Freshwater Angelfish breeding

[JoeyGGGG]

Just got a pair of angels from the lfs and was wondering what I should do to ensure fry in the near future

 

[Shetland James]

If you've only got 2, there's a 50% chance you won't get fry. Angelfish are difficult to sex and therefore you would need to be really sure that you got a pair.

If they're young, just wait and let them grow together. There's no rushing with angels unfortunately. Same problem with Discus, Silver Dollars etc... they like to grow up and choose a partner.

Sorry to disappoint! Your best bet would be to google Angelfish breeding behaviour to see when they're ready.

 

[jetajockey]

definitely improve your odds by getting a few more. I've gotten some that are around baseball sized (bodies) that bred within days of adding them to the tank.


There's a lot of writeups on angelfish breeding. If your goal is for maximum fry survival, then the angelfish pair (assuming you get one) should have their own tank, and it's your call whether you let them rear the spawn or not. I'm impatient, so if my angel pair eats their first spawn, I usually pull the next one and raise it myself.

 

[Shetland James]

jeta, are Angelfish 'learner parents'? In that, do they learn to not eat the kids?

 

[jetajockey]

jeta, are Angelfish 'learner parents'? In that, do they learn to not eat the kids?

Yes I believe so. I've had pairs that progressively got better about not eating fry/eggs in successive spawns. However, I've always pulled them at free swimming stage because I prefer growing them out in a more controlled environment.


On that same note, I've had a few, and read about some that never get it right. My electric blue rams are the same way, they tend to munch on fry at some point, whether it be wiggler stage or free swimming, either way, I don't give them the chance anymore and I just take the fry at wiggler stage (or egg stage if they are laid on something that I can easily remove). I attempted the 'let em figure it out' approach for a few months and gave up and started doing it myself.

 

[JoeyGGGG]

Thanks for the replies and yeah I plan to pick a few more up in the coming days too they are only about nickel size right now so it looks like I definitely have some waiting to do haha

 

[jimenezlee]

Nickel size will take a while, since they normally have to get to 7 months or more before they will pair up and start spawning. However, this might not be a bad time to start getting ready if you really want to start breeding them. I got my first 4 angels in february, fully grown adults but did not have any pairs. Added 3 more and ended up with two pairs. The general recommendation is get 6 little ones and let them pair, you should get one or maybe two pairs. The thing is, adult angels need about 10g a piece, so you should have a nice size tank. And when they pair, you may even want to give them their own 20 gal to do their thing. I got two pairs in a 30 gal with a divider and when the fry went free-swimming I used a jar to keep them in the tank with the parents. They soon have to go to a grow-out tank. Good luck, breeding angels is where the fun is at.

 

[JoeyGGGG]

Wow sounds like your fish are keeping you busy haha... The two I have right now are always by each other so I'm reeeaaalllyy hoping that becomes a solid pair as they become adults haha thanks or the info and what not though