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Although I've ordered a couple of books on Angelfish - they have yet to arrive.... But because of episodes of agression occurring in my tank, I don't feel I can wait for their arrival. So, please forgive my ignorance and I thank you in advance for your patience...
Approximately 5 months ago, I purchased some freshwater Angelfish of medium size from my lfs. From the get go, two of the Angels paired off.... One chasing other fish away - especially other Angels... And both, never swimming too far away from the other.... The temperament of both of these particular Angels was placid - even as the Angel chased others away, he merely "charged" until the others would swim away....
Last night, my husband and I witnessed these two fish "turning on each other" - not only charging, but locking mouths - what we THINK is the female being the primary agressor.... Immediately I went on line and discovered that the behavior we were seeing is indeed part of the mating ritual.....
Now for my real questions --- Will these Angels actually spawn in a community tank environment? Is there any harm to the female if the community tank situation prevents her from completing the spawning process? If eggs are layed, do the parents remain with the eggs or should they be separated?


To thine own self be true...

Once paried off, they'll spawn ANYWHERE, even in a five gallon hex (not that I'd suggest it, I'm just saying they would). The angels, as previously stated, can do fine in a community setting, provided you have good filtration, as you'll be needing a divider. Once the eggs are laid, your parents will become increasingly aggressive, to the point where they'll ram the glass as you walk past. Also, make sure the edges are tight on the divider, otherwise the fry will swim through and become fish food. Angels, like most other cichlids, are good parents, protecting their spawn for weeks after hatching. Once the angel fry are free swimming, they should be removed within a week's time, simply due to the fact that they will become too nippy for their parents, and will need a larger space to live. In fact, it would be advisable for you to start cycling a good 20-30 gal whilst waiting for your fish to spawn. Therefore, once the fry are ready, you can immedeatly transfer them over to the cycled tank. Either get a BN or a rubbernose plec to place into your nursery tank, along with some java moss or any other floating plantage. Feed with BBS. Finally, angelfish spawn throughout the summer season, so you'll likely need another divider to place in the nursery tank, as youngsers of different sizes will eat one another.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Klee 2004-06-29 11:02][/span]

Thank you Klee for your wonderful information! I've been rather worried about this - especially since I've never had spawning egg layers of ANY kind before.... I'm not really sure how much more expansion I'll be able to handle tank wise --- Have kind of a small home and already have a 10 gal + 20 gal + 55 gal.... In regard to Angel fry - when I do have to move them, would it be possible to have other types of fry - like platys - in the same nursery tank or will the Angel fry feast on the other fry? How big are Angel fry anyway?

To thine own self be true...

angelfish will spawn in a community tank, infact, they just did in your community tank. some people like to leave the eggs/fry with the adults as the adults can take care of them, while other like to separate them. people separate them because for the first couple of time that your pair have ever spawn, it's likely that the adults eat the eggs due to lack of experience. don't worry if this happens, they will soon spawn again and hopefully will learn to guard their eggs. i assume that the angels are in your 55g, what other fish do you have in there? normally it shouldn't be a problem.

i have a pair of angels that spawn about every 30-60 days in a community tank, the problem that i had was when they laid their eggs they totally terrorized the other angels in the tank to the point that i had to move the other pair to protect them from more damage. i have to admit though that the mating pair are excellent parents and take very good care of the fry for the first 4-5 weeks or so, then i move the fry to another tank. the pair do not seam to bother any of the other fish in the tank unless they get too close, just the other angels were targets. even now , the tanks are next to each other and the male still tries to get at the other angels in the other tank, quite comical at times actually. anyway you should have no trouble with the other fish in the community unless they show too much interest in the eggs but the other angels beware. good luck!!

My 55 gal tank currently consists of: 3 Angelfish; 3 Dalmation Mollies; 2 Silver Mollies; 4 Sunset Variatus; 2 Blue & White Platys; 3 Orange & Black Platys; 5 Guppies; 1 Catfish; 2 Plecostomus....

[span class="edited"][Edited by dreamweaver8891 2004-06-30 13:11][/span]

To thine own self be true...

you angels will have absoutely no problem spawning in your 55G. good luck!!!

Make sure you section off the plecs, or at least put a barrier between it and the eggs, otherwise the they'll swim up to them and suck'em right off, even with the parents guarding them. Are they common/trinidad plecs? If so, two of them wont fit in the same aquarium.

Yes, my 2 plecostomus are the common ones.... Knowing the size they will eventually become, I purchased 2 VERY small ones for the 55 gal... Once they begin to become too large for the tank I intend to turn them over to my lfs (I've already discussed this with them) and start over with 2 small ones again.... I realize I shouldn't admit this - (especially on a fish forum site) - but I really can't make myself get attached to these fish! They simply don't attract me like Angels, Mollies, Platys, Guppys, etc. I know they perform a valuable service to the community - but I guess they're just not my cup of tea!

To thine own self be true...