding of territory. If you are getting your koi angels from an experienced breeder, try and get same sex fish. They may battle more for territory between them when they're young, but will demand less as adults. (that is, if space is even an issue in your tank)

 

[bobd_uk]

I have a 45g tank, which will (when I finally finish moving house!) eventually be setup with around 25 inches of fish before I consider getting the angels.

Flying foxes are currently about 1.5 inches each and should grow to no more than 4 inches each.

Thanks!

 

[Alien Anna]

Flying Fox is Epalzeorhynchus kallopterus, in the US I think they call them Siamese Algae Eaters - no trouble from them.

Flying foxes Epalzeorhynchus kallopterus look extremely similar to Siamese Algae Eaters Crossocheilus siamensis but are not the same at all.

Flying foxes are quite territorial and can be aggressive so are not ideal community fish. They require slightly acid, soft water and need to have 25% water changes per week to keep their water really good. They eat green algae, flake and insect food but can't eat hair algae.

SAEs are peaceful, a little less territorial and excellent community fish. They accept a broad range of water hardness and pH up to pH 8 and require a well oxygenated aquarium. They eat all kinds of algae and are the only common fish to eat hair algae. They will also accept flake, insect food and vegetables. They are schooling fish although frequently kept alone or in small groups.

Chinese Algae Eaters (CAEs) Gyrinocheilus aymonieri aka "sucking loach", "golden algae eater" etc. are something entirely different. They highly territorial loners who can be extremely aggressive with tank-mates. They eat algae but often stop doing so as they reach adulthood. Do not buy a CAE unless you really know what are buying and don't buy them just to clean off a bit of algae - buy a scraper. It won't savage your other fish!

 

[Lateral Line]

>>>
Flying foxes Epalzeorhynchus kallopterus look extremely similar to Siamese Algae Eaters Crossocheilus siamensis but are not the same at all.
<<<

Fair enough, that's part of the problem with common names, what is common to one is different to another.

>>>
Flying foxes are quite territorial and can be aggressive so are not ideal community fish.
<<<

Never had any trouble with any Epalzeorhynchus sp., mind you, being a cyprinid specialist, they have always been with other cyprinids. Maybe that makes a difference, although I can't see why.

 

[AquaNut]

Where I live, if you can find SAE at all, they're usually labelled Flying Foxes. I've even seen stores with Flying Fox and then Crossocheilus Siamensis written underneath as its scientific name. Not sure about the UK, but here, a person would need to be awfully educated to know what they were buying.

From what Anna has said, if you do indeed have flying foxes, angels also like soft, acidic water. I cannot speak to their level of aggression.

You should be fine for space with two angels in a 45 gallon community tank.