Considering angelfish, need tips...

[theuselessfew]

Hey all. I'm sad to say I've recently had some bad luck with my 55 - a big die off. Me in hospital + Ich resurgence = 10 dead fish. My entire school of tiger barbs. :sad >sigh< I do have one survivor, a spotted/striped spiny eel. (Who is LOVING the tank to himself, as well as all the salt I put in to treat the ich. Hasn't gone under a rock since!).

So I'm kind of at square one with my tank. After I know I've got all the ich/salt out, I was thinking of doing an angelfish-only tank. Been reading up a little, I think they would like my tank, I know they're best in pairs, etc. Never kept cichlids before, so I'd love advice you all could pass along. How many could fit in a 55, etc.

And if they'd be OK with the eel.

 

[gerbil_dude]

sorry to hear about your loss it happens to all of us

right i would sell or pass on your eel i dont like angels like them

angels ive bred them there easy to keep
i say have 8 of them have a well planted tank tall plants such as Saggitaria, Brazilian Swords, or Sandriana.

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/10angels.htm for more details when the angel fish are small i would have a small schoal of neons etc (shorter life fish about 1 yr) or platies have a couple of corys

remember angel fish like bloodworm and flake they tend to not like cichild pelets

 

[Blinky]

If you want an angels-only tank, you could have a nice group in a 55g. They're actually best in odd numbers - they're territorial and establish a hierarchy, so pairs can be disastrous. I wouldn't get too many, they actually get pretty large - full height including fins can be 9-10" top to bottom, with a body the size of your palm.
If you keep them with neons/cardinals be aware that they may be eaten when the angels get large (I believe angels eat neons/cardinals in the wild). I keep my angel with neons and they're fine so far, but he's only half grown.

Gerbil_dude - are neons really that short lived? I didn't know that - mine are pretty big now and have been in the tank about a year and made it through a lot of changes; I hope they don't die off, I'm pretty attached to the little guys!

 

[SnakeIce]

neons are anual fish in the wild because of things like rain and dry seasons. But because tanks tend to be more stable than those conditions in the wild they live longer, 4-6 years is possible. but only the best specimens will live to a ripe old age, with atrition claiming some over that time period.

my dad had a female danio that lived to be 5 years old, and a scisortail rasbora that was 7, those were the exceptional individuals but still shows that our fish can live longer than is generally accepted as a long lifespan