Florida Flagfish Aggression

[Fishyfanatic]

Tomorrow I am picking up either SAE or Florida Flagfish. The lfs called and they have both in stock. I was doing a little research into the FFF and I read that they are fin nippers towards fish with flowing fins. Are my Angels and HiFin Serpae Tetras in trouble here?

 

[BrianNY]

Florida flagfish can be quite aggressive. I would not keep them with fish that are slow moving or have flowing fins.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The Angels and Tetras are neither one slow moving, but they have the long fins. Do you see that as a problem?

 

[BrianNY]

Sorry but yes. To me angels are quite slow moving.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I really hope that the SAE's are true SAEs then. I HAVE to get rid of this brush algae.

 

[BrianNY]

Yuck. Been there. Rosy barbs will eat it but can be just as nasty. Japonica shrimp will also do the job.

I have a thread somewhere in the planted tank forum on dealing with it. Ultimately I used the bleach method.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I've tried Rosy Barbs before (not for algae, but as a tank mate). They are nice looking fish, but very nippy. They were ripping apart my Angels fins.

 

[Lepomis]

A lot depends upon your set up. I have around 10 American Flag Fish currently and have found yes overall they can be aggresive and nippy but a lot depends on the set up. In well planted tanks with good ratios of M to F flagfish aggression is minimal (romance trumps, lol). I usually try 3 females for every one male. I have American Flag fish with my endlers not much of problem (a few fry get eaten). They also are kept with my peacock gudgeons with no problems. I have a blue/green monty tank and they have nice long swords and I don't have problems with them nipping either. In my community tank they are in with assorted tetras, banded gouramis, cories, BN, GBR's, and only problems I have had were with the male flagfish and male GBR's at first. I believe this was do to temperment on both sides and coloration. I would be hesitant with the angels depending upon the angels temperment and size.