Angelfish Aggression Issue. Please help!

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FRSChick

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Messages
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Hello Everyone! I came to this site two years ago and my problems were solved by all the wonderful knowledgeable people here so I come asking once more for help and advice. I desperately need advice about Angelfish Aggression. If this is the wrong thread/section etc. please help me fix it. I don’t mean to break any rules or post redundant things. I’m new to forums still.

Anyway:
Tank set up: 65 gallon tank with 4 Angels, 2 dojo loaches, a 16 inch hifin pleco, and very recently added 2 platties and 3 mollies as well as added live plants. All but the new additions have been in the tank for two years.

All four Angels were introduced to each other ~ dime sized. They are now in between half dollar and palm size? Normal growth for 2 years? Sorry not very good at sizing. Anyway, I had no aggression problems, even when two of them paired off and laid eggs. Everyone was fine.
Then, due to out of control pleco poop, I removed the center ornament they had lived with since they were introduced to the tank as it was contributing to less than desirable water conditions (all fixed now). I added a large castle ornament for the centerpiece and soon thereafter, added live plants.
After removing the original ornament (before adding the castle and the plants) the black and white veil female? (Will post pics maybe I can get opinions on m/f) started attacking the white/yellow/orange veil and hurt her/him pretty badly.
I put the injured one in a hospital tank to get her to heal and then put her back in the main tank after a week. At this point only the new castle ornament was added and the aggression began again so I removed the aggressive one for a week in the hospital tank so that the injured one could get comfortable and confident and gave the aggressive one a time out and to lose established territories.
When the injured one was away from the aggressive one, all was fine and vice versa. So two + aggressive = ok. Two + injured = ok. So I added live plants and introduced the aggressive one back in. They were fighting the agresdive one at first (not badly) but after 2 days it’s gone back to the aggressive one picking on the injured one. It’s not nearly as bad this time as the injured one has a place to hide in the plants but I feel terrible about it. They used to get along. What have I done?

What do I do to fix this aggression? I have rearranged, done a time out, and introduced some dither fish but there still are issues. Should I...

A) get another angel of approx same size from my friend to have an odd number of Angels to distribute out the aggression? Is the odd number rule true?

B ) Or get one of smaller size from my pet store? The smaller one could more easily hide if it then took the most or all of the aggression if it wouldn’t fix things entirely?

C ) get a school of tetras to distract the aggressor from constantly picking on the injured one? The mollies and platties make the angels not so skittish so they come out more (also got them to act as dither fish) but they aren’t as active or distracting as tetras schooling would be.

D) return the aggressor to the local fish store?

E) return the injured one to the local fish store so that he/she can have a better life?

F) It’s too early to do something, wait it out for the plants to get larger and they can establish better territories? And in the meantime just let the injured one hide?

G) something else?

I really appreciate your help with this! Sorry for the long post. Please ask questions!
And please keep in mind I’m asking about Angelfish aggression issues only and I have rearranged the tank already. I know my pleco is large but the tank is square not rectangular. He still has plenty of room to swim around up down and around I promise. He seems happy to me.
 

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Don't return the aggressive Angel. It's probably the best one of the group. That's how it typically goes. I think what needs to happen is the king needs to be knocked off the throne.
Maybe a trip to the LFS, buy the biggest, dominant Angel in the display tank, and let the new guy take care of business. That will change up the pecking order and hopefully balance out the situation.
 
Thank you for your advice! Do you keep Angels? Do you find odd numbers or even numbers typically work best?
 
I kept Angels and just about everything else over the past few decades, Lol, but currently only keep a large tank of African Cichlids and a wet pet, Flowerhorn cichlid.
Odd or even, it really doesn't matter. When handling cichlid aggession it's all about "adjustment" of stock, hardscape, plantscape, water chemistry, ect. There is no set formula that will ensure lasting harmony. Aggression management is one of the aspects of the hobby that keeps things intresting.
 
I'll add that it might be worth getting a piece of Plexi glass and sectioning off a 1/3 of the tank leaving the marble Angel by itself. Do this for a month or two. The marble will be able to see the other angels but won't be able to attack them. It could curb his aggression.
 
Hmm good idea King Fisher except I am pretty sure the pleco would knock it down. :(
 
Hmm that could work I’d need a really tall piece of plexiglass though.
Ugh I think they are cleaning a surface for egg laying now so they must be paired up again. Pleco gets a snack soon.
 
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