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I have 3 angelfish in a 4ft tank, with various other tetras. They are all about 7-10cm long (nose to tail) and in good health. While everyone has said three is a bad number, mine have always got along fine, and now they are quite large. Recently one has had what looked like some roughed up scales - as if it has been fighting. Then this morning another one is the same, with some very torn up fins. After watching them today, one is separated from the others, who are hanging out in a corner together. The strange thing is the pair that is hanging out together have been violently fighting, and one has ripped fins. If they were pairing off, why would they be fighting? I'm quite worried, because they are looking quite damaged. Could i have three of the same sex? Any help would be greatly appreciated

This is when the matting season starts. I used to have 4 angels, but had to remove three black angels, one was male so the fights were because of her. Once a couple is matted, this male will fight if any angel gets close. Then in about three monts or maybe a month, you might find eggs on the plants, or in a tank corner like happened in my case.

If you have an small tank, please remove the other angels and left the couple untouched, or keep females only.

but the pair is fighting quite badly - why would that be? They were hanging out together, fought, then stayed together. The other angel keeps its distance now it seems. If i removed the one that is alone, would the pair keep fighting? Thanks for your help

Sounds to me like you have a bunch of boys in that tank. Same thing happened to me recently. I bought some girls (NOT easy to figure out who the girls are, by the way) and that seemed to calm things down somewhat. At one time, in another tank, I had an established pair and a boy. Had to move the boy to another tank and things worked out beautifully. How many gallons is your tank?

And, as an afterthought, if the established pair are fighting, perhaps it is jealousy? I don't know. I have often wondered about that in fish. Do they have feelings and emotions? Me thinks so!!!

well the pair isn't necessarily a pair - they were just hanging out together. But they were really fighting quite fiercely. so i don't really think they are a boy and girl. They are quite big now and none of them have displayed any mating behaviour really. So if they are fighting does that mean they are all boys and not all girls?

oh yeah, my tank is 160L (not sure about the conversion to gallons).

I found that these fish are very picky and stuck up mine(died of old age:#() did about the same thing you are talking about and i ended up having to seperate them after about a week or they would have picked each other to death...
IMO if you can you should seperate them.

Angel Eel

Hi misty!

I have witnessed this myself and my pair was doing this b4.

1st question has these 2 fighting angels mated b4?(had eggs?)
If they are indeed a mated pair (had eggs) this would be normal between the pair. This usually occurs right b4 mating. Normally the female would pick on the guy. This would result in rip fins battered scales. This is just like us old folks that argue over things. Paired angels are the same, they fight for stupidity . My female would attack the male rip his fins batter his scales but at the end they would still mate. It could be the female being fussy about the mating spot or the male don't want to mate, or the male is just bothering him to mate etc.
Fighing usually stop within a day or two and my male just heals b4 himself (I would add melafix just in case).

Hope this helps

Gee

Gee

!!I think I just learned somthing new!!

no they haven't mated before. They haven't formed pairs before now, and this evening they weren't together. Surely if there was a boy and girl they would have paired up by now? They are reasonably large. I took the one out with the torn fins, so there is two left together now. I will watch them closely and see what eventuates. Thanks for the help guys!

The reason I thought you should seperate them is because I personally have never seen angels that when they were pairing up they did that much damage, all the angels I have paired all the did was a rough nipping of the other fish not like an attack like your explaining....all of mine were yes mean and they did fight but they never ripped each other to the extent your talking about.

IMO
I'd still seperate the ones going nuts and use some Melafix in the water so you dont have suffering fish that are all beat up.