Dwarf Angels

[jl-sullivan]

I am cycling a 55 gallon at the moment and trying to decide what fish I will put in. Can I get a few different types of dwarf angels (I like coral beauty, flame angel and cherub angels the best I think) and put them together or will they not get along? Also going in will be my black ocellaris clown who is too agressive with my smaller clown. Any comments on this would be appreciated. Thanks!

[sharkmatt]

Hi,

The dwarf angels won't get along in that size tank. They are notoriously territorial and aggresive with any fish of the same species/genus. You might get away with it in a big tank but in a 55 you're asking for trouble sorry. How aggressive is the clown? Is it injuring the small one? I have a pair of black Ocellaris and they seem to go through a cycle where the larger fish (the female) will chase the smaller (the male) to the point where he will hide but she never injures him. The behaviour only lasts for about a week then they're generally fine for a month or so. I think it's just part of the process of establishing dominance.

Shark.

[Reefscape]

Personaly, i would not put them three together in a 55 gal tank....they are all semi agressive fish and i think you would experience the agression over territory..

Just an opinion of course..

Niko

[Riverserver]

You cannot add 3 different kinds of angel's to the same tank, they'll kill each other. You can't even add 3 of the same kind to a tank. But what I would recommend is getting something like a Flame Angel. They don't nip too bad at rocks and aren't aggressive towards other fish. They are also highly active. Don't plan on taking his picture though, they're impossible to make sit still!

I'm going to try to pair up my flame angel with another one. But I'm going to wait for prices to drop on them again.

We aren't really sure why Dwarf Angels are so aggressive towards their own kind, but I have a sneaking suspicion its because they're all born female. /me runs for cover

[jl-sullivan]

The clowns got along really well at first--they were so cute swimming around with each other and then a few days ago I noticed them not getting along. The little one has some marks on it that I guess are from being bitten. I left them together for a couple days to see if they'd work it out but I took the big one out last night. The smaller one wasn't eating well and his entire personality seemed to have changed. I was afraid the stress might cause him to get sick or something. Probably I should have put in 2 clowns at the same time instead of at different times. Do you think them being different colors matters? I wasn't planning on getting 2 clowns (was going to go with a flame angel instead) but fell in love with the black one.

Thanks for the advice about angels. I'll just pick one that I like and add some different things instead. Any ideas on what would go well in a 55 gallon with a flame angel?

[sharkmatt]

Sounds like you did the right thing by removing the clown. Mine have never injured each other (touch wood) but they were added at the same time and are both black. Fighting between different clown species is quite common so yes, that could be the problem. If you added the smaller clown second, that could be the problem. The larger clown will have taken the whole tank as it's territory and won't like a newcomer. Always try to add the smaller fish first so it can establish itself. On the point of stocking you should be fine with pretty much anything with a flame angel (apart from another angel). Obviously taking into account adult size. You couldn't have a tang for instance. There are lots of possibilities but a few are firefish (cover the tank, they're jumpers), most gobies and blennies (need a sand bed), anthias, damsels (can be aggressive). I think you're main problem might be the big clown if it's an aggressive one. If you have room i'd remove it and re-introduce it last or second to last which would hopefully subdue it a bit.

Shark.

[jl-sullivan]

The large clown was the last added. They are both ocellaris so I didn't think the coloration would matter--erg. Is it strange that it wasn't aggressive immediately or is that normal?

[sharkmatt]

Depends how big it was. Clowns are all born as males and stay that way until they're about an inch. At that point the most dominant one will change into a female and generally become a fair bit more aggressive. If they were both less than an inch, they may have both been males at first and got on okay. Then at some point the more dominant of the two will have developed into a female, at which point it would have become more aggressive toward the male. Generally they'll both pair up at that point and the aggression will subside. The fact yours are different colours may have prevented them pairing but that's just speculation on my part. Good luck with the tank. Let us know what you end up stocking.

Shark.

[Grins]

I'd not put an anthias in a 55. I'd love to have a pair or trio in mine but I feel they need more swimming room. Before making any specific suggestions is this a reef? FOWLR? FO?

[sharkmatt]

Fair point on the anthias, grins.

[jl-sullivan]

FOWLR I was looking at anthias and the site I was checking out said they needed a lot bigger of an aquarium. I'm going to look at every fish on liveaquaria and see what will fit, then whittle it down from there. Someday I may upgrade to reef, but if I do it will probably be when I get a bigger aquarium (this is such an addictive hobby...I started my 30 gallon 6 months or so ago and just bought my 55 gallon--at this rate by the time I retire I'll own the ocean :-)

[sharkmatt]

Amen to that! Check out www.wetwebmedia.com Sometimes it's a bit difficult to find the exact info you're looking for but you'll learn ALOT along the way!

[Grins]

If FOWLR I'd check into wrasses, especially fairy wrasses. Hawkfishes, the long nosed is tres cool. Pygmy angel of some sort. I really like the Potters and Golden. I love the Boyle's but it isn't very hardy. Blennys and Gobies are great. And if you were doing more of a predator tank..a lionfish would be a must for me.

[jl-sullivan]

I checked out the website and made a list of what I like-flame angel, six line wrasse, chalk bass, black sailfin blenny, catalina goby or black clown goby (love my yellow clown goby), flame hawk, and jawfish. Of course not all of these but they are what caught my eye. I noticed that several are listed as semi-aggressive and some as peaceful. Is it best to have only ones in the same category as far as that goes?

[Grins]

Hmm you can mix semis with either or. But better not to put peaceful with aggressives.

I'd skip the catalina goby, although they are great fish they come from colder waters and won't work well in a warmer tropical tank. Defintely get a top on the tank if you get the chalk bass...it might end up feeling harrassed with the six line and flame in there.