Fish Combinations

[NakedBacon]

Howdy all!!  I am Jen, this is my first post as I just discovered this AWESOME SITE last night!! woo hoo!!  

Anyhow, here is my question or rather questions:

I have not purchased my tank or anything yet.

I have decided on a freshwater tank with minimal live plants, plenty of "holey" rocks for fishies seeking shelter.  I purchased three books about freshwater tropical fish tanks and none were too informative about which fish could live peacefully with one another.

I really like Pterophyllum scalare, Angelfish and also would like to have tiger barbs.  I have read in one book that this pairing will have detrimental effects on my tank since Tiger barbs will most likely nip the fins of the angels.  I also read that smaller fish can be eaten by the angels..

I am requesting the advice of anyone who has experience with Angels - What would be the best species to place in a tank with Angels?  How many Angels should I get?  Is a 20G tank *horizontal* a suitable tank size for Angels?  

I appreciate all feedback.

Thank you.

Jen
"BACON!!"

 

[colesea]

Hmm...lots of questions about angels lately.

If you're gonna do angels, most angel people will tell you the only fish that will go with angels are other angels. They are a member of the South American Cichlid family, and can be aggressive. Feeder guppies and the fry of other fish are yummy to large angels, but their mouths are too small to eat large fish.  They are territorial though, and can become very aggressive if another fish tresspasses upon their turf. Usually this is just a chase and side ramming event, since their mouths are too small to deliver a bite wound. If the tresspasser leaves their territory, the angel will break off. If not, one, or both fish, may end up sick and dead from the battle.

Angel fish are more vertically shapped, which makes tall tanks ideal for them where a tall tank would not suit many other horizontal fast swimmers (like danios or barbs).

If you have a twenty gallon -tall- tank, usually it is recommended that you do six baby (1 to two inch) angel fish, and -that is it-. No tankmates. Angels grow to be about ten inches in length, not including those tall fins they have. When they reach about four to six inches, they will begin to form breeding pairs, in which case you seperate the pair into their own 30 gallon tank.  If you wish to keep all six angels together. You're looking for at least a 75 gallon tank, with just those angels in it.

The baby angel fish you see in the LFS look cute, look harmless, but it is imperative that you remember they are a South American Cichlid, and need to be accomodated as such when they reach maturity.

A tip I usually tell people about fish that can live "peaceably" together is to purhcase fish from the same geographical region. You'll usually hit a fairly good compatibility in what are known as bio-type tanks (tanks dediciated to one region of fish, such as a Lake Malawi tank of African Cichlids, an Asian river tank of loaches and barbs). Also, decoration is the key. LOTS AND LOTS OF PLANTS AND HIDEY ROCKS! Most "semi"-aggressive fish will not be if they have a place to call their own, an other fish will feel safer and come out to play more. Another thing is volume, the bigger the tank and the fewer the fish the more room they have to feel comfortable. The last thing is size. It is very important to get fish of the same size. Big fish become bullies, and little fish will get picked upon in the pecking order. Small tanks are only good for really small fish. Putting a 6" gourami in a 24" long tank is just asking for trouble.
~~Colesea

 

[NakedBacon]

I visited a LPS last night and got some helpful hints from the woman there.

She advised against putting tiger barbs with angels, and agreed that clown loaches would be an adequate replacement.

It's looking dim about the tall tank idea.  my husband and I have decided on a 28G tank with a rounded front side.  It's taller than a normal 20G tank, but still not THAT tall.  Would a pair of angels do well with a couple of danios or loaches in this environment, provided there is enough plantlife and shelter?

At first I was thinking against live plants, but the fish person I saw yesterday has convinced me to plant some in the tank.  She mentioned some names of plants that I wrote down:
various "potted" plants and hornwort.  

Are these plants that would be satisfactory for angels?