# Angels or?????



## Melanddave6571 (Jul 5, 2016)

This weekend I am ready to stock my 56 column aquarium. I just don't know with what? I am leaning towards Angels but am unsure as they seem so delicate. But yet I read they are quite hardy under the correct conditions which are no problem for me. Use kitchen sink for soft water and outside water for my Mbuna tank. PH in the tank is 7.6 which I read though not neutral many fish can live/adjust to that. I've read so many things. But the most important is buy from a reputable store not a big box. My husband bought 2 at Petsmart and both died within weeks of each other. They were small. We even tried to heal one but the first one by quarantining and medical treatment. I am going to call the fish store we are going to today and talk to them as well. And what few community go good with them. I really like the black skirt tetra. Can you tell I love roundish fish. Who has Angels? Should I start with a bigger mating pair and smaller fish? I thought Disc but then decided was way too much work.


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## Mr Chromedome (Feb 12, 2013)

If you get good stock, Angelfish are very hardy. However, almost everyone here will suggest fishless cycling of your tank before putting the fish in. Not sure what you did with your first two angels, as they obviously couldn't go in the African tank. But if you put young angels in an uncycled tank, they are not likely to have done well.

What is the base size of the column tank? I would say it could handle a half dozen young angels, though you would have to remove some when they start to mature. How many it coulld support as adults depends greatly on the base size.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

Just make sure that you test your water and that the tank is cycled before you start stocking.

I have 6 or 7 angels with 6 geophagus in my 150, and they definitely are not delicate. They can hold their own with many fish. You should try to get good stock from a breeder. There are lots of sellers on aquabid.com. I've come to believe that the chain stores sell mostly culls.

The appeal of black skirt tetras escapes me. They are mostly plain and a little nippy. If you want to add some interesting tetras with angels, you have to exclude anything which may become a snack. My personal preference is rummynose tetras and emperor tetras.


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## Melanddave6571 (Jul 5, 2016)

Mr Chromedome said:


> If you get good stock, Angelfish are very hardy. However, almost everyone here will suggest fishless cycling of your tank before putting the fish in. Not sure what you did with your first two angels, as they obviously couldn't go in the African tank. But if you put young angels in an uncycled tank, they are not likely to have done well.
> 
> What is the base size of the column tank? I would say it could handle a half dozen young angels, though you would have to remove some when they start to mature. How many it coulld support as adults depends greatly on the base size.


*Yes, it is doing fishless cycling but from my Fluval 306 filter. The first 2 Angels went into my husband's tank that was well established. My column is Tank: 18"L x 30"W x 24"H. I keep hearing 6 but I would hate to get rid of any. BUT if I had to get rid of a pair could they go into my husband's 150 Gallon?

*



mambee said:


> Just make sure that you test your water and that the tank is cycled before you start stocking.
> 
> I have 6 or 7 angels with 6 geophagus in my 150, and they definitely are not delicate. They can hold their own with many fish. You should try to get good stock from a breeder. There are lots of sellers on aquabid.com. I've come to believe that the chain stores sell mostly culls.
> 
> The appeal of black skirt tetras escapes me. They are mostly plain and a little nippy. If you want to add some interesting tetras with angels, you have to exclude anything which may become a snack. My personal preference is rummynose tetras and emperor tetras.


*Thanks! I think the 2 stores I am hitting buy from breeders and have very nice stock. I am actually going to call today and talk to them. Yeah, ya know, you're right about the black skirts plus they would blend in it all*


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## Melanddave6571 (Jul 5, 2016)

Got Angels. 5 altogether. One Koi, one Blue Angel and 3 Black Angels. Now this is where I watch the tank carefully and test parameters like a tweaker and make sure every fish looks happy. I got them all from a store we hit up last week. Husband got some Rams as well and at the other store Millennium Rainbows.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Angels are typically quite hardy, particularly once acclimatized. The downside... is they are cichlids, and cichlids can be aggressive about their territories. You are going to find different behaviour amongst different cichlids, including Angels. Ultimately though, you are going to end up with a dominant fish, probably a male, who will attempt to eliminate competitors from his tank. In my 4ft 75 gallon, that means I have one angel fish left, starting from a dozen. He's pretty happy, and huge now... and gets along pretty good with the breeding Julidochromis marlieri, but he was pretty aggressive with the others.

In a tank that has limited escape space (length and width), you are going to need a number of tall visual barriers, so that fish can escape from chasers.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

My 150 gallon tank has a tall piece of driftwood in the center which is heavily planted with very large anubias attached to it. I have 6 angels with at least 2 breeding pairs and all is fine. I have 1 pair which hangs out in one corner and the other 4 hang out on the other side. Tall visual barriers are the key to success.


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## Melanddave6571 (Jul 5, 2016)

Fogelhund said:


> Angels are typically quite hardy, particularly once acclimatized. The downside... is they are cichlids, and cichlids can be aggressive about their territories. You are going to find different behaviour amongst different cichlids, including Angels. Ultimately though, you are going to end up with a dominant fish, probably a male, who will attempt to eliminate competitors from his tank. In my 4ft 75 gallon, that means I have one angel fish left, starting from a dozen. He's pretty happy, and huge now... and gets along pretty good with the breeding Julidochromis marlieri, but he was pretty aggressive with the others.
> 
> In a tank that has limited escape space (length and width), you are going to need a number of tall visual barriers, so that fish can escape from chasers.


Oh yeah, I got barriers. Sometimes I can't see them. There are one pair that seem to hang. The others are on their own.



mambee said:


> My 150 gallon tank has a tall piece of driftwood in the center which is heavily planted with very large anubias attached to it. I have 6 angels with at least 2 breeding pairs and all is fine. I have 1 pair which hangs out in one corner and the other 4 hang out on the other side. Tall visual barriers are the key to success.


Thanks. I found quite a few tall plants. So now I know I have not over done the whole plant thing. I will have to get pics up.


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