Putting Adult Angels together????

[TalkingCichlid]

I had a pair of mated Angels that became too aggressive for my community tank and were moved to a tank of their own. In the meantime, I purchased a beautiful female that is now full grown and living in the community tank solo. Recently, the female of the original pair passed and I'm considering moving Bart (the original male of the pair) back to the community tank where "Chris" has lived as a solo Angel. The tank is a 46 bowfront that is well planted. Chris' personality has always been rather aggressive while Bart was the more passive of the mated pair. (His mate OTOH was a terror!) It would optimal if the two would just co-exist in the community tank and not pair. Does anyone have experience introducing adults Angels? Also, if Chris is the only female available -would Bart likely re-pair with her or are Angels one mate for life?

 

[Byron]

Ther are some basic issues to recognize, I'll start there. First and foremost, two angelfish must decide they accept each other and bind or pair. Any male and any female put together is very risky; this actually applies to many cichlids, I had the issue with both rams as well. If they "pair up" from a group of angelfish they are much more likely to remain a pair, though this is never a guarantee. I've seen a pair spawn four times, then the male killed the female out of frustration.

Second issue to recognize is that behaviours can be affected by the other fish, so what was apparently submission with the first pair can be the extreme reverse with another fish, or not. No guarantees.

Third, the female that has been on her own may not be prepared to tolerate the male. Angelfish are a shoaling species, and they form smallish groups (up to 30) and an hierarchy develops. When a pair within this hierarchy do bond and spawn, in the habitat there is plenty of space for the others to avoid the pair. This plays out very differently within the confines of even a "large" tank. The phermones produced by the fish are read by the others and this heightens the problems, something that never occurs in the habitat so strongly.

Personally I would not do this, as it is cruel to the loser.

 

[GaryE]

It's high risk - less if the tank belongs to the female and not the male, but still as dodgy as @Byron says. I would be more inclined to try than he is, but I would watch like a hawk. There will be an initial testing out that may not be pretty, but if it continues, be ready for a rescue.

 

[ghyti]

It is worth a try. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't, the only way to know is to try. It may take a day or two for them to get used to each other. On the other hand it could be love at first sight. I have seen it both ways.

 

[Grizleyguy]

Something else that has helped create unwilling cichlid pairs for me in the past is take this opportunity to remove all your plants/rocks/decor/and fish. Do any cleaning needed then replace everything in a different arrangement along with both angels. This newly introduced couple might have a better chance at pairing with total disruption and rearranging of her original comfortable territory. Watch closely and good luck

 

[TalkingCichlid]

Thanks for all the input. I think I'm still leaning toward letting Bart live out his life in the other tank and get him some tank mates rather than risk the demise of either of them. Chris seems to "own" the tank she is in and doesn't miss anything that goes on. Bart is more of a mellow dude and I think he'd do well with a cory or two and maybe some rasboras in his tank. Guess there's worse scenarios than having TWO tanks. lol