Want a pair of angels, but...

[bassbonediva]

Okay, so as stated in my other thread, my 55gal went Chernobyl on me and I'm having to completely redo it. Since I have 18 surviving fish from the original 55gal and one is staying in the 18gal they're temporarily housed in, as well as more than half the platies going to the LFS to be rehomed (only keeping a select few to narrow my stock down...trying for some interesting color/fin mixes), I'm going to have room in the 55gal once it gets redone. I REALLY want a pair of angelfish for the 55gal when I redo it. I love angelfish and have always wanted a pair. However, here lies my dilema. I have four female bettas (and one male betta who THINKS he's a girl) that have to stay in the 55gal because I have no other place for them. Will a pair of angels do okay with the female bettas? The girls are very relaxed and don't bother anyone, not even each other. If I do get a pair of angels, they'll be smaller (bodies about the size of a quarter) since Petsmart is the only place that carries the coloration I like (the silver zebra...silver body with black stripes).

Stocking would look like this if I went with a pair of angels:
2x angelfish
4x female bettas
1x male betta
3x female platies
1x male swordfish
2x albino BN plecos (breeding pair)
1x USD cat (if I can find another one like Alistair at Walmart)
4x kuhli loaches (maybe)

 

[misterking]

I can't imagine there being an issue with the females. I've kept them with males aswell in the past with success. However I do know a friend of mine lost their male betta because their angel grabbed it by the fin and effectively shook it to death. Not sure if this is an isolated case because, as I said I've never had that issue, but it's something to think about.

 

[bassbonediva]

Tristan should be okay because he's got shorter fins. He looks like a cross between a plakat and a veiltail (strangest finnage I have EVER seen on a betta!).

Here's a pic of him for reference:

His fins have not been nibbled on, they are actually that length.

 

[littletankbigworld]

He is such a lovely boy, bass! Did you find him at a pet store?

 

[bassbonediva]

He's a Petsmart baby. He was sold as a female, which is why I was confused at his gender. He acts totally like one of the girls, though, and is definitely low man on the totem pole in the sorority.

 

[lauraf]

If you are getting younger angels, they will probably adapt to whatever else is in the tank. If they turn into a breeding pair, that might be a problem, but for now, and with a 55g, I'd say go for it, as you are a very experienced fishkeeper.