Starting My Angel Tank?

[joeyg2100]

I have a 55 gallon right now that is setup with african cichlids. I am transferring my yellow labs into my 29 gallon tank, and selling the rest of cichlids. So I will have my 55 gallon open. I plan on having angel's, german rams, and probably neon tetra's. I will also be making this a planted tank too.

My questions are:

I want to be able to grow easy plants that you can get at any fish store. Ones that don't need much light or much care, but still look good. I have 2 24" 14 watt t-8 lamps, so not much light. Should I get more light?

How many angels can I get in this tank?


Thank You

[goalieman59]

I would not put neons in the tank because as soon as the angels get big enough they will eat the neons. What age of angels are you talking about adults or juvies? And would get some more light so you could open up you plant selection a little cause my angels love being able to swim in and out of the plants.

[excuzzzeme]

4 Angels will be your limit. Be aware that Angels will dine quite heartily on the neons. Neons are Angels main choice for food.

[joeyg2100]

What would be some good tank mates for these fish?

[goalieman59]

Try some black skirt tetras mine are doing great with each other.

[Zanegief]

I have flame tetras with mine. Red-eyes will also work.

[Star_Rider]

I keep black neons in a couple of my Angel tanks

[rich311k]

Gold pristellas, rummies, red eyes, harlequins are the fish I have kept with angels.

[joeyg2100]

Ok I have decided on the fish I want for this tank.

I am going to start out with 6 angels and let them pair off, and keep on pair in the tank.

6-black skirt tetras
6-peppered cory's
1 pair of German Ram's

Also I am going to stay away from real plants. I don't want to sink money into getting a system that will grow nice plants. So I will just go with silk ones instead.

What do you think

[goalieman59]

Sounds like a plan, I would just go with real plants sometime cause they are so nice once you get them going.

[lilim10]

You could try java fern and java moss, that stuff is unkillable, fancy equipment or not.

[abcdefghi]

If you are wanting to end up with a pair of angels, make sure you have a spare tank to possibly move the pair into. I had a pair in a 55G, once they started spawning they literally were going after anything that moved (corys, tetras, other angels) so I had to get a new tank just for the pair of them.

Go with real plants, you don't need fancy equipment. My list of equipment to grow plants is some decent light bulbs and a timer, nothing else. I have swords, moss, vals, crypts and all are growing great under about 1.6WPG. Not only do they look better, but the fish will prefer them, my angel pair only spawn on an Amazon Sword plant.

Good luck, make sure you give them a varied diet. Of the 5 I initially bought 2 died from internal parasites, 2 paired up and 1 now rules the 55G. They were probably about an 1-2" when I bought them in March, the biggest is now at least 7" tall.