Platies, mollys and angel fish?

[Nickiminaj lover]

I have Molly's and Platies in my 29 gallon tank. I was thinking about adding an Angel Fish in a month or so. Will they do fine or does the tank need to be just angel fish only?

 

[PolyptRus]

I have Molly's and Platies in my 29 gallon tank. I was thinking about adding an Angel Fish in a month or so. Will they do fine or does the tank need to be just angel fish only?

Ive had angels in with my mollies and platys its fine although you may have very few fry from your mollies and platys angels love em.
However a 29 gallon is too small for an angelfish you want at the least a 40 gallon tank angels can get pretty big. secondly you should always have more than one angel in a tank they are very social and tend to stay in groups. with your current set up i probably wouldn't add an angelfish it may get stressed and get overly aggressive with your other fish.

 

[Nickiminaj lover]

I'm not worried about the fry. I have to many-_- but I was going to wait a few months then get 2. But a 29 gallon is to small? What else would you put in with them then?

 

[Rivercats]

1 angelfish in a 29 would be okay and they don't need to be kept in groups. I've kept them for over 30 years and they do just fine singly. The real question is how many mollies and platies do you already have in your tank? If your not overstocked a Pearl Gourami would be another good choice.

 

[Nickiminaj lover]

9 and then 1 allege eater. I one fish that pregnant ( ithink) and seven little fry. That I would be ok if they got eaten.

 

[PolyptRus]

1 angelfish in a 29 would be okay and they don't need to be kept in groups. I've kept them for over 30 years and they do just fine singly. The real question is how many mollies and platies do you already have in your tank? If your not overstocked a Pearl Gourami would be another good choice.

In my experience when i kept them alone in a small tank they dominated everything else and would attack other tank mates ( mollies and platys) willingly especially during feeding. Not only that but they quickly outgrew the tank kinda mean to keep an adult angel alone in a small tank they really enjoy more swimming space and are so social with other angels and build more personality when kept with other angels.
When ever i kept one alone it tended to be boring never doing much or being too aggressive. When I put them with other angels that would completely change.

In the wild these fish are not solitary so you can only assume that in aquaria they should not be kept as a solitary fish having others of the same species is always a good idea for fish that live in groups in the wild as they still have that instinct in them just like dogs.

 

[Rivercats]

You should be able to do a single centerpiece fish with that stock as long as you don't end up keeping alot of fry since they can overrun a tank in no time.

As far as angels go each has an unique temperment and having one in a 29 does not mean it will automatically dominate a tank especially when added as a young dime or nickel sized bodied. Currently I have 12 adult breeding angels in a 100% planted 220g tank and I would not call them social nor do they stay in a group. There is still some aggression even in such a large heavily planted tank as they are cichlids afterall. The only thing is when kept in groups aggression tends to stay within the group which is not good if there aren't enough angels to spread it out. Todays "color" bred angels do not near obtain the size that the wild caught Altum Angels or even half wild caught bred angels do. Veil or super veil angels tend to need a deeper tank due to their extra long fins. In a 29g with tanks dimentions of 30"x12"x18" a single angel kept with a smaller number of fish will work.

 

[PolyptRus]

You should be able to do a single centerpiece fish with that stock as long as you don't end up keeping alot of fry since they can overrun a tank in no time.

As far as angels go each has an unique temperment and having one in a 29 does not mean it will automatically dominate a tank especially when added as a young dime or nickel sized bodied. Currently I have 12 adult breeding angels in a 100% planted 220g tank and I would not call them social nor do they stay in a group. There is still some aggression even in such a large heavily planted tank as they are cichlids afterall. The only thing is when kept in groups aggression tends to stay within the group which is not good if there aren't enough angels to spread it out. Todays "color" bred angels do not near obtain the size that the wild caught Altum Angels or even half wild caught bred angels do. Veil or super veil angels tend to need a deeper tank due to their extra long fins. In a 29g with tanks dimentions of 30"x12"x18" a single angel kept with a smaller number of fish will work.

Fish should not be kept as "centre pieces" they are not objects and yes angels are cichlids and almost every cichlid species is social not solitary most cichlids including angels tend to get quite large too larged for a 29 gal as all cichlids like ample swimming space and they are all territorial species a 29 gal does not give an angelfish adequate space to grow to its natural adult size nor does it give it the space they require unless you want your angelfish to remain dwarfed due to space issues. Even though dog breeds today are completely unlike their original ancestors this does not mean they are un social or shouldn't be kept socialized same goes for any social animal that includes fish.

 

[Rivercats]

Centerpiece fish is a term used for a fish or couple fish that people keep as a highlight to their tank, this is quite common and the phase is used on this forum regularly. Everyone is entitled to thier opinion and we just simply have different opinions. The info given by all allows the OP to make decisions on what is best for their given situation.

 

[Nickiminaj lover]

Thanks guys! I might let a few of my 7 fry go. I might get an angel fish. I still have to get more info. What is the best place to get one? Petsmart, petco, petland?

 

[PolyptRus]

Centerpiece fish is a term used for a fish or couple fish that people keep as a highlight to their tank, this is quite common and the phase is used on this forum regularly. Everyone is entitled to thier opinion and we just simply have different opinions. The info given by all allows the OP to make decisions on what is best for their given situation.

Yes and i am giving a viable opinion info and personal experience upon your statements. From what i have researched there are more people against keeping an angelfish as you say than there are who would be stating the same as you have. Just because we take an animal from the wild and domesticate it doesn't mean we should pick and choose the way in which they live for our own purposes.

 

[PolyptRus]

Thanks guys! I might let a few of my 7 fry go. I might get an angel fish. I still have to get more info. What is the best place to get one? Petsmart, petco, petland?

Wouldn't go to any of those places for info best bet is to throw a search through the internet for info im pretty sure there are sites created just for the purpose of keeping angels. You will probably get better info that way rather than asking staff at petco or petland. I know they claim to be experts but who knows how viable that is

 

[Rivercats]

Thanks guys! I might let a few of my 7 fry go. I might get an angel fish. I still have to get more info. What is the best place to get one? Petsmart, petco, petland?

Most places carry angels so they aren't hard to find. I stock for specific colors and prefer veil angels so I order most of my angels from Mellow Aquatics.

 

[Nickiminaj lover]

Thanks guys! I might get one this week. If I get it my tank wouldn't be overstocked?

 

[Rivercats]

If you don't keep fry but your original mollies and platies then you should be fine. Just be sure to keep up on WC's and don't overfeed which can lead to poor water quality.

 

[Nickiminaj lover]

Ok I have 7 seven fry... Then one I think that's pregnant. I think I will either flush or sell/give away the fry on cregslist

 

[Rivercats]

Don't flush a live fish as that is cruel. Giving the fish away is the humane thing to do.

 

[PolyptRus]

Ok I have 7 seven fry... Then one I think that's pregnant. I think I will either flush or sell/give away the fry on cregslist

You can usually bring them to the pet store sometimes they will give you store credit if your lucky!!

 

[Nickiminaj lover]

That's a great idea! Hopefully petsmart will do that!! Thanks

 

[Nickiminaj lover]

One more question. If I didn't get the angel fish how many small fish like platies and Molly's could I put in there? I kinda want some Guppies?