"adopting" an angel and questionable tankmates - advice?

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ChuckP

overrun by java moss...
greetings all -

A friend of my wife's is moving out of state, and can't take their fish with them, so tomorrow I'll be taking in a 20 gallon H with the following inhabitants:

1x large angel (5-6 inches between fin-tips, apparently)
4x neon tetras
1x large chinese algae eater
1x "mystery" fish her husband put in at one point - no idea what it is.

From what I understand, they've been cared for more-or-less well; I'm taking them in because I don't like the alternatives.

The stock here worries me a bit; I know that CAEs can be agressive (this is the only fish that was in this tank the last time I saw it 18 months ago - he was around 4 inches then), but I've been told he's not bothering the angel any. I may end up trading him into the LFS in any case, I recognize he's not the best tank mate.

Same with the "mystery" fish, though I'm hoping it's just a livebearer, who can move in with my mollies.

Anyway- I've never kept angels before - any particular advice in caring for this one and making him happy in his new home? Preferred decor, diet, etc?

Thanks in advance!
 

cockroach

AC Members
Feb 15, 2010
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The Chungle Taiwan
Hi,

The 20H should be fine for him. Try to get some vertical decorations like driftwood that reach the surface of the water and include some open swimming areas.

You might find after the move that the angel may try to snack on the neon tetras as these are their natural food. But if you are willing to accept the loss then give it a go.

As for the CAE, I am not a big fan of them as they can be rather aggressive and not good at eating algae at all. I would trade him.

I would like to know what the mystery fish is as well.

For tankmates I would go for either some:
hatchet fish,
larger tetras like lemons,
cories
perhaps even a gourami or two.

When it comes to diet, feed as varied a diet as possible. I feed mine four different kinds of discus granules, live ghost shrimp, freeze dried shrimp, frozen blood worm and brine shrimp, seaweed sheets and broken up carnivore pellets.
 
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