# Angel Fish question



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

I am thinking of keeping a school of angel fish but I have read that once 2 pairs up things may get ugly.
I just want to ask, since I have no first hand experience, how bad is it likely going to be? Are we talking about fish getting killed, ripped flesh, or just a bit of nipping?
If I have 6 angel fish and 2 pairs up, do I have to sell off the 4 or relocate them? Can I just leave them in the tank if I am not interested in breeding? If I remove the eggs will that reduce the aggressiveness because there will be nothing to guard?
If I just pick 2 angle (not breeding pair) then will it work or will they still fight?
Do angle need to stay in a school to be happy? Is even number better than odd number...
Thanks in advanced.


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## PaulCheung (Apr 18, 2011)

I have 4 in my tank. The largest 2 paired up and have laid eggs. There are agressions but not too bad. The tank size may affect how much agression though.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

We've got 5 adults in a 72g bowfront. 2 pairs plus one extra male. Angels are cichlids, so they are territorial and aggressive at the best of times. We had to separate an overly aggressive male but have since re-introduced him carefully and things seem to be OK. I was told that more can be better because it spreads the fighting around, but watch for one weaker angel getting picked on. 

Personally I would not have 3 as it risks two pairing up and beating up the third - I'd go with either a single pair or with 5-6 if you have enough space. A big planted tank with lots of territory for them will help lower aggression, but be prepared to remove troublemakers for a while as they can easily kill each other if they start fighting seriously.


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## greenfin (Nov 4, 2013)

I have 4. I had two, they fought. nipped fins! I got two more. The fighting was less between the two original ones. Good! I think they were happier with a larger group. And then when mature enough, one original paired up with one new one. Spawning began. The male is very protective of the spawning site. The pair chase off one particular angel (an original) while the fourth angel cowers behind some plants and is left alone. There are some pretty tatty fins and sometimes scales missing come spawning time. The chasing can get quite violent. I have lots of plants for them to hide behind and that helps. After spawning (female eats the freshly laid eggs as soon as the lights go out) things calm down and are relatively peaceful for a few weeks. The angels never bother the other fish in the tank. I'm not sure but I suspect I have 3 females and the one male. If the female wasn't eating the eggs, I'd remove them. Funny, but they all get along at feeding time!


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the help.
I forgot to ask, does the strain have anything to do with it?
i.e. are wild more aggressive or is say, koi more so than zebra...or does it depends on the fish in question.
So, lots of plants and a few more (in even number) can help to spread out aggression during spawning, before pairing occurs they usually get along in general...is that right?


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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

What size tank are you planning to keep them in? I would start with younger angels and grow them out . Wilds angels can be aggressive but it depends on the variety you get. The Santa Isabel's Angles I have are very territorial during the matting season and they will kill each other . I have already lost a couple from fighting in my tank.


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## GaryR (Sep 16, 2012)

I have 4 in a 46g bowfront. They've all paired off and breed regularly. The eggs are always gone by morning though. Occasionally, the two pairs will lay eggs at the same time. Looking at the tank now, this weekend might be one of those times.

When it's breeding time, all the other fish in the tank tend to 'lay low'. It's been like this for a year with no causalities.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

I have 2 angels in my 25g. The 1 is larger than the other. The larger one is the size of a toonie the other a loonie. The larger one is always going after the smaller one. Is this because I have 2 males? Ive read how to sex them but I have no clue. Im new to Angels aswell. Any help would be appreciated


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

The tank I am thinking of is 55 gallon and I am thinking of may be 4...if aggressive is a serious issue how do people keep a big school of adult angel fish? Is it because they have a big school and a lot of space?


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## inuudo (Sep 23, 2012)

I had five wee babies in a 45 gallon. When they started getting bigger (at about 5-6 months old), I re-homed the two smallest ones to a friend's tank. Of the three I had left, two paired up and the third, a male, I believe, based on the amount of lip-locked fighting that went on with the other male, was moved to my 37 gallon. The pair lays eggs every two weeks, protects them fiercely for a few hours, and then eats them all up. 

I wouldn't have kept all three in the 45 as adults -- there was too much aggression. Plus, it just seemed crowded. (also in the tank: eight halrequin rasboras, six otos, and one bristlenose pleco)


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