angelfish help

[dragoon1230]

i've been keeping fish for a little while now and all i have are those hardy live bearers. i am deciding to move on up now

i was considering angelfish. how big do these fish get and can i keep a pair in a 10 gallon tank? if i can will i have room for additional fish? i really like angels and i have read that they can make good fish pets.

any info would be appreciated

 

[justDIY]

angels are cool stuff - they have a good memory and seem to have some personality.

sorry, but you couldn't even keep a single angel in a 10 gal, let alone a pair

they get to be about 6-7" tall with fins

they are also very fast ... mine when spooked is like lightning across my 29 gallon ... a 10 gal's walls are too close for that kind of speed

you might be able to raise some in a 10 gal, and plan on going on to a bigger tank in like 6 months ... the babies sure look small at the store don't they!

I think the "rule of thumb" is one angel per 10 gallons, but that would be packing them in pretty good ... I don't think I could fit three the size of my one in my 29 gallon

 

[tkos]

Agreed you need a very tall tank for Angels. I would think the minimum would be a 20 tall.

 

[Allivymar]

Angels. The crack of the aquaria world LOL They are really addictive; be warned. I currently have 4 angels in my 25 (1 adult, 3 juvies) along with three 2-3" clown loaches and a large plec, but am getting a 55g at the end of the month to accommodate them properly. I wouldn't even have that many, but I keep walking into pet stores

I tend to go by the Angelsplus site for stocking them:

"Nickel size bodies 1 fish per gallon
Quarter size bodies 1 fish per 2 gallons
Silver dollar size bodies 1 fish per 3 gallons
Stock ready to be paired 1 fish per 5 gallons
Full grown breeding pair 20 gallon tall"

This is a GENERAL guide and does not take into account water husbandry and individual fish personality. You can read more here: http://www.angelsplus.com/care-angel.htm. With good water parameters and tank care, they can easily do well with 10g each, assuming they all get along (another story entirely).

They are really personable, seem to have fairly good memories for creatures with teeny tiny brains (they know the diff between my hubby and I) and are consummate beggers. Domesticated angels are fairly hardy as compared to the wild varieties, and have decent life spans as well (5 yrs seems to be avg with good care).

There are a bunch of angelfish specific forums/websites out there. Between the info you get here, and the stuff you find on those sites, I think you'll have all the info you need to make an informed decision:

http://www.angelsplus.com/care-angel.htm
http://www.aquaworldnet.org/test/

are good places to start.

 

[dragoon1230]

thanks everyone for the help

i guess i'll just look into neons or danios or something for my ten gallon until i get a bigger tank (what are good tankmates for these guys?). angelfish do look quite small at the pet shop and that is why i thought i could keep them.

well thanks anyway