I have a 55G tank which currently contains a pair of 4" angels who have become very agressive and killed of most of their smaller tankmates. I was thinking about puting a pair cichlids in the tank that can hopefully hold their own. The question is which cichlids? I was thinking either a pair of blue acara or maybe severum. I would guess green terrors or JD's are out since they be agressive toward the angels.
tankmates for agressive angels
- Thread starter spratocaster
- Start date
GT's and jacks, oscars, etc. are all too aggressive for even the best of angels, as you already guessed. 
IMO, severums are a bit too rough for angels also.
however! i would look into M. festivum as a potential tankmate as they are found together in the wild and are about the same temperment....they are also very cool fish to boot.
but......they must be of almost equal size as your angels, since your angels have already established territory and will become aggressive towards fish you introduce---well, most likely anyway.
do you have a breeding pair? if so you need to be CAREFUL with tankmates, as other fish have a hard time absorbing the wrath of a breeding pair of cichlids.
also check out M. ramirezi (blue ram cichlids) as they are kept with angels by many people also.
i am going to go out on a limb here, but i THINK.....think, that some people keep keyhole cichlids with angels also.
you may also check out curviceps as a potential tankmate.
i know this is a random post, but i hope it may give you some ideas.
IMO, severums are a bit too rough for angels also.
however! i would look into M. festivum as a potential tankmate as they are found together in the wild and are about the same temperment....they are also very cool fish to boot.
but......they must be of almost equal size as your angels, since your angels have already established territory and will become aggressive towards fish you introduce---well, most likely anyway.
do you have a breeding pair? if so you need to be CAREFUL with tankmates, as other fish have a hard time absorbing the wrath of a breeding pair of cichlids.
also check out M. ramirezi (blue ram cichlids) as they are kept with angels by many people also.
i am going to go out on a limb here, but i THINK.....think, that some people keep keyhole cichlids with angels also.
you may also check out curviceps as a potential tankmate.
i know this is a random post, but i hope it may give you some ideas.
Thanks for your help. They seem to be a pair, but they have not breed to my knowledge. They seem to stick together in the tank. They are always together, but they never fight with eachother.
I have considered m. ramirezi, but they don't get very big. I think this would put them at a disadvantage to the angels. I hadn't considered keyhole cichlids, but they may also suffer from the same size disadvantage.
The m. festivum is the right size, but I have never seen one in a lfs around here. They also may be a little on the timid side. My angels are very aggressive when new fish are introduced (chasing them around the tank and what not) and a timid fish may be forced into hiding and just stressed to death.
Is there a larger cichlid (with an adolescent size of 3"-4" so that when I introduce them to the tank they will be aprox the same size as the angels) that is not overtly aggressive? What about the blue acara?
I have considered m. ramirezi, but they don't get very big. I think this would put them at a disadvantage to the angels. I hadn't considered keyhole cichlids, but they may also suffer from the same size disadvantage.
The m. festivum is the right size, but I have never seen one in a lfs around here. They also may be a little on the timid side. My angels are very aggressive when new fish are introduced (chasing them around the tank and what not) and a timid fish may be forced into hiding and just stressed to death.
Is there a larger cichlid (with an adolescent size of 3"-4" so that when I introduce them to the tank they will be aprox the same size as the angels) that is not overtly aggressive? What about the blue acara?
Angels can be cruel sometimes and they used to batter my keyholes and rams(till i removed them for there own safety).I then got six ruby barbs and six gold/yellow tiger barbs and they worked out a treat.They are fast enough to get away from the angels but not scared to come out etc.I found the angels were never able to catch them and they lived together and bred for approx 3years.
HTH
Mel
HTH
Mel
I've got a community tank with the following in it - 1 blue Mbuna
1 zebra Mbuna - 4 blue Acara - 1 Electric blue Hap - 2 Blood Parrots - 2 Oscars - 1 Lima Shovel nose - 3 Sailfin Plecos - 1 Moorii - 3 yellow Severum - 3 striped Severum.
An unlikely mix i'll grant, but of all the fish in there the Acara have the hardest time of it, they get constantly hassled by the Hap and the Mbuna, flashing their tails into turbo mode to get away. Whever there's a splash in the tank I know exactly what's going on. I've got a 75 going into service next week, and the first fish in there will be the Acara and the Sevs, as they are the weakest fish in the community tank.
I've never kept Angels but I know their reputation, and I reckon you'll run into trouble with Acara or Sevs. I agree with Mana about Jacks and Gt's, maybe you could get away with an Oscar - but it would be down to luck with that particular individual rather than down to judgement.
Don't know how you feel about Blood Parrots, but you might get that to work (unless anyone knows different). They are capable of defending themselves, yet seldom go on the attack.
And the boss(es) of my tank ? - the sailfins of course - lol
1 zebra Mbuna - 4 blue Acara - 1 Electric blue Hap - 2 Blood Parrots - 2 Oscars - 1 Lima Shovel nose - 3 Sailfin Plecos - 1 Moorii - 3 yellow Severum - 3 striped Severum.
An unlikely mix i'll grant, but of all the fish in there the Acara have the hardest time of it, they get constantly hassled by the Hap and the Mbuna, flashing their tails into turbo mode to get away. Whever there's a splash in the tank I know exactly what's going on. I've got a 75 going into service next week, and the first fish in there will be the Acara and the Sevs, as they are the weakest fish in the community tank.
I've never kept Angels but I know their reputation, and I reckon you'll run into trouble with Acara or Sevs. I agree with Mana about Jacks and Gt's, maybe you could get away with an Oscar - but it would be down to luck with that particular individual rather than down to judgement.
Don't know how you feel about Blood Parrots, but you might get that to work (unless anyone knows different). They are capable of defending themselves, yet seldom go on the attack.
And the boss(es) of my tank ? - the sailfins of course - lol
i think the name geophagus= earth eater.befor i went to african cichlids i always had them.they never bothered my plants at all.great colors and they keep your tank cleaner then a catfish.just remember most cichlids dig to some extent.if they do bother your plants ancor then with stone untill they are fully rooted.
Congrats on the eggs!
I have a pair of angels and the male is HUGE (about 7"!) They are great fish but they don't like competition. Try to stick with fish that will stay out of their way like Apistos or Checkerboards. My Angels will bug the crap out of my keyholes, Rams (Bolivian and regular), curviceps and a pair of Biotodomas but never bothered the little ones on the ground. Dont get them to small however but I guess you know that they will become food for the angels if they are the size of neons or smaller.
On a sidenote, my black neons have been vanishing one by one and a couple of weeks ago I took my angels by surprise (and they me!!). The male swam around slowly with the same look as a burglar casing the joint. When he got just next to a blk neon he attacked and to my shock bit it in half, in one bite!!! I never thought they had such teeth!!
I have a pair of angels and the male is HUGE (about 7"!) They are great fish but they don't like competition. Try to stick with fish that will stay out of their way like Apistos or Checkerboards. My Angels will bug the crap out of my keyholes, Rams (Bolivian and regular), curviceps and a pair of Biotodomas but never bothered the little ones on the ground. Dont get them to small however but I guess you know that they will become food for the angels if they are the size of neons or smaller.
On a sidenote, my black neons have been vanishing one by one and a couple of weeks ago I took my angels by surprise (and they me!!). The male swam around slowly with the same look as a burglar casing the joint. When he got just next to a blk neon he attacked and to my shock bit it in half, in one bite!!! I never thought they had such teeth!!