Stunted Angelfish recovery?

[Supalah17]

So I currently have a 125g tank
(3x peacock eels 8", 7", 5"; 1x green severum 2"; 3x EBA all 2-3", 1 Raphael cat 5", 1 galaxy pleco ~5" ((hard to measure him because I never see him)); and some guppies left over from cycling. I just got my neighbors angelfish as a rescue, she had it in a 6 gallon tube with no lid, basically no water changes, no filter, heater, lights, etc for 3 years... she finally agreed to give it to me so it could live out the rest of its life in a far bigger tank and I'm wondering, since it is already rather small for its age, is there any chance it will make a recovery or grow? Would it be a good idea to add a couple of younger angels in with it (I know they're social with their own kind)? It's been in the tank for less than a full day and already it's acting like it's died and gone to heaven.

 

[tlindsey]

So I currently have a 125g tank
(3x peacock eels 8", 7", 5"; 1x green severum 2"; 3x EBA all 2-3", 1 Raphael cat 5", 1 galaxy pleco ~5" ((hard to measure him because I never see him)); and some guppies left over from cycling. I just got my neighbors angelfish as a rescue, she had it in a 6 gallon tube with no lid, basically no water changes, no filter, heater, lights, etc for 3 years... she finally agreed to give it to me so it could live out the rest of its life in a far bigger tank and I'm wondering, since it is already rather small for its age, is there any chance it will make a recovery or grow? Would it be a good idea to add a couple of younger angels in with it (I know they're social with their own kind)? It's been in the tank for less than a full day and already it's acting like it's died and gone to heaven.

The damage has probably been done so I doubt it will grow to normal size but I think that was nice of you to rescue the Angel.

 

[Supalah17]

The damage has probably been done so I doubt it will grow to normal size but I think that was nice of you to rescue the Angel.

Do you think it would make the fish happier if they had some other angels in with it? I just want the poor thing to be as happy as it can be... I was going to end up with some black skirt tetras as dither fish, but I think I'll just end up throwing more guppy fry in there if any territory or aggression issues arise, so once the guppies that are currently in there are gone, the stocking would be set with what I mentioned and the new angels. My father bred exotic freshwater angel fish when I was kid so I have a soft spot for them!

 

[tlindsey]

Tbh I personally would not add more due to it being alone all that time. It is fine my main concern is once the other Angels grew bigger they may pick on the smaller Angel.

 

[Supalah17]

Tbh I personally would not add more due to it being alone all that time. It is fine my main concern is once the other Angels grew bigger they may pick on the smaller Angel.

That's a fair point, I was hoping if I get them as juveniles, that maybe the stunted one would sort of raise them and maybe avoid aggression that way? Idk, I have a separate tank I could put them on if they get too aggressive as they age, so maybe I'll give it a try and hope for the best, if I get the worst, then the new ones will at least still have a place to go (it's a 55g with just a bunch of shrimp, snails, and tiny Tetras in it)

 

[Hendre]

I think stunting is pretty much permanent, angels could be okay on their own and I'd say keep it that way in case issues arise. But you have the spare tank so it's safe to try imo

 

[skjl47]

my main concern is once the other Angels grew bigger they may pick on the smaller Angel.

Hello; This is something I am debating. Some weeks ago I removed a batch of angel eggs on a leaf to allow them to hatch before the parents ate them.
I was much more successful this time and have 30 plus fry growing out nicely. I have noticed some deformed fry as they grow out. Three or four I think of as "Shamu" or "free willy" because their dorsal fins lay over to the side.
There is one runt in particular that is around a third the size of it's siblings. It is small and not well formed. It seems healthy enough and is eating and active. I am facing the question most, if not all, breeders have to answer. To cull or keep.
I have a couple of fish shops willing to take the normal fry and have not yet asked about the deformed or stunted. I think the "shamu" ones will be of normal size with just a bent dorsal. I suppose I could hype them as something special, maybe like the goldfish with the bulging eyes??

 

[Supalah17]

Hello; This is something I am debating. Some weeks ago I removed a batch of angel eggs on a leaf to allow them to hatch before the parents ate them.
I was much more successful this time and have 30 plus fry growing out nicely. I have noticed some deformed fry as they grow out. Three or four I think of as "Shamu" or "free willy" because their dorsal fins lay over to the side.
There is one runt in particular that is around a third the size of it's siblings. It is small and not well formed. It seems healthy enough and is eating and active. I am facing the question most, if not all, breeders have to answer. To cull or keep.
I have a couple of fish shops willing to take the normal fry and have not yet asked about the deformed or stunted. I think the "shamu" ones will be of normal size with just a bent dorsal. I suppose I could hype them as something special, maybe like the goldfish with the bulging eyes??

When my father was breeding angels professionally he always had a tank of "oddballs" because he couldn't make himself cull them unless they were suffering, called it the "franken-tank"! Every once in a while some of them sold, but usually only to private buyers who wanted some strange and unique angels, definitely not fish stores though, most of them are very picky about what they buy. Other side note, sometimes the fin flop would just phase out as they got bigger, odd body shape was far less common to "grow out of it" though.

 

[Supalah17]

Tbh I personally would not add more due to it being alone all that time. It is fine my main concern is once the other Angels grew bigger they may pick on the smaller Angel.

So I got a pair of dark zebra juvenile angel fish, so far they mostly ignore each other. But! In one of those weird turns of events, the green severum has suddenly become the stunted angels bodyguard! The guppies (I hate the guppies and can't wait for the other fish to be big enough to eat them) were harassing the angel and nipping at its fins when I put it in the tank, I was getting worried and the BAM! The severum chased them off and has been following the angel around and steering him towards food when I put it in! Fish can be so odd sometimes!