Theresa...you need to get away for about 28 days!!!

Just say NO!!!

-PF ;-)

You have the same number of fish I was planning on putting in my 30 gallon. I won't worry any more! :) I'm halfway there and fretting the 1" per gallon rule. Shouldn't plants help me add a few extra inches?

Theresa - those angels are gonna get way big... You really need to stop!! Well, I know you know that already! ;)

But angels really can get quite territorial. I have one female that when she spawns, she scares the rest of the fish to one side of the 70 gallon tank. Strangely, she allows the very large moonlight gourami (maybe because he's bigger than she is!) to hang around, but the other fish she chases away diligently. I always know when she's spawned because all the other fish are huddled to one side of the tank!

One thing I must say in support of a uncrowded tank. Less disease and less water changes!! The tanks in my office at work are very sparse in fish - but they've been going for years now without any disease issues or cloudy water or algae problems.

My 70 gallon tank could be considered "crowded" by some standards - but I have a _lot_ of small schooling fish (cardinals, black neons, otos, small tetras), then bolivian rams, gold rams, blue rams (which essentially hand bottom to mid-level), lotsa cories because those are the fish I find hardest to resist! And then the "big" fish - meaning angels, and gouramis and rainbows.

I love baby angels because they're so cute!! But remember, they get BIG!

Sky, do you have any pix of your setups? Especially the 70? It sounds great.

-PF

I'll try and get one! :)

Thank you for responding. I knew better about buying too many fish for a small tank but PequaFrog got it right. I do need to get away. My husband and I are under the gun in our new business. We are on the right course but very stressful. We have a contract for engineering designs and then go into our own manufacturing by mid Summer in our garage in the beginning, then move equipment to a facility after 6 to 12 months. Even though we have other outside clients, checks are large but far between. My husband does not like our small aquarium and in the future he wants me to have a 70 gallon aquarium like I use to have 9 years ago. I thought I was done with all that but have found the joy again in angelfish aquariums. Only then I use to have Discus. Also I am so looking forward to Spring and getting back to my ponds, Koi and gardening. I told my husband I must be losing it and getting out of control and he said no I was normal under our stressful situation. I am only looking for stress releasers to get through this time. Those poor angels will eventually have a larger home to live in probably before the year is up.
Skygee, I would love to see your 70 gallon tank, please post it. I have to ask this dumb question. How can you tell from a female and male angelfish?
Thank you,
Theresa

It's so odd... but in all the years I've had angels, I've always managed to choose females. I always get them as babies... and prefer the tank bred ones because they seem to adapt more easily to my water parameters. The larger (and oftentimes prettier) wild caught ones always not make it for me, so one fish store guy suggested I stick with the tank bred babies. And with babies, I don't think you can tell. Not like with mollies, platys and guppies. Or those that are sexually dimorphic. So I know the angels are female because they lay eggs! LOL It's rather cool to see them spawn - which for some reason the prefered spot is on the heater.

So I've never had any angelfish breeding in the tanks! Lots of egg laying, but no babies. Not that they'd make it - way too many hungry fish swimming around. ;)

I have two small fish tanks set up in my office just for the same reason. Stress reducer!! Lots of people come in the office just to look at the tanks. :) Have one 6 gallon with a betta, and the other 12 gallon has a couple of dwarf gouramis, glass cats and corys.

Gouramis are another one of my favorite tropicals. Not the super aggressive ones like kissing or gold or blues. But pearls are gorgeous, and I really do like the big moonlights, too. The dwarfs are great for small tanks!

Hi Skygee,
Our pet and fish stores can't seem to sell enough Angelfish they go quickly in this town. I am not sure if I have the wild or tank bred type.
Yes, animals, fish and water are great stress reducers. I am very thankful for them.
Theresa

Hi,

I have an 75 gallon tank, with one large silver angel, and I am getting 25-30 baby angels in. If anyone is looking to buy baby, juvenille, or adult angels go to the site:
angelfishusa.com. They have a great selection, and are very healthy. They have types such as Koi, Zebra, Zebra lace,Sunset, and more to choose from. This is my first time buying baby angels, but from the pictures of the angels on their site, they look to be very promising. They have a sale that is going on now. I bought 25-30 pea size assorted angels for a dollar a piece. The shipping for the fish is very reasonable but it also depends on where you live. I reccommend to try this website out. Please email me to let me know what you think or if you plan on getting any new additions.

Thanks,

courtney

I like angels, although I don't have any currently, but if you want to buy really top quality youngsters, see if you can find a fish club in your area, then connect with the members who not only breed, but exhibit and win with their stock.

When show winners sell young from their top winning breeder stock, even their young culls will usually mature to far better quality than what you can get from any pet store, unless that store is buying the same stock.

But Angels really can get quite large and I for one wouldn't keep more than 1 of them per each 20 - 30 gallons at the very minimum.

BTW: I have a very low opinion of taller than wide tanks, simply because of the poor surface to water volue ratio, but for one exception. For a really "Knock-um Dead" display, try a 65 gal. hex, with tall live plants and a single mature pair of top quality veil tail Angels. Given the right food and a large enough tank, they will get larger than most Discus and won't seem at all lost in the space, but move serenely about in it, literally commanding the space, and attention.

I know someone with just that setup. His huge gold veils measure at least 14" from the tip of of their tall dorsals to the bottom of their long, trailing pectorials, and the display is quite spectacular. He paid $9.00 for 12 of them at about quarter sized at an auction 2 years ago, and grew them out in a 125 tall before he picked the best pair for his hex show tank.