Compatibility question

[OboeBrad]

In my large tank, I have two red belly pacus, and a yellow barb. Very understocked, but thats cause im so indecisive!

Anyways.

In my original small 10 gal, I have a large angelfish who is too big for the small tank and I would like to put him in the large one. Would he be compatible? He has lived fine with a leoponius or whatever that tiger striped skinny fish is, and a gourami before with few to no problems.
I am nervous about putting him in there with such big fish because he is by far my favorite fish, but what do you guys think?

-OB

 

[mike47517]

How big is your large tank?

 

[OboeBrad]

55gal

 

[mike47517]

You do know that pacus will grow to be over 2ft right?

 

[OboeBrad]

Yes I do, I am leaving for college in August and will be selling them

 

[mike47517]

I dont see anything wrong with it, but i mighht be wrong being as i have never kept a pacu. but by august the 2 pacus will bothh be over 1ft. so it mighht be a little risky

 

[OboeBrad]

Are barbs known for fin nipping?

-OB

 

[mike47517]

yes

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

Your tank is not very understocked. It's quite the opposite. I would sell all of the 55g's inhabitants as soon as is possible. Pacus shouldn't be in most home aquariums: I've heard someone suggest 120 g as the minimum for one. I don't know whether that's true, but I wouldn't keep 2 in a 55 g until August.

Then, I'd get that angel over to the 55g. It's just too big for a 10. At that point, you're going to have to embrace some of the smaller fish: that's no disaster. There are plenty of very interesting fish for a 10 and for a 55 to be with your angel.

 

[OboeBrad]

Yeah...you're right...
I think I was just drawn in by the large size of the pacus and barb... >.>
What are some fish you would suggest to fill around the angel? I would like some colorful ones, maybe a school of something?

-OB

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

In a 55 with an angel, you could do a whole lot. The angel would be 5", leaving you 50" of fish to play with.

Most tetras, cories, livebearers, and the like would work. In a 55, you could get a trio (or three) of guppies, a school of whichever tetra looks best to you, a pair of german rams, and still have room for cories or something else.

It's not a bad spot to be in at all.

 

[CTD]

Cardinal Tetras!

 

[Jnam]

I have some standard fin black skirt tetras. Their coloration is very simmalor to my 2 standard angels. At times its seems as if they will even "school" with the tetras. Not very colorful though. Common Glowlights hang out in the middle of the tank and school well and are fairly hardy, they also arent big fin nippers. Then IMO Kribs or GBRS are colorfull and fair sized and get along just fine (IMO mind you) with Angels.

*edit*

Cardinal tetras too and rummynose

 

[mike47517]

It really matters what you want go look around on google, find something you like and ask us if it would be alright to keep with your angel in the 55g. Johnny tuttle a nice little list as well. If i were you i would get the angel a partner and the rest would be undecided for a while. If you want to have the excperience of breeding a fish i would suggest you getting some livebearers ( Guppies, Mollies, Platys, etc...). If you want a nice colorful school of fish i would suggest some type of tetra or danio. and for your lower level of the tank i would suggest some type of loach or a couple of sharks or some corys. And for the finishing touch to make your tank nice and colorful something like GBRs or GGRs. So yeah thats what i would do. Is your tank planted? Got any pics?

 

[Zagz]

Cardinal Tetras!

Angelfish would make dinner of cardinal tetras most likely. Same with neons. There are tons of choices available to you.

 

[mike47517]

Sorry but i have to disagree. Yes most places say that but i know alot of people that keep cardinal/neon tetras in with angels. Anybody out ther that will back me up?

 

[Jnam]

I have 2 Angels 8 glowlight tetras 8 neon tetras all in a 55 plus some danios and some black skirt tetras and i think some guppy fry. The neons are the meanest fish i have always eating the guppy fry...

But they are cichlids (angels) and they do get kinda mean when the spawn. And I should mention i started with 12 neons and 10 glowlights and those 6 missing fish never showed up dead or floating (maybe the angels DID eat them, IDK). But the stock has been the same for 3 months now and the angels havent dined on anyone else. My angels started as small dime sized babies when i got them and they "grew up" with the smaller tetras as tank mates. That may have helped who knows.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Johnny has a pretty good list. I agree with him.