Hello again, I've been around the forum a couple of weeks or so now and have been indecisive about stocking my 55 gallon. There are a few fish I know for sure are going in but am still wondering about the others so am looking for advice and input. I'm going to have two Senegal bichirs and a school of rainbow fish and am wondering if a single angelfish would work with them?
Solo Angel With The Following?
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Also I've been looking up stuff on angelfish and I get information that says they are fine being the solo angel and the other things that said they do good in groups. Would a solo be best in this set up or could I go a small group? If a group is an option I was thinking 3-4.
Anyone at all have any input? I know I've posted quite a bit trying to figure out stock options but I would rather ask questions first than to just buy on a whim...
I personally think the 2 bichirs and rainbowfish is enough in the 55. I don't like the idea of keeping angel fish solo, not that it wouln't survive but they are a social cichlid and do best with the company of their own kind. The trouble is the tank isn't big enough to keep a group of angels and the stock you suggested together.
I agree with Aquanero. I tried keeping an angelfish singly but I thought this is unfair to it. They are best kept in no less than four. No, you cannot keep three at all. If you are lucky enough, two will pair up (even females will pair up together) and you'll be luckier if the third one survives the constant harassment behind your back. These are very easy to breed as well and can raise hell once they do.
Thanks for the input. I do like the rainbowfish but would consider dropping them for a group of angelfish. Would a group of 4 do alright? I've read other things that say a group of 6 is the minimum, which I'm not sure would do well in the 55 unless they were the only fish in there.
I have a full grown 3 year old marble Angel in my community 75g with a couple of Bolivian Rams among other non aggressive fish. One of the Rams hang with her all the time and swim between her fins. If she goes to the top of the tank, so follows the Ram. She's a beggar and will feed out of my hand. What I'm saying is she is very content and rules the tank and is active. She's laid eggs twice and I think she'd be happier with a mate but I'd be unhappy to have the problems associated with the havoc a mated pair would make in my community. Don't be concerned about a single Angel or even a Severum.
Angels are a single or 4+ group kind of fish. Many people have kept them solo and many people who have tried to keep them solo are disappointed in their personalities. I personally believe angels personalities shine far brighter in groups of four or more, but they can be kept solo with no health issues as a result.
Having said that, I am growing out about 20 1-1.5" Philly blue angels in a 55 all their own. I am going to pick my four favorites and add them to my 125 and pick another 6 and keep them in the 55 with a group of 8 sterbai cories.
I would also remove the idea of the bichirs unless you intend to move them to a larger home. The species of bichir you are talking about can grow to 18" and will be very cramped in that 55. Two of them would take up a massive amount of space on the bottom.
There is nothing wrong with housing bichirs and angels together. It is highly unlikely they will interact at all, much less have aggression issues. So if you want to upgrade the tank to at least a 90 for one bichir or a 125 for two bichirs, you could house the rainbows and some angels. A 90 would hold about 4 of each while a 125 would hold 6 of each.
Now if you don't plan on an upgrade, I would pass on the bichirs. Their size is just too much for that tank and they add a very large amount of waste to the bioload. Instead, I would plan for a school of 8-12 Cory catfish with 4 angels and some schooling tetras of a medium body (like lemon tetras, bleeding hearts, black skirts, etc).
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Having said that, I am growing out about 20 1-1.5" Philly blue angels in a 55 all their own. I am going to pick my four favorites and add them to my 125 and pick another 6 and keep them in the 55 with a group of 8 sterbai cories.
I would also remove the idea of the bichirs unless you intend to move them to a larger home. The species of bichir you are talking about can grow to 18" and will be very cramped in that 55. Two of them would take up a massive amount of space on the bottom.
There is nothing wrong with housing bichirs and angels together. It is highly unlikely they will interact at all, much less have aggression issues. So if you want to upgrade the tank to at least a 90 for one bichir or a 125 for two bichirs, you could house the rainbows and some angels. A 90 would hold about 4 of each while a 125 would hold 6 of each.
Now if you don't plan on an upgrade, I would pass on the bichirs. Their size is just too much for that tank and they add a very large amount of waste to the bioload. Instead, I would plan for a school of 8-12 Cory catfish with 4 angels and some schooling tetras of a medium body (like lemon tetras, bleeding hearts, black skirts, etc).
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