Tank mates for angel fish

[Fishymishy]

I am getting a 25 gallon tall tank (almost 18 inches tall) where I want to keep just centerpiece fish. Does this combination work together? Please let me know.

1 angel fish
1 pearl gourami
1 hillstream loach
1 golden ram
1 German long finned ram or long finned bubble ram

 

[Colin_T]

No.

Freshwater angelfish need a tank that is at least 3 feet long x 18 inches high and bigger is better.

Angelfish and gouramis don't always get along. If you get a female pearl gourami and have lots of floating plants, they might be ok but you have to watch them as they mature.

Hillstream loaches prefer cooler water than the other fishes you listed. They should not be put into new tanks and need biofilm (slime on the glass and ornaments), algae and driftwood, as well as a tank that is more than 3 months old.

Unless you can buy a guaranteed pair of ram cichlids, only get 1 fish or make sure the tank is at least 3 feet long. If you get 2 fish and they don't like each other they will fight. If you want a pair of ram cichlids, buy 8-10 young fish and grow them up together. Let them pr off naturally and keep a pr.

Do not buy balloon fishes of any kind, this includes balloon rams. They are mutant fish that have shorter bodies and suffer from lots of internal problems due to having their guts squished up. These balloon fishes should be banned around the world and the breeders imprisoned for animal cruelty.

 

[Fishymishy]

Thank you - didn’t realize that about ballon fishes.

Would I be able to place a leopoldi angel fish in a tank that small? I read they are much smaller.

 

[Colin_T]

what are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

 

[Fishymishy]

Dimensions:
Length: 23.62"
Width: 14.17"
Height: 17.72"
Glass thickness: 6mm
Volume: 24.3G

 

[Andy Sager]

Thank you - didn’t realize that about ballon fishes.

Would I be able to place a leopoldi angel fish in a tank that small? I read they are much smaller.

Leopaldi are a smaller size Angel than Scalare ( the more common variety available) but they are not small and will not do well as singles or in a tank that small. I'd skip the Angelfish for a tank that small.

 

[Fishymishy]

Thanks! I am so saddened. I specifically bought this tank so I could house cool fish like an angel.

Could I then replace a single angel with 4 glass catfish?

I really want some odd and cool fish. I already have another tank with usual suspects.

 

[Andy Sager]

Thanks! I am so saddened. I specifically bought this tank so I could house cool fish like an angel.

Could I then replace a single angel with 4 glass catfish?

I really want some odd and cool fish. I already have another tank with usual suspects.

Yes you could and glass cats like being in schools so you could even do 6 in that tank. I did that before in a 20 high and they were always close to each other.

 

[Colin_T]

I would drop the gourami too, the tank isn't big enough for an adult pearl gourami, which can grow to 5 inches in length.

There are a number of small gouramis like honey, Indian banded, sparkling that would be ok in the tank.

Do not buy dwarf gouramis (Colisa lalius) or any of their colour forms because they are regularly infected with the Gourami Iridovirus and or Fish Tuberculosis (TB), neither of which can be treated and once in the tank, the diseases are there until the tank and everything in it is disinfected. You also can't tell if the fish have these diseases until they develop symptoms and by then it's too late.

 

[rlederer]

I am getting a 25 gallon tall tank (almost 18 inches tall) where I want to keep just centerpiece fish. Does this combination work together? Please let me know.

1 angel fish
1 pearl gourami
1 hillstream loach
1 golden ram
1 German long finned ram or long finned bubble ram

Almost all fish are happier in groups of their own kind.I dislike the concept of centerpiece fish as if fish were cut flowers. The tank will look better and the fish will be healthier. And angel fish and pearl gourami are too big for this tank