Angel Behavior 6/12/08
Hi Guys,
I really enjoy your site; there is so much useful information here. My question
is about 2 fairly new angels that I have in a 30 gallon tank along with a Pleco,
2 platys, and a few very small tetras. I had 2 mollies in there, but they were
bullying everybody, so I have moved them out of the tank. My water levels are:
no ammonia, no nitrite, very low nitrate, temp at 80 degrees, pH about neutral
slightly lower. Everyone seems healthy and they all seem to be eating normally,
however, my 2 little angels have started keeping their fins closed. There are no
other signs or symptoms of anything. This has been going on for about 4 or 5
days now. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Sara
<Hi Sara. There's no obvious reason your Angels should be sick. My only
immediate concern is with the "small tetras" -- several species of tetra are
fin-nippers and will harass Angelfish. Serpae tetras (Hyphessobrycon eques, plus
related species like Jewel and Flame tetras) and Black Widow tetras
(Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, also known as Black tetras and Petticoat tetras) are
the most notable of these. It's also worth mentioning that Platies need a pH
above 7, and ideally around 7.5, to do well in the long term. In any event,
Angelfish are prone to bacterial and other internal infections, particular when
very small and mass produced. If you can, treat with something against Hexamita
in the first instance because this is so common among farmed cichlids generally.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/metranidazole.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwangelfishes.htm
Once you've done that, take all the usual precautions against possible sickness
(lots of water changes, no live foods, etc.) and keep an eye out for other
symptoms, if any. Very small (coin sized and smaller) Angels travel poorly and
need great care to do well.
Cheers, Neale.>
Just A Thanks (Oh, and a question) -
10/06/2007
Hello y'all!
I just wanted to drop a quick "thank you" note to you for (generally) having a
wonderful site and (specifically) for helping me out with an issue I was having.
I have as my centerpiece tank a 60 gallon hex (FW). I really wanted to have
angelfish, so after cycling the filter on my established 55, I purchased 6
angels and 4 Cory cats. The cories (Corys?) behaved properly, but the 6 young
angels wouldn't come out from their hiding spot behind the driftwood. They
wouldn't even come up to eat. This is my first time with cichlids, but I knew
that when they aren't going for food, something's wrong. I was getting more and
more concerned... so I went to work with the searcher. Dither fish do work, it
seems. Three hatchet fish, and now my little angel school is all over the tank,
and swimming hungrily to the top, constantly telling me they're starving, and
basically brightening my room (and life) for the past week.
Thanks again,
John
<John, thanks for taking the time to write. It's appreciated. The use of dither
fish is very useful with dwarf cichlids as you've discovered, and yes, they do
help. Hatchetfish are lovely animals, though they seem to have a constant
appetite, and perhaps need a little more food than you'd imagine to stay
healthy. I find a mix of Spirulina flake and small carnivore pellets does the
trick admirably, but once in a while I hand-feed mine with small earthworms and
the like. Hatchets are skittish at first, but settle down quickly. But always
keep the tank covered, as they love to jump! Cheers, Neale>
Re: swordtail fish... Angel
beh. 8/9/07
Hello Neale: Let me tell you something about the angel fish. Now before I
feed the fishes I have to knock on the shell, and he comes right out to eat and
back to the shell, he hangs in there all day and night. Thanks for the help.
Love Mely
<Hello Melida. Yes, angelfish are territorial. In the wild, pairs claim bits of
sunken wood or tree roots, and guard them vigourously. This is where they lay
their eggs. While I have not heard of an angelfish guarding a shell, I can
certainly imagine it happening. Cheers, Neale.>
My Angel fish... beh., hlth. – 07/08/07
Hello!
<Ave!>
I've found your website very interesting and appreciate the knowledge you are
sharing with us!! My question seems to be a difficult one, since I've been
searching for an answer for 3 days online now.
<Okeley dokeley.>
I noticed on Friday evening that my angel keeps shaking her head, her feelers
and her fins. The shaking is random, not all at once, but it is very fast and
vigorous.
<Often irritation, e.g., from ammonia/nitrite, or else an early sign of
whitespot, which irritates the gills before anything else.>
It is a fairly young angel, and on the smaller side. I've had my aquarium for
about a month now, and she is the only angel that has survived.
