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I had 2 angels in my 160L (about 42 USG )along with 6 arched cories & 7 black phantoms. I lost one of my angels about a month ago in an ammonia spike. The one I still have is about 60cm in length. I decided to pick up a small angel from my LFS today,but,my original angel is not at all happy. He has been hunting the smaller angel all around the tank,the smaller one only finding refuge amongst the java fern. I was wondering whether I should get another small one to take the pressure off the one I've just added ( but wasn't sure if it would be too many for the tank...dimensions L 36" W 15" H 20" ) or should I just let them sort it out? He will occasionally chase the tetras if they are in his space,but,only rarely.
I say "he" only because he looks like a boy & his name is Gill...seems more like a boy's name.

"if you're goin swimmin,watch out for the noahs"

Angels are cichlids, and while not counted among the most aggressive are more than capable of being territorial to their own kind in the confines of a tank. Reasons for persecution may be purely spacial, with an adult simply not wishing to give up territory to an an inferior or smaller physical specimen,or even a rather desperate adult trying courtship with the youngster and getting no positive communication, which then turns to aggression. Sometimes even the youngster will be trying to court the adult, and "brush-offs" can be violent.

More often than not you can nip a lot of this behaviour in the bud by providing large natural vertical hiding spaces - namely various echinoda species.

I have mixed young and old angels before and experienced similar aggression ,and in every case adding a number of echinoda (parviflorus is a good species)plants totally eliminated the problem. The babies were able to effectively disappear from view for 90% of the day. Over the months they avoid contact to begin with, and then they slowly get used to the idea.

I now have a huge black angel female, who although persecutory to start with, now considers a small stripy male of 2 and a half inches to be a constant buddy.

If you increase the number of plants like echinodas you basically increases resources of "personal property " to angelfish, which is a neat solution other than having to have a much larger tank where the young can stay clear of the adults.

Angels remember who their buddies were, and dont accept new company too readily, its not unusual behaviour by any means.Just give them a way to see each other as little or as often as they wish, which means a route of visual escape for the youngsters, and they usually get over it in time. The whole premise of angelfish design is the ability to disappear among large leaved plants. If you allow them the opportunity, many socialisation problems magically resolve themselves. It gives the angels a suitable forum to settle their disputes peacefully.

If each angel has plant it loves to hang out near, they stop worrying about spacial territory so much, and the youngsters have a private place to feed and grow and not be forced into a social arena they could not normally be expected to compete within.

As far as im concerned, happy angels and large, broad-leaved plants are synonymous.

sounds like what happened to my sister. cept she had couple angels together, and once they got large, one female got highly aggressive and killed anything and everything that she tried to put in with it. so she just kept it all alone

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

It appears that 'big' fish has decided that 'little' fish can have the small corner space behind the java fern,but,"look out if you come out" So I think you're right git ... what you can't see won't hurt you...Looks like it's planting time again. ( LFS ) Cheers

"if you're goin swimmin,watch out for the noahs"

I tried to provide the single angel in my 50g some company three times. I tried smaller ones and even bigger ones. But it did not tolerate any of its own type. Finally i had to give it back to the LFS.

My sister had tried to sell hers to a local shop when she moved, but no body would give her a decent price. so she took it on her move to South Carolina (from michigan) and it made the trip.

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

Funnily enough I added 2 sailfin mollies the other day & ever since the 2 angels have been best of friends...must be that safety in numbers thing...

"if you're goin swimmin,watch out for the noahs"