View Full Version : Angelfish Tank Mates/Cleaning Crew
MidnightPyro
09-08-2008, 11:57 PM
I have a 29 gallon tank that needs to be stocked. Right now current stocking calls for 3-4 angelfish which I was assured would be fine in the cichlid forum. I'd like to add a few more fish, specifically ones that eat algae and clean :)
I think ottos would end up as angelfood, not sure how much algae corydoras catfish eat...maybe some sort of specialized pleco? Any plecos that don't produce much waste, eat algae, and would be okay in a 29? :) Would ottos be picked off?
abi88
09-09-2008, 12:13 AM
well...Corys are a good add to any tank..imo...but they do NOT eat algae! They stir up the bottom of the tank and thus are bottom feeders-and so people think that they eat algae..but alas no....but ARE a great add to the tank!:)
I would say go with a bristle-nose pleco...they are VERY cool looking-as they come in albino and grey--and stay a decent size for that size of tank.
Also look into Rummy-nose Tetras...as I saw you were looking for a schooling fish for in there.......That is pretty much my set up in my 29...I LOVE the look!!:)
lilim10
09-09-2008, 12:22 AM
Actually, otos get pretty big (mine are almost 2 inches long! but they're also several years old), mine haven't been eaten yet, and they're kept with discus...!
bluekrissyspike
09-09-2008, 12:35 AM
3 or 4 angels probably won't like it in a 29g for very long. even with one angel in there it might be hard to get away with adding tankmates depending on it's temperment. if you end up with a pair, then you might be able to pull off having 2 in there for some time but the third will probably end up being pestered to death. not trying to discourage you, just giving you fair warning. i know someone already told you it would be fine, so just keep a close eye on them. they like their personal space
calivivarium1
09-09-2008, 12:45 AM
A clown peckoltia or a bristle/bushynose pleco should munch on algae. Are you going to plant the tank? If so, forget about an algae eating fish and add some Malaysian trumpet snails, watch your light/nutrients, buy an algae scraper, and call it a day.
I would have to take a different side on that one.....as long as you properly feed your Pleco-GOOD food along with algae-he is NOT going to need to eat your plants.....I have seen PLENTY of Plecos in planted tanks who left everything alone..but they ARE all fed good food along with the algae.
And I would NEVER suggest Malaysian Trumpet Snails....just for the fact that the 29 that I bought off of a VERY smart fish guy had set in his garage for over 6 months and when I got it the substrate-which was included-was dry-now has a TON of them...I guess the guy who had had it before him had put them in there thinking that they looked cool...and now there is NO getting rid of them...aside of putting my 3-4inch T. Turgidus Puffer in there(after removing EVERYONE else!!) And even then it would take him QUITE some time to get rid of them...and I dont even know if he totally could!lol
Draal5
09-09-2008, 1:46 AM
Your Angel count is fine . you can add any tetra that will be bigger than its mouth but small enough for your tank. I have had cardinals, Otto's, black skirts, cory's and hatchet's.
The list is large of fish you can keep with angels. BN plecos are great but they do need places to hide and some wood.
Angels are not that killer fish people seem to think they are.
When angels pair and get ready to spawn they will chase all other fish to the other side of the tank to protect their eggs and fry. They do not kill or damage the other fish in the tank. They are to occupied in protecting their spawn.
Having other fish in with them actually strengthens the pair bond as they will need to work together to protect their spawn.
Tifftastic
09-09-2008, 3:39 AM
I am also disagreeing with the snails. Not only do bushynoses leave plants alone but rubber lips do too and they stay small. I haven't had a problem with my rubberlip eating my plants, but most snails will eat them.
When I first set up my tank I added a mystery snail just cuz I liked the look of them and everything I read said that they didn't eat plants that were still alive, but mine did. I've also noticed that most snails don't really eat much algae.
Istanbul_Kop
09-09-2008, 4:43 AM
My Bristlenose never eats algae. He used to eat loads when I got him as a juvenile (about 2cm) but now he just waits until a vegetable goes in. Sits in his wood cave and them comes out and sits on a courgette all day.
PS. Make sure you stay away from Chinese Algae Eaters - especially with Angel Fish.
PPS. Don't know about Ottos, never had them. I hear they are superb though. But again, not sure with Angelfish. My thoughts are they would be ok. But don't trust a mad man.
tennesseemom
09-09-2008, 6:53 AM
I have 2 angels in a 55 gallon with 6 cories and 3 ottos and various community fish, in cluding a pleco. The angels don't bother anything but each other, and they eat any fry that come along. If I could do it all over again, I'd just get 1 angelfish.
Star_Rider
09-09-2008, 2:27 PM
angels + oto= hit or miss
my angels eat otos..they will attempt to eat anything they can fit in their mouths.
which ruled out neons..I discovered they like those too.
whie you can keep a few angels in a 29 when young..you may find the tank cramped in the long run.
but you just need to keep an eye out as the fish mature.
goalieman59
09-09-2008, 2:40 PM
I have 6 angles and 4 otos in one tank and they don't bother each other.
