Evil Angel!

[ChicoRaton]

This is my favorite angelfish, Diavolo.
http://www.hazy8.com/fish/july6/favangel.jpg
He's really mean to the other 3 angels I have in the tank, though. He'll chase them around and nip at their fins and head-butt them and what not. I don't want to get rid of him though... I'm thinking I might need to bring the other 3 angels back to my LFS. Do you think this will stop, or should I go ahead and remove the other 3?

Let me know if you need more info.

Oh and his fin isn't really pointy like that, just a weird camera angle.

[phanmc]

Was he the first angel in the tank and does the tank have a good amount of decorations and hiding places?

If he's the first angel in the tank, try removing him from the tank and re-introducing all 4 at the same time after you rearrange the decorations so that none of the angels have a headstart to establish a territory.

If they were introduced at the same time, remove Diavolo and then reintroduce him into the tank after rearranging the decorations.

If he still attacks the other angels, then you just have a really mean fish.

[LongTime]

What size tank?

[ChicoRaton]

tank size is a 55, and they all came from the same tank in the pet store at the same time. They were getting along in the pet store fine.

[PumaWard]

It's pretty normal for angels (and similiar shoaling cichlids such as discus) to do this, he's trying to establish dominance over the other fish. As long as there's no serious damage occuring and the other angels are getting food, I don't think you have much to worry about. He'll eventually stop once, in his mind, he's established he's boss.

[Dangerdoll]

I agree, it's very normal for Angels to try to esxtablish a pecking order or territories..... I'm not so sure he will stop, it really depends on his tenacity. I had 3 at one time that I needed to separate or else. And I can say I learned that the hard way..... but what I did, is I removed only 1, he was pretty beat up at the time, but recovered well in my sister's tank.... and I was lucky enough to have removed the other male... seemed I had 2 males and a female. Try removing just 1 of them (hopefully you have another tank) and see how that goes.... otherwise I would suggest removing the other 2 (since you like D so much) ;)

[SomeGuy88]

I had my Angles do that while they were young. The dominent on got so agressive that he ended up killing all the other Angles and after he was through with them, he killed my Gouramis. *Sigh*.

Hope you have better luck than I did.

[LongTime]

You can always hope he decides he is king, or queen, and chills out. Only time will tell.

You could take him out, and put him back after adding a few more decorations and hope he chills.

If he pairs up with another angel to mate, all is lost. If another two pair up and he doesn't I feel sorry for the forth in the group.

You could also add a small school of quick fast moving dither fish that might distract him from the others.

[ChicoRaton]

I might move him to my empty 10g when I get some more plants. Actually that would be today... wow it's thursday already! Anyway maybe a few days in "time out" would do some good. I'll try that. Why hasn't hans posted telling me to let him eat the other three? oh well...

No serious damage is occuring except some shredded fins, but I'd like to avoid as much of that as possible too.

[edit] As for the dither fish, I think my tank is as fully stocked as I would like. 4 angels, 2 kribs, 5 cories, 4 black phantom tetras and 3 swordtails.

[ChicoRaton]

Well I put "Big D™" in Jail. bare 10g. He's sulking in the corner right now. I'll add more plants tomorrow and put him back in. Er, is 24 hours enough? or should I wait longer?
thanks,
--Warden

[LongTime]

Originally posted by ChicoRaton
[edit] As for the dither fish, I think my tank is as fully stocked as I would like. 4 angels, 2 kribs, 5 cories, 4 black phantom tetras and 3 swordtails.

I agree, you are stocked! If the others haven't distracted him, adding more won't help.

[ChicoRaton]

I should praobably note that the angels are still small, so at the moment I'm a little understocked, and could add dither fish, but I'd havve to move them in a couple months. But do you think 24 hours is long enough?

[LongTime]

Long enough? I think it depends on how much you have changed the tank. You don't want him to try to defend the same territory. I'd give it longer and let the others rest a little and establish their own defensive position before the "darlin' wee devil" returns to their lives. :)

[ChicoRaton]

ok, I'll be sure to reaqrrange more things befor eI put him in. I wasn't thinking correctly because it didn't look like a territory issue to me, he'd chase them wherever they were, he'd even swim all they way(4 feet) across the tank to chase them. maybe he won't recognize the tank when he gets back:p

[LongTime]

Let us know how it turns out!

[ChicoRaton]

It seemed the agression within the group had subsided with diavolo gone, and I put him in today and it picked back up, but it's distributed throughout the group(and Diavolo isn't the main aggressor anymore). maybe this time they'll be able to establish a pecking order. D definitely doesn't seem to be on top any more. I'll see what heppens over the next few days. thanks for the idea!:)

[LongTime]

Wish you luck and keep an eye on the last place fish!