Breeding angelfish

[Cbsushi]

I have two angelfish in a 30 gal tank and I think they have just paired off. They locked jaws twice. The male keeps on flaring of to the female but she just chases him away. Is this like a ritual or something. How long does it usually take when angelfish start to pair off.

 

[Andy Sager]

I have two angelfish in a 30 gal tank and I think they have just paired off. They locked jaws twice. The male keeps on flaring of to the female but she just chases him away. Is this like a ritual or something. How long does it usually take when angelfish start to pair off.

Lip locking can mean one of 2 things, 1) pre spawning ritual or 2) socialogical dominance. When it's #1, usually one doesn't chase off the other and the Male is usually the aggressor not the aggressee. Are you sure about the sexes of your fish?

 

[Cbsushi]

Lip locking can mean one of 2 things, 1) pre spawning ritual or 2) socialogical dominance. When it's #1, usually one doesn't chase off the other and the Male is usually the aggressor not the aggressee. Are you sure about the sexes of your fish?

Yes. I have a female koi and a male platinum. The female is slightly bigger than the male. The male keeps on trying to flare off to the female and get her attention

 

[Andy Sager]

Yes. I have a female koi and a male platinum. The female is slightly bigger than the male. The male keeps on trying to flare off to the female and get her attention

This is not a usual pairing. The female may not want to be with a smaller male which is why she drives him off. At this point, I would just make sure you have a spawning site in the tank and hope for the best. It may come down to needing to separate the 2 fish until the male grows larger than the female. If the female starts doing physical damage to the male, I'd separate them.
To jump ahead, if this is a pre-spawning action, NO, there is no time clock as to how long from pairing to spawning. There are many factors that drive spawning.
You may want to read through the thread "Wigglers at last!!!!!" in the breeding forum here. This is an ongoing thread by amature and professional Angelfish breeders. You should find just about anything you need to know about breeding them within this thread.

Hope this helps

 

[henningc]

I agree with the reading assignment and will add make sure you have an appropriate place for them to spawn. They need a flat or semi-flat surface. If you don't supply it, flat stone placed at an angle, flower pot or piece of PVC they may spawn on the heater.