<Ah, angelfish are among the worst fish to start with. They are very, very
sensitive to ammonia and nitrite. So I'm guessing water quality issues are at
work here. What's the nitrite and/or ammonia level in the tank?>
So far, she has been very resilient to anything and everything; swimming fast
and eating well. She is still eating, but seems as if she's hungry all the time.
<Angels are constantly hungry. Pretty typical of cichlids generally. Do watch
what you give them though. Angels respond to extra effort in their diet. Frozen
(wet, not dried) bloodworms are the absolute ideal.>
I watch them and she gets her fair share. I also have freeze dried brine shrimp
and frozen food that I supplement 3 times a week.
<Sounds okay, but brine shrimp are the fish-food equivalent of iceberg lettuce
or celery -- no nutritional value at all. Fine as a treat, but not a stable.
Good quality flake and pellets are the way to go, ideally "vegetarian" flake and
"regular" pellets, since most of your fish are herbivores/omnivores (Plec,
shark, loach, silver dollars, platies.>
I have a 30 gallon tank with 2 silver dollars, 2 black fin tetras, 1
Plecostomus, 1 red fin shark, 1 catfish and a clown loach. There is no stress,
they all seem to co exist peacefully...
<Famous last words. Your red tail shark will OWN that 30 gallon tank by the time
it is mature and everyone else will be living only for as long as he lets them.
The catfish -- I'm assuming a Corydoras -- should be in a group. They're not
happy kept alone. The Plecostomus is almost certainly not that at all, but a
species of Pterygoplichthys that will grow to around 45 cm long at which point
it physically won't fit in the tank. Silver dollars can (will) get large and are
far too big/active for a 30 gallon tank. Even a 60 gallon tank would be a tight
fit for them. Clown loaches are also schooling fish, and get to 30 cm long when
mature, and routinely require tanks around the 100 gallon mark to do well. But
apart from the fact most of your fish won't fit in the tank you have, they're
*almost* all nice community species. Who's the odd man out? The Black Fin Tetra,
which I'm assuming is our old friend Gymnocorymbus ternetzi. This fish looks a
bit like a mini-angelfish with a greyish body and black vertical stripes. Lovely
animal, but A NOTORIOUS FIN-NIPPER! One of the classic species NEVER to keep
with angelfish. To Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, an angelfish is a swimming buffet, to
nibble on at leisure. When kept in groups of a dozen, they're sometimes fine,
but when kept as just two, they are not only nippy towards their tankmates,
they're also deeply unhappy.>
...so I cannot figure out what the problem is.
<Likely water quality issues and/or fin-nipping.>
Any and all advice is most appreciated. I thank you for your time and hope you
all have a great day! Kristi
<You're welcome! I hope you're able to sort things out, but even in the short
term this community is unlikely to work out. Be sure and buy an aquarium book
(or borrow from the library) and read up on maximum size, social behaviour
before purchasing! Good luck, Neale>
Strange Cichlid With Hump On Its Head –
06/16/07
Hi, I've got a question bout my Jack Dempsey. Recently I've notice he hits
his head on the tank by running into it on purpose. I was worried and looked up
a Jack Dempsey and I found that mines totally different. Well he has a huge
thing on top of his head, I mean its big and I've been thinking its a tumor can
you please help me out and tell me what it is. Thank You
<Most Central American cichlid males develop a fatty tumor on their head. this
stores fat and probably helps them attract a mate and store energy to defend
territories and attract females. A hybrid called a Flowerhorn has been specially
developed to emphasis this trait. Some foods are suppose to enhance it
too.-Chuck>
FW Angelfish behavior – 06/14/07
Hello there,
<Hello.>
I have a 55gal tank with 4 angels and some misc. fish they have all been
together for years in this tank with no changes in water quality or filtration
apparatuses. About a month ago one of my ~5yr old angels started looking a
little ragged (a few minor white fuzzies too) and was having some trouble
swimming so I put in a divider and ran some antibiotics through before the
symptoms spread to the others and it seemed to recover in a week.
<Red or ragged fins are almost always early stages of finrot, and white fuzzy
stuff is usually fungus. Both are typically caused by poor water quality and/or
physical trauma, such as fin-nipping or fighting. Either way, you really need a
combination finrot/fungus medication rather than antibiotics.>
After the meds I did the water change and put in the new carbon and figured all
was well.
<OK.>
About another week later the same fish became obsessed with the bubbles coming
out of the power head and swims in them almost all day every day. I thought this
was weird but since all the others were doing just great, I chalked it up to him
having a stroke or something and being some what mentally retarded.
<Probably more boredom than anything else. Fish have minds, and they like to do
stuff.>
Well that theory changed when about another week later the other 5 yr old Angel
is now participating in the bubble obsession and they both do this now most of
most days and every now and then they swim mouth up for a 20 seconds or so and
then back to normal or in the bubbles.
<Hmm... must be fun!>
The two angels that are participating in the bubble swimming I purchased at the
same time from the same place and have the same look (more body than fins). One
is black and white stripe (the original bubble swimmer) and the other is white
with a nice gold crown. The other two angels are have the more fins than body
shape and are about 3 yrs old, and these angels have never looked better, their
fins look amazing and have the long almost hair like extensions from each joint
in the tail and anal fins which I usually interpret to happy fish in and good
water quality.
<Sound nice fish. Not sure what you mean by hair-like extensions though: finrot
can cause an identical thing, by eating away at the fin membrane but leaving the
fin ray more or less intact.>
The other two angels also look pretty darn good with no visible lesions or
infections, they have clear eyes and all have a healthy appetite! (frozen blood
worms and Omega flake food). To top it off the other two angels have recently
been spectating at the bubble swimming events, they haven't participated yet but
they are watching closely.
<All sounds fine.>
Sorry this is so long but I felt my problem was odd and needed a thorough
explanation for you to be able to give advice.
<Don't see this as a problem. It's just a relatively intelligent species
exhibiting quirky behaviour. This kind of thing happens more often that people
assume. You have to remember than animals are "programmed" to exhibit certain
behaviours, and when they can't because they're captive, that drive gets
channeled into other behaviours. In this case, it sounds as if the bubbles are
catching their attention in the same way that potential prey animals might, and
the angels are stalking and hunting the "prey". Who knows, really? The main
thing is you should try and cross off any other possible explanations. For
example, is the fish trying to swim upstream, to get away from the other fish?
Angels are not schooling fish when mature, they become territorial, and a mated
pair will try and drive away any other angels that enter their territory.>
Thank you for reading this far and I hope you have heard of this before and have
a remedy.
<Never heard of this, so interesting!>
> Take care
> Sincerely,
> Missi Blue
<Cheers, Neale>
|
Angelfish behavior 6/18/07
Hello Crew,
<Hello.>
Thank you so much for your speedy reply. I am disappointed to say that I have
new developments with the angels.
<Oh dear.>
The bubble swimming continues with no change and they are swimming up stream
toward the power head) but one of my angels has a few other symptoms now and I
would like your personal opinion on which medication to try next, I hate to put
them through more than one due to the unnecessary stress it causes.
<OK.>
So last time (5 weeks ago) I used Maracyn-Two and that was when only one fish
was showing symptoms and they weren't that clear.
<Wouldn't have been my response. Antibiotics are potent tools and used
improperly cause more harm than good. If used at all, they're used last of all.
It's also axiomatic of good medicine that you don't use a treatment until you've
identified the problem.>
Now another angel has some "stuff" (pictures attached) around base of his left
pectoral fin.
<At first glance I'd have said it looks like fin rot. The odd thing is that the
fin membrane itself looks fine, it's the base of the fin that is infected.
Typically, fin rot works from the distal end of the fin (the "fringe") inwards
to the base.>
This has been there for the duration of the problems but was much smaller and
was hard to tell if it was just an imperfection. Now it is very obvious it is
nothing of the kind and needs attention; could this also be what is making the
bunch swim crooked from time to time?