Winterose
09-09-2008, 3:37 PM
depends on the temperament of your angels if they are cool about other fish being around you can use otos or other kinds of algae eater but if they are aggressive you would want to make sure your algae eater was large enough so they wouldn't be able to eat them
Star_Rider
09-09-2008, 3:39 PM
I have 6 angles and 4 otos in one tank and they don't bother each other.
how big are the angels?
(just curious)
bluekrissyspike
09-09-2008, 6:51 PM
well, my point was some angels won't tolerate being that cramped. seeing as they can get pretty big(mine is at least 8 inches and still growing) i'm not sure that 3 would fit in a 29g for life. that's 24 inches of fish in a 29g plus whatever else you are going to be adding. i started with 3 angels too but the big one killed the other ones so although some may not be like that i know for a fact some are.
goalieman59
09-10-2008, 9:24 AM
how big are the angels?
(just curious)
All of my angels are around half dollar size.
Star_Rider
09-10-2008, 10:27 AM
bluekrissyspike, IMHO you are correct.. a 29 may be too small for more than a pair of adults..I too have tall angels.. wild P.Scalare (Peru) a large one spanning over 9" tip to tip on ventral and dorsal. and this one is not full grown.
goalie man.. at half dollar size they are still young.. P. Scalare can get over 4" in body size sans the fins. angels may grow nearly their entire lives albeit slowly as they age.. i witnessed a very large angel over 11" including fins.. the body was nearly 6" sans the fins..
IME angels will try and eat anything they can fit in their mouths. I have older angels that will consume oto's within 48 hrs.
while it is possible to have oto's with angels.. I am simply pointing out the possible problems with the mix.
the same can be said with neons.
often we hear that these mixes work..but we need to consider the adults which often times the mix is with sub adults/juveniles.
MidnightPyro
09-13-2008, 7:40 PM
Thanks for the advice guys. I guess angels in a 29 gallon tank isn't quite as clear-cut as I thought it would be based on the number of opinions here.
The tank will at some point be heavily planted as soon as the plants grow. If I did do 3-4 angelfish, it'd just be the angelfish and maybe some ottos, nothing else. Not too sure how this would be practically or aesthetically.
Would it be better to maybe get a breeding pair (or just a compatible pair) of angels as well as some schooling fish that would get along? If it gets anymore confusing I must just have to convert it into another shrimp farm :silly:
abcdefghi
09-13-2008, 8:36 PM
Thanks for the advice guys. I guess angels in a 29 gallon tank isn't quite as clear-cut as I thought it would be based on the number of opinions here.
The tank will at some point be heavily planted as soon as the plants grow. If I did do 3-4 angelfish, it'd just be the angelfish and maybe some ottos, nothing else. Not too sure how this would be practically or aesthetically.
Would it be better to maybe get a breeding pair (or just a compatible pair) of angels as well as some schooling fish that would get along? If it gets anymore confusing I must just have to convert it into another shrimp farm :silly:
Unless you really want more 3-4 angelfish, I would just get one of them for the 29G. I had 5 in a 55G, 2 died from internal parasites. Of the remaining 3 a pair formed and I had to move them to their own 29G, with 3 of them in a 55G they were attacking each other so much I was afraid they would kill each other. The 55 became very small once that pair formed.
How about getting a single angel, a school (say 9) of lemon tetras and some corys? I don't think that would be overstocking the 29G. I currently have a single angel (who is getting big) in my 55G with 4 (need to increase the number) rummynose tetras and 8 peppered cory cats, the angel does not bother the tetras or the corys (unless he is attempting to breed with the female in the other tank, but this is another story altogether!!) and in the 29G I have just the pair of angels (they were attacking anything that moved when in the 55G).
I don't know that its worth spending the money on a breeding pair of angel fish unless you intended to breed them (at which point you would need more than just a 29G tank) and its virtually impossible to tell if angels will live peacefully with other angels.
Good luck, angels are great fish.
customdrum
09-13-2008, 8:49 PM
you never put 3 angels together is the worst number you can have!
they will fight.
you can put 6 in a 29g but when there bigger they need more room and need to be moved to a bigger tank or if you get 2 paired off get rid of the other 4.
if you wanna breed you need 6-8 to start with and keep the pair and sell/trade/move the others.
MidnightPyro
09-13-2008, 11:30 PM
Thanks for the advice guys. Right now I'm a college student living in my parents basement, so I don't plan on adding any bigger tanks soon. Well, I can always plan on it but the 75 gallon dream tank might have to wait until I get my own place, cash, and/or both. I don't have any other tanks to move any feuding angels to, and I'm not sure what I'd do with the fry at this point.
Sounds like 4 would be too much for a 29 gallon, 3 would be a bad number, 2 they might not get along, and 1 would work with compatible fish. Maybe 1 might be my best option. I can always save my angel addiction until I get a bigger tank I guess. :grinyes: