angelfish question

[dwk5270]

I have a thirty gallon with three angelfish. I'm waiting until two pair up and then will remove one. I have noticed the bigger angelfish of the three has been chasing the other two off. I noticed him/her doing it to one angel, but now I see it is doing it to both of them. It isn't constant but has been occurring more frequently

 

[Mojo3251]

What's the question

 

[dwk5270]

Why is my one angel chasing off the other two

 

[Zimmanski]

Because they're angelfish and that's what they do. They're territorial. Try removing all 3 Angels then completely rearrange your tank, so it looks nothing like it used to. Then add all three back into the tank at the same time. "new" territories, less chance of aggression.

 

[Wroberson]

You may have 3 fish of the same sex.

I have a pair of angelfish and they never chase each other away. If anything they spend more time together clearing or inspecting places to lay and fertilize eggs. I had three, and one was always being chased off.

 

[vanimal]

Don't males develop humps on their head??

 

[Jesselav1233]

That's just how Angels get sometimes they can be nasty critters. If the big guy isn't hurting anyone I wouldn't worry to much

 

[dwk5270]

He isn't causing any harm to them just the occasional short chase. Maybe because he's the biggest one? I hope they are not all male

 

[Zimmanski]

Don't males develop humps on their head??

They both develop humps, the males are much more prominent though. Sadly the humps wont appear until much later, when theyre nearly full grown or fully mature.

 

[vanimal]

How long does it take for them to mature?

 

[Laser]

I have read that not all types of male angelfish have the prominent hump, so it's not always an accurate way to sex an angelfish.

 

[Rivercats]

Here is a link you might find helpful http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f82/sex-of-angelfish-205098.html

I have 14 mature angelfish total, 10 in one tank, 4 in another and I can honestly say that the only sure way to tell what sex you have it to wait for spawning. Watch their vent area and when their breeding tube comes down the males will be pointy like a sharpened pencil end and the females will be blunt like a pencil eraser. It's really easy to see on the female.

As others have stated angels are cichlids and this is just typical behavior. It could also be a sign the aggressor is getting old enough to want to mate. Just watch for over aggression, as in visible injuries, and it there is none, let them do their thing. If the aggressor starts doing physical injury be sure you have a back up plan of where he/she can be moved to.

 

[mohican]

Here is a link you might find helpful http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f82/sex-of-angelfish-205098.html[/URL]

I have 14 mature angelfish total, 10 in one tank, 4 in another and I can honestly say that the only sure way to tell what sex you have it to wait for spawning. Watch their vent area and when their breeding tube comes down the males will be pointy like a sharpened pencil end and the females will be blunt like a pencil eraser. It's really easy to see on the female.

As others have stated angels are cichlids and this is just typical behavior. It could also be a sign the aggressor is getting old enough to want to mate. Just watch for over aggression, as in visible injuries, and it there is none, let them do their thing. If the aggressor starts doing physical injury be sure you have a back up plan of where he/she can be moved to.

+1. Humps and many other visual defections aren't necessarily true. I have 12 and they all look the same beside a stripe or shade of color difference. Spawning is the tried and true way of determining males from females.