<Hard to see how or why, except this: when fish find themselves in the wrong
water conditions, their instinct is to swim out of them. In the aquarium, this
manifests itself by swimming into the current. Now, couple this was finrot (or
possibly Columnaris (a Flexibacter infection) and you have two signs indicating
that not all is well in the aquarium. Not proof, but an indication. At the very
least, check ammonia or nitrite, nitrate, and pH as these will give you a good
handle on the environment. Fin rot is definitely associated with high levels of
nitrite and ammonia, and Columnaris tends to be common in overstocked tanks or
tanks where water changes are infrequent enough, and the nitrates will indicate
this nicely. You're aiming for ZERO nitrite and ammonia, and under 50 mg/l
nitrate (ideally under 20 mg/l). The pH for tank-bred angels should be around
6.5-7.5.>
In my past experience with infections they have progressed so much faster than
this so I am in new territory.
<Depends on the infection. Viral infections like Lymphocystis take quite
literally years to develop and then fade away, while other infections go from
nothing to life threatening in days, as with whitespot.>
All the descriptions for treatments I have looked at describe the cotton-like
stuff and I have seen that many times and this looks different.
<The three "fin" infections are finrot, fungus, and Columnaris (sometimes, but
inaccurately, called "mouth fungus", even though it can occur on more than the
mouth and isn't caused by a fungus). Fin rot is usually a pink infection where
the fin membrane dissolves but the bones are left behind, creating a ragged
appearance. Fungus looks like off-white threads and almost always is associated
with mechanical damage such as fin-nipping or poor handling. Mouth fungus is
usually a greyish slime with a texture like short tufts or threads. Commonly on
the mouth (hence the name) but can occur elsewhere. Almost always occurs on fish
kept in fetid, poorly maintained aquaria.>
It is light peach colored and more dense and localized.
<I agree, it is odd. But I'd assume it is fin rot and treat accordingly.>
Hopefully you can see this from the pictures. Also I attached another picture
showing the "hair like" extensions you were wondering about. Hope I was right in
thinking they were a good sign.
<Just the style of fancy angelfish you own. Wild angels don't have these
threads, but some of the artificial varieties do.>
Thanks again and I will be awaiting your reply.
Sincerely,
Missi Blue
<Cheers, Neale> |
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Little and Large Angelfish, FW beh. 5/21/07
Hi Crew,
<Matt>
Thanks for all the great work you do! I have had 2 Angelfish (P. scalare)
in a freshwater tank (30 gallon) for about 6-8 months now.
They are alone apart from 4 Cory's. All the water conditions are good.
0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 10 Nitrate, pH 6.5, temp 78. Both Angels are healthy
and active. The problem I have is that when I bought them they were both
approx 1 inch. However, very soon afterwards the marble angel (I have a
marble and a golden) grew to approx. 4 inches whereas the other angel grew
considerably slower and is only approx. 2.5 inches.
<Ah, yes... very often Cichlids (and other animals) will/do exert influence
on conspecifics (chemical and behavioral) limiting their growth...>
I know at least one of them is a female as I have had eggs laid on a leaf.
<And as you apparently speculate, both may be...>
I have a few thoughts as to the reasons behind the different growth rates. I
would appreciate your input and opinion. My first thought is they could
both be females and the larger one is the dominant fish, and therefore is
stunting the growth of the second?
<Yes, possibly>
My second thought is that one is a male and one is a female but I haven't
read anything about significant size differences or growth rates between
genders.
<Usually, all things else being equal (good luck finding this occasion), the
females are larger...>
Could this be the reason? They both get to the food when fed so I've ruled
that out as the reason. Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Matt.
<Mmm, a larger system, more specimens... would tend to "even out" growth
rates in such circumstances. Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/GrwLmtChems.htm
for one aspect of what is happening here. You ought to consider
writing/investigating for natural history essays... You have a good, curious
mind, capacity for relating... Bob Fenner>
Re: Little and Large Angelfish – 05/21/07
Hi Bob,
<Matt>
Thanks for the comments. I actually gained my BSc (Hons) in Coastal Marine
Biology in 2003, and although I have subsequently ended up in a completely
different career field (Retail Management), my love for/interest in Marine
Biology is still strong, so you're suggestion to write/investigate is tempting
and definitely food for thought.
