Angelfish behavior

pohwalee

AC Members
Nov 14, 2006
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I recently got 2 silver veil angelfishes in my Amazon-themed 36G tank.
I have seen pics of planted tank with angels which impressed me so much,
I liked to give a try. However, these 2 angels don't seem like to hang out at
front of the tank, but they spend a lot of time at the upper corner in the
back of the tank. I got nothing but peaceful tetras like Cardinal and rummynose and they all seem healthy and happy. Does anyone know
if the Angels DO spend a lot of time at the upper-back corners? Is there
anyway to get them interested to hang out at the front?
If I couldn't get the Angels to be more active, I may have to go back to
Gouramis.

Thanks
 
Have you just added them to your tank?

If so, they are probably a bit stressed and will soon get brave and swim out in front.

Took my Angels a week to start coming out...
 
it does take angels a bit of time to acclimate to new surroundings.

what cover do you have? most fish prefer cover..you can set it up to your advantage.

domestics tend to hang in open spaces but all angels prefer cover.. that they can retreat to.
 
Thanks for your responses.
I have had the Angels for more than 3 weeks now.
The tank has a lot of fake plants and rocks. The angels are
not exactly hiding, but staying near the surface all the way in
the back of the left or right corners of the tank. To be honest,
I only get to see them before 8am and after 7pm. I don't know
if it is because the Angels "wake up late and go to bed early".

The tank has been established for 5 months and the water
parameters seem fine. I am just wondering if the
Angels are usually "this boring" or it is something I did wrong.

Thanks
 
What are your water changes like? What are your water paremeters? If they are hanging at the top, that is usually where there is more oxygen in the tank. What kind of filter are you running? Is there a lot of surface aggitation? Angels like some surface aggitation for the oxygen in the water but they do not like a lot. I have a planted tank(it has miminal surface aggitation) with angels in it and my angels are out and about all of the time but then again I am always doing water changes all of the time since I like the water to be very clean.

Marinemom
 
jm1212 did hit on something..what is the temp like.

I have lots of angels.the domestics like to swim about and are very personable..the wilds tend to sneak amongst the structure exhibiting their hunter/predator instinct as they are ambush predators.

they do like warm water tho.I keep my angels in at least 82 degree water. the more active ones are in 84
 
My boys hung out at the back for the first few days but then came to the front and visited me everytime I came by the tank.
 
I think my Angels got AIDS!

By now, they have all died. I think it is not the water problem.
All other fishes just can't be healthier or happier. I researched
on google last night and believe that these angels got the
so-called Angel Virus, or Angel Plague or Angel AIDS. My angels
behavior is exactly the same as described, and it spread from onto
another over time. I went to the LFS and
found mant Angels in the 2 tanks where I got my fishes are displaying
the same stressed-out behavior, and the price for these angels
are reduced! According to many papers, this is flu like virus
which could wipe out most Angels in infected tank. There is really
no obvious physical sign except fishes are displaying weakness, pointing
upward, and hiding in the back upper corner. If this sign spreads from
one fish to another, it is very likely to be the kind of viurs.
I may need to stay away from angels for a while until the epidemic
is gone. But I am wondering if the virus can still survive in my tank
without Angels since virus usually cannot live outside of living cells
for too long.
 
Viruses are virtualy in destructable. it is possible for the virus to survive in the tank in a host that mqay not exhibit the same Sx. a virus when subjected to a strong immune system will revert to a spore like state..and wil ive in this state until the conditions exist where it can fourish.
however, I don't see viruses that often.

you say the water parameters are fine..domestic angels tend to be pretty tough..but are suseptible to bad water.

what are the 'fine' readings in the tank?
how often do you perform water changes?
when angels hover or hide the first thing I check is the water conditions, temp, hardness(kh) ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

angels can hide and hover when stressed. they are prone to parasites(lately) camillanus and capillaria are common but the angels can live for weeks when infected.

also bacterial infections(internal) can exhibit the same behavior.
 
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