tank mates for angelfish

In my 37g tank of 3 angels I have 4 sunset platys and 2 zebra danios. The colors of the platys make for a very nice contrast against the black and white angels, and the zebras add a bit of zip to the tank. I'd like to get a pair of blue rams too.

I'd suggest either blue or bolivian rams, and/or platys. My platys are very sweet and get along great with anything.

When selecting tankmates for angels be carefull to avoid "nippy" fish. Also in a small tank you could very well end up with the angels fighting, certainly if a pair forms the odd one is doomed. Mine share space with an African butterfly, dwarf gourami, S eupterus.

i would add only one angel, i put 3 in my 56 gallon and two paired and killed the third, but they have gotten along fine since....my tank has bloodfin tetra's, rainbows, royal clown pleco, 4 clown loaches, who will eventually be moved, a couple swordtails, and sailfin mollies. In the past i had serpae's and headlight tale light with them and they got along fine (although i had them in a group of six of each and they schooled together, i've been told they can be nippy). I've been told any of the larger tetra's should be alright. My rainbows and tetra's are kind of cool because the rainbows are juveniles and are schooling with the tetra's.

BessieMcIntosh said:

so, I could try a couple of african cichlids?

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They have different water requirements. American and African cichlids should be kept in separate tanks.

African Buterfly fish isn't a cichlid. Its kind of an oddball. Top water "sit-and-wait" predator with crazily extended pectoral fins.

I would do tetras (large single species school), and a school of cories, or a pair of any of the dwarf cichlids (but only one species). You could do the cories and the dwarfs IF you go with Rams. Apistos can sometimes harrass cories pretty bad.

I like the Ram idea myself, but then I may be biasd as I just purchased a pair (hopefuly an interested pair) of German Blue for my 10g, but the golden rams that the LFS had were just as nice looking.

mooman said:

African Buterfly fish isn't a cichlid. Its kind of an oddball. Top water "sit-and-wait" predator with crazily extended pectoral fins.

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I suspect the reference to African butterfly was A. thomasi, which is an African dwarf cichlid that often goes by the name "African butterfly cichlid" around here. A. thomasi is a peaceful, soft water riverine cichlid and thus would make a suitable tankmate for angels.

The best cichlid tankmates for angels would be low key softwater ones. The festivum and some geophagus come to mind, but a 38 gallon tank wouldn't be large enough. On the other hand, many low key dwarf cichlids, such as N. anamola, A. thomasi, several types of apistos or rams all should be suitable. Possibly keyhole cichlids, but that may be pushing it size-wise.

Beyond cichlids, dwarf gouramis could work. Tetras that are not nippy but are too large to be swallowed should work well - lemon tetras for example. A group of corydoras catfish would be great (though not mixed with dwarf cichlids). Silver dollars would be risky IMO given their size, activity level and desire to shoal.

No, mooman was correct, I was refering to Pantodon buchholzi .
It stays at the surface among the floating water sprite and loves small crickets but eats some prepared foods.

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/gpantodon.html