<Ahh!>
Thanks,
Matt.
<A pleasure my friend. Bob Fenner, who is serious re your having another
starter/career as a content provider>
Angel Fish question, beh., hlth. 4/18/07
Could you please tell me what the average life expectancy is for a freshwater
angel fish in a 7 gallon tank? I have had one for 6 years and he is suddenly
very sick and I was just wondering if this is the expected end of his life
cycle. Thank you!
<Hello Cindy. In a 7 gallon tank, a baby angelfish will reach the size to be
moved out about 3-4 months after hatching. Anything beyond that is, to be
honest, cruel. So it is definitely time to move him out to new quarters. At
minimum, you should be looking at a "tall" 20 gallon tank for your angelfish,
and I'd heartily recommend something much larger if you want your fish to look
its best. Like most other medium-sized cichlids, angelfish should live around 10
years in captivity, potentially quite a bit longer. Be sure and read the article
on angels here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwangelfishes.htm and then peruse
some of the related articles as well. There's no shortage of information on
angels out there, including some quite nice books.>
Sincerely,
Cindy
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Angel Fish question, hlth. 4/19/07
Thanks so much - from the article, it looks like my fish probably has
hemorrhagic septicemia in one of his fins.
<Haemorrhagic septicemia is very uncommon, and I have no idea how you diagnosed
this. Far, far more likely that it is sick from being kept in a 7 gallon tank.
Please trust me on this: the aquarium is too small and likely the nitrite and
ammonia levels are too high because of an undersized filter. Unless you're
changing 100% of the water every day, the nitrates are probably too high too.
These will cause serious health problems in the long term, as seems to be
happening here.>
I had been treating him for fin rot with tetracycline, but perhaps I missed the
mark. It may be too late to switch to Flagyl as he is in serious distress.
<Haemorrhagic septicemia is a symptom not a disease. It may be caused by many
things including a virus. So shotgun treatment with an antibiotic is pointless.
If you seriously think this is the problem, consult with a vet. Your fish isn't
going to get better by itself.>
I will do what I can and see if it works. He is fighting the good fight to
survive, but odds may be stacked against him at this point.
<Please understand this: the odds are stacked against him because you made it
so. The conditions you are keeping this fish in are unhealthy and wrong, and
hence your actions are causing this animal to be sick and likely in pain. He
isn't sick because of some random disease that stole into your home during the
night. It's because you aren't caring for him properly. Your move.>
He lives alone in the 7 gallon tank, and until he got sick a week ago, seemed to
be a very happy camper - responding to my voice, dancing for me, etc. He truly
is a pet just like a puppy and I am devastated he is so sick.
<Just goes to show. Your fish gave you so much back. Yes, he was a pet, and yes
he depends on you. All he wants in return is a larger aquarium that will cost
you very little to obtain.>
Thanks again for the info - I have bookmarked it for future reference....
Cindy
<No problems. Cheers, Neale>
Angelfish Lying on Side?!? 11/27/06
Hello Bob. It's Glenda again. You may remember me from the email I sent
about my Honey Gourami whose stomach was rotting away (July 24).
<Ah, yes>
My new
problem is one of my black Angelfish: Why is it lying on its side on the floor
of the tank?
<Not good>
It eats heartily like all the others but doesn't move around much otherwise. No
other visible signs of sickness but it has been so for a few days now. It first
started by staying at the top of the tank behind the flow of bubbles coming from
the filter. Any idea what's wrong with it?
<Yes... darker varieties of FW angels have a decidedly higher incidence of "swim
bladder" disease... symptomatic by this sort of lack of 3-dimensional control...
Not cure-able>
I am still using my 25 gallon tank but the fish are a different collection:
2 Black and 1 White Angelfish, 1 Black Ghost, 2 Upside-down Catfish, 2 Silver
Gouramis (one whose pectoral fin rotted off in Sept. over the course of about 6
months. Still living happily otherwise though so I just monitored it but didn't
really worry about what caused it to happen.
<Could be negative interaction between the Knifefish or mochokid catfish... more
likely at night...>
They are 3+ years old. Probably a small injury that never healed I guess?
