Blackskirt tetras are not recomended as tankmates. The Angelfish appreciates

Well, if I understand correctly you want them not to notice each other in a 10 gal?

You're outta luck. Blackskirts and angels simply don't get along and angels get way to big for a 10.

If you have 4 tetras (2 blackskirt, 2 serpae) and 2 angels in a 10 gallon tank, you are have several potential problems. First, as you note, blackskirts and serpaes can both be fin nipper, and it would be pretty unusual if you could keep angels with them unmolested. You might get away with it for awhile, but sooner or later the angels will be harassed. Second, a 10 gallon tank is too small for even one angel, except for small juveniles, and is entirely insufficient for a pair.

You sound like you want to learn about fish and do the right thing by them. Keeping incompatible fish in cramped quarters is not only asking for trouble, but it's not really fair to the fish, either.

HTH,
JIm

Yep. Angelfish are WAY too big for a 10g tank. Mine takes up a full 8" top to bottom. ...no way it'd fit in anything under it's current 29g.

Plus, both of those tetras are schooling fish and need to be in groups of 5, at least. Most tetras will be nippy unless they have a group to feel secure in.

I've kept ALOT of black skirts through the years, and have never had a single incident of them harassing another fish.....except each other. They are schooling fish and need to be kept in a school. (Most tetras and barbs need to be in groups!) They prefer picking on other Black Skirts, kind of a "pecking order" thing to 'em I guess. If you are keeping just one or two, they have no choice but to pick on that poor angel.

black skirts aren't nippy if kept in a large group. However, I did see a few of my blackskirts nip at a few gouramis when I had only 5 of them. Now that they're in a group of 10, they're very mellow.

i think it also depends on the space you have them in... they are nice fish IF kept in a large enough tank that they don't feel the need to enforce their space. they arn't cichlids but similar considerations to area given to them makes the behavior you get out of them.

I had some serpae's in a 20 gallon high and it wasn't enough space for them as they nipped at everything in with them even the loaches