Schooling fish ideas 46gal

[Pezzep]

I have a 46gal bowfront I plan on getting 2-3 angelfish, they will be striped angelfish black and silver. I'm trying to get ideas for a school of fish that will look well with them, it will be planted.

Any ideas are appreciated, sorta thinking Rummynose tetras or black neons, but I feel with the black neons it will be too many black fish and my backgrounds black lol. I also heard black neons aren't too active.

 

[elephantnose]

The black neons are Also not too colorful. I currently have a school of Von rios, hatchets, and cories with my angel fish in my 44g. http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums...9-B739-47EF-A464-4528358B3DA1_zpsvqf3sv67.jpg

 

[Pezzep]

The black neons are Also not too colorful. I currently have a school of Von rios, hatchets, and cories with my angel fish in my 44g. http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums...9-B739-47EF-A464-4528358B3DA1_zpsvqf3sv67.jpg

Nice colour to them but I don't quite care for rounder tetras like that I prefer the narrow ones like neons, cardinals, black neons and so on. If ember tetras didn't have the chance of getting snatched up as snacks I probably would do them.

 

[azmodan]

Cardinals would look good, as would harlequin rasboras. Beckford's pencilfish are also extremely underrated.

 

[elephantnose]

Angel fish might eat cardinals when full grown.

 

[cgthebeast]

I have a school of black neons in planted tank with a juvie angel ( black stripped like the ones tour looking at) They really complement my angel and standout among the plants. When there nice and healthy they get a nice orange high light around the eyes. Flames and neons are IMHO to small and can be snacks for angels.

 

[Pezzep]

Cardinals would look good, as would harlequin rasboras. Beckford's pencilfish are also extremely underrated.

Yeah I've been looking into pencil fish but they aren't readily available here tho I'm sure I could order some if needed, I know next to nothing about them tho.
How big do they get?

 

[Pezzep]

I have a school of black neons in planted tank with a juvie angel ( black stripped like the ones tour looking at) They really complement my angel and standout among the plants. When there nice and healthy they get a nice orange high light around the eyes. Flames and neons are IMHO to small and can be snacks for angels.

Have any photos so I can get an idea of how they look next to the angels?

 

[cgthebeast]

.

Here Are mine and there not very photogenic apparently. If your housing angels something with a rounder body and over a 2in would be better with them as that body shape would deter them. Rummys might work, white skirts, various fruit tetras, and diamond tetras.
Also sorry for the quality, iPods are not for the pictures

 

[bettaowner]

Penguin tetras could work.

 

[FishyBusiness]

Penguin tetras could work.

I love penguin tetras. And they get larger so a mature angel won't eat them. Neons compliment angels real well and staying with a bio type. However, in the wild, neons are angels natural prey so as they mature they may become eaten. Try a slightly larger non nippy tetra.

 

[Pezzep]

What about bloodfin tetras? They look kinda neat, are they compatible with angels

 

[FishyBusiness]

IMO I just wouldn't put tetras and angels together. Usually the less aggressive ones will become good eventually and larger ones are too nippy. I like azmodans idea of pencilfish. If you go with tetras, don't get serpaes. And get a large school of 9+.

Maybe a school of hatchetfish to occupy the top and some rams for the bottom. Angels will get BIG if their taken care of and live out their life. Tank may look empty with 3 angels as juvies buy filled nicely when adults.

 

[bud29]

What about bloodfin tetras? They look kinda neat, are they compatible with angels

Bloodfins would work. I had some bloodfins in my 29g, and while they were a bit nippy among their own, they rarely bothered the other species. You may want to keep an eye out for nipping, but I think you would be fine.

Fish Profile: Bloodfin Tetra - Aquarium Advice

 

[Pezzep]

Bloodfins would work. I had some bloodfins in my 29g, and while they were a bit nippy among their own, they rarely bothered the other species. You may want to keep an eye out for nipping, but I think you would be fine.

Fish Profile: Bloodfin Tetra - Aquarium Advice

Yeah I'm leaning towards these, rummys or some sort of pencilfish, thanks for the link too.

EDIT: would different tetras school together like different Cory's do sometimes, like bloodfins and rummys would they ever school together? I think a combination of them would be neat

 

[Dallascowboys16]

I have 3 angels with a school of 18 tetras in my 55 gallon and they haven't been touched in 2 1/2 years so far. They are glowlights, cardinals, and black neons. Black neons are one of my personal favorites. Have you looked at phantom tetras or emporer tetras? All very nice fish and are larger but maintain the slimmer body type, they would never be under the threat of angels.

 

[Luananeko]

You could look at Rainbows too, they tend to mix well with angels. Avoid the smaller species though, as they could be food for a mature angel.

 

[bud29]

Yeah I'm leaning towards these, rummys or some sort of pencilfish, thanks for the link too.

EDIT: would different tetras school together like different Cory's do sometimes, like bloodfins and rummys would they ever school together? I think a combination of them would be neat

You could do separate schools of each, a 46g would be big enough (although one large school of rummies would look really cool). Different tetras may school together if one type is large in number and there are only one or two of the other kind, however that isn't ideal. If you have adequate numbers of both, they probably won't school together.