<Yes... and/but most likely related to the other species noted>
Seems ok now.), 2 Plecos, 1 Yo-yo Loach, 3 Guppies, 2 Rainbow Sharks and 1
Albino Shark.
<Oh! Or these minnow-sharks...>
Once again, thanks for your help.
<The one angel will likely perish... perhaps better to euthanize. Bob Fenner>
Breeding FW Angelfish Are Aggressive 8/19/06
Hello Bob and Crew, Ever since one of my angels laid eggs, she has been
extra aggressive towards the other one. She was always dominant, but it is
getting pretty bad. I
figured that if I add in another angel and switch the decor around that would
give her more to think about. We have some angels at the pet store where I work
that are similar of size but the one I have permission to take is the most
aggressive in the tank. Will this be a problem if the new one wants to be the
dominant one? I just don't want my angel to get beat up because she's real
pretty and all she "can" do is hide in the back corner beneath the plants.
Thanks for your help and advice!
< Angelfish are cichlids and really don't like other fish around when they have
fry or eggs. An over protective mother with guard the eggs from her mate if she
thinks that he is going to eat them. Adding more fish will give her more fish to
beat up. If she has no mate then reduce the temp to the mid 70's and she will
stop breeding and she will not be as aggressive.-Chuck>
Weird Angelfish beh. 7/25/06
Hi, my name is Stacy.
<<Hi Stacy, I’m Lisa.>>
I have a problem with one of my angelfish. I was reading the FAQs and saw some
symptoms but my concerns weren't answered. I purchased my first tank about a
month ago so I am really new to the fish world. I started off with a few bala
sharks and recently I got two angelfish.
<<Is your tank humungous?? Bala sharks get to 14” in length. Not suitable at
all for most aquariums and certainly not for a beginner. You should return to
the LFS, or acquire a tank of 300+ gallons.>>
All of the fish are doing fine except for one angelfish that, since the first
day (yesterday), has been swimming near the top of the tank sometimes turning to
its side. It doesn't move around too much and I haven't seen it eat anything
yet. The other angelfish is happy and doing well and likes to swim everywhere.
Is there anything wrong with it or is it just still in shock from the move?
<<You don’t provide any test results from your water. How did you cycle the
tank? Lisa.>>
Freshwater angelfish
Dear WWM crew
My name is Cassandra Allen and I am 9 years old. My dad said I should write to
you about a question. He says you know a lot about fish and aquariums and are
very helpful.
<We certainly try.>
He gave me and my sister each a 29 gallon aquarium for Christmas. Then he
divided his fish up between us so he could change his 80 gallon tank into
saltwater.
<Very nice!>
I now have an angelfish that is about 4 years old and some golden barbs and Serpae
tetras and a couple of Corys. Here's my question: About how long does a
freshwater angelfish live? He looks kind of old. Thanks.
<It would of course depend on the specific species but 10 years is not
uncommon. If he is looking “old” it may be due to water quality or some
other aspect. Be sure to feed him a good variety of foods including the
occasional treat of frozen Mysis shrimp or bloodworms. Ronni>
Very aggressive Angel fish (fresh water)
My angel lives in a 55gal aquarium with 2 silver dollars a blood parrot,
Raphael cat, and a few others. Last night my angel got very aggressive towards
every fish in the tank including the bigger iridescent shark. His body color
would fluctuate between light and dark. His eyes would also get dark red. I put
him in another tank last night and this morning I noticed redness around his
fins. Does this sound like a disease you are familiar with? And what do I do to
treat him? This fish must be saved; my wife gets really upset when her fish die
as do I. Help please!!!!
<I don’t know of a disease that causes aggressive behavior but the red
streaks sound like a bacterial infection of some sort. There are a number of
treatments, Maracyn 2 by Mardel, Anti-Bacterial by APPlus, and I’m sure there
are many others. Check out http://www/wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwfshparasites.htm
for more info. Ronni>
Fading Angels
I have two small angle fish with predominate stripes, well they had
predominate stripes but the stripes are now starting to fade. Is this a result
of putting them in a new tank?
<Well, this is likely stress-induced, be it from moving into a new tank or
more likely from environmental conditions. Do you test for pH,
ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? If so, what are the values? If
not, definitely do so, or if you don't have test kits, swing by your LFS with a
water sample so they can test it for you. Any of these values being
out of whack can cause stress in your fish, which would cause these (and other)
problems.>
I have a larger angel fish that acts well with the smaller ones and they often
hang out in a group. I also have a fancy goldfish. (I know you're probably
thinking this wasn't a good idea because the angel fish will attack the goldfish
but they actually all get along)
<Well, the compatibility issue really isn't about aggression, but water
parameters. Angelfish need a water temperature around 78F-82F, and
goldfish prefer their water around 68F-70F. It's just not a good idea
to keep coldwater fish and tropical fish together for this reason; one group or
the other is going to suffer for it.>
it too has lost the purple it had on its back and face and is now all orange.
<The goldfish was purple? Are you sure, purple? Unfortunately,
goldfish don't come in purple, only black, orange/gold, and white, or any
combination of the three. It may very well be possible that your fish
was dyed to make it more 'colorful' - this practice is actually harmful to the
fish. But aside from that, goldfish will change color (say, from
black and orange to just orange, or from orange to white, for example),
sometimes attributable to temperature or pH changes.>
What is causing my fish to lose their stripes and color? I feed them
3 times a day and they are active.
<Also, how big is your tank? Can you give us any more information
about your setup to help us be better able to help you?>
Please get back to me as soon as possible on some solutions to this problem
thank you,
Sam
<You're quite welcome! -Sabrina>
Aggressive Angels 3/7/04
I have these 2 angels in a 29 gallon tank (also a pleco + 2 clown loaches +
some cichlid that I don't know the name, but he is not aggressive at all because
nobody really likes the corner cave he's in). Just recently one of my
angels (yellow one) has been nipping the hell out of my other angel (marble).
The yellow is just a touch bigger, but I bought them both at the same time over
a year ago and never noticed this behavior before. I am pretty sure the marble
is a
female as she has a rounder belly. Any suggestions?
<Angelfish are still cichlids. I'm not sure how large your tank
is, but adults need around 20g each. You could have 2
males.>
I have no more tanks free to separate them except for the 20 gallon with the GSP
in it, and I'd like to keep him solo except for maybe add one more fish that
eats algae and stays small.
<There are no BW algae eaters that can go w/a GSP. Also, a GSP will kill any
fish that is slow-moving or long-finned (like your angel. Angels
prefer soft water, the opposite of BW, which what your GSP needs to live in.>
But really, this nipping has to stop. He nipped off all her nice flowing fins
and I'm pissed.
<Just acting the way cichlids will act.>
And it's for real aggression, not just playing.
<I think that angel may eventually kill the other one. Can you
find a new home for one of them?
Thanks again. -LH
<Good luck ~PP>
Fallen Angel
I have five angels in a fifty five gallon with dojos and Corys. The head
female and three others have started tearing up one of the angels. They almost
killed it before I moved it to my ten gallon to heal. First, do you have any
idea why a school of angels would suddenly start isolating a male, bite his
scales off and eat his fins and tail? Second, I have another 55 with a 8inch
pleco and two 6inch Oscars, two ten gallons and a 29 brackish with four green
spotted puffers. I do not want to put him back into the original tank for fear
of them starting it again, but fear the puffers or the Oscars may hurt him also.
He is too big for my ten gallon. Could he survive in the brackish tank with
puffers or with the Oscars?
<Angelfish are cichlids and do become very aggressive when they mature and pair
off to breed. Most likely the female has bonded with another male and they were
upset at another males being in their space. I would not return him to this
tank. I would also not put him in with the puffers. Even if he was able to
adjust to the brackish conditions, the puffers would tear him up. You could try
him with the Oscars, they are large but not overly aggressive. But it is a risky
venture. If the Oscars start to breed, they will quickly kill him. I think it's
time to pick the pair of Angels and sell/return the others. Don>
Re: poor beaten angel
Thank you very much. I just cleaned the Oscar tank, so I will let it settle
before the transfer. Now the Head female is beating up on another male I
have. She appears to be a loner, and not to have paired with anyone. Do I just
keep moving them out till I can spot the pair?? She is your typical silver and
black striped, the largest. The one I just moved is black, and the one she is
fighting with is of marbled coloration. The only two she will be left with are
hi-fin angels. I can not tell the sexes on those, but one has significantly
larger fins. Do the colors or hi-fin make a difference on their pairing? Is it
just possible that she may not be pairing with any of them and is the one I
should remove. I hate turmoil in my tanks, but these fish are the oldest ones I
have. Thank you for all your help.
< Sexing angels can be tricky. Typically the males are larger, have loner fins
and develop a hump on the forehead. Some angelfish experts look at the angle of
the anal fin. The female is testing the males to find one that is strong enough
to stand up to her for breeding. Cool the water down for a couple of weeks and
this should reduce the females desire to breed. Feed the fish with high quality
food and keep the water clean. In a couple of weeks raise the water temp to 80
degrees F and see if any of the males are4 ready to take her on. You might want
to separate the males and keep them warm to accelerate the growth process so
they will be a bit stronger when you reintroduce them next time.-Chuck>
Re: poor beaten angel
Wow, thank you. I will do as you advised... The black angel is doing fine in
the Oscar tank, but is very lonely. How small of an angel tank mate could I get
before the Oscars would devour it?
< Anything that would fit in the Oscars mouth is too small.-Chuck>
Fat Angel
Hey Bob, I wrote you a while ago regarding my koi angel needing a friend.
Well she got a silver slightly bigger than her, and she keeps nipping' at
him! Is she establishing dominance or are they flirting?
<Hi, Don here. She's just putting the newcomer in his place. Common in
cichlids. As long as there are no fins being ripped they should settle down
in a few days. But do keep an eye on them>
Also I fed them bloodworms. In which she ate all of them and her belly is so
fat and she is swimming a little sideways. Will she make it? What is going
on???
Erica
<A one tine overfeeding of bloodworms should not cause any long term
problems. Skip their dinner tomorrow and see if the bulge goes down>
Angelfish Aggression
Thank you, Chuck at WetWebMedia, for your quick response to my urgent question/problem. I have taken your advice to heart, and took the angelfish out of the goldfish tank. I agree that possible aggressive behavior on the part of the angel would eventually be a problem. I do think I saw a new nip or two out of the tail of my shubunkin. His tail is frayed a bit anyway and the other goldfish are CONSTANTLY playing.
There is no way that I could leave any even POSSIBLE danger to my sweet goldfish. They are just so cute and happy and do seem to enjoy life so much. So, the more docile male angelfish is back in the tank with the fighting female, with a separator between
them. They have spent most of the time just staring at each other. She is seen occasionally trying to bite through the separator. She really IS aggressive.
He, seemingly emboldened by the separator, will approach her and try to nip her through the plastic, too. At first,
though, he was pretty crept out to be back so close to her and retreated to his furthest corner. Then he realized he was protected. Poor guy. I have a 10-gallon that I may put him in eventually. BUT I DIDN'T WANT ANOTHER TANK!!!!! The work! The work! The work! I feel like I have devoted every spare minute the past two years to FISH!!! But I love them. I do. And I wouldn't give this hobby up for anything. Sincerely, and thanks again
Rebbie.
<I am glad that your fish will happy and healthy for a long time with a caring owner like
yourself.-Chuck>
Angelfish Problems
I have a pair of Marble Angle fish. The last set of fry are about 3 months
old. We removed them from the parents tank about three weeks ago from our 30
gallon tank. Recently, the female had not been eating, and 2 days ago she was
laying upside down on the bottom of the tank. I thought for sure she was dying.
The next day she seemed fine. Today we noticed her straight up in the bubbles,
kind of acting like she wasn't getting enough air. Then after doing that she
went back and laid on the bottom. Is there anything I can do to help her??
<The stress of breeding has taken a toll on her and it sounds like she has
succumb to an internal bacterial infection. Do a 30% water change, vacuum the
gravel and clean the filter. Treat the tank with Metronidazole as per the
directions on the package-Chuck>
