help with angelfish

[karlosbaby]

hi this is my first thread and i was looking for some advice. i have a 40 gallon tank and want to keep two angelfish. I have started my tank with 5 zebra danios, but i'm hoping to bump that upto 8 or maybe 10. what else would you recommend adding as suitable tankmates? i really like the look of dwarf gouramis but are they suitable??
thanks in advance for your help

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

You really do have to be picky when it comes to angelfish tank mates. Anything that nips fines including angels are not recommended. I would stop where your at and assuming that your tank is established i.e cycled with liquid chemical test to support good water parameters. Then I would start looking for a paired off set of angels which means spending some time at LFS to see if you can find a paired off set that would fight each other, that is enough of a hurtle to consider for now if I were you. The gouramis is a potential fighting fish like a Betta I wouldn't put one in with my angels.

 

[kjr928]

I have kept dwarf and blue gouramis with my angels without issue. The worst that happens is a little bit of chasing, but that is few and far between.

You don't need to choose angels that have already paired off. Once you get your 2 angels, they will get used to each other and bond (even if they are same sexed they tend to do this - mine did).

I also keep loaches and a rainbow shark with my angels and I have no issues.

Also, gouramis are not really fighting fish at all. If you have only 2 males in a tank, then one will probably dominate the other pretty aggressively, but you can actually keep gouramis in groups and then the aggression is displaced. They do not fight with each other in any way similar to the way bettas do.

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

I stand corrected kjr928 is correct according to the computability chart. The info I received from an individual who is supposedly an expert gave me was bad. Dwarf gouramis in groups of 3 or more are compatible with angels and each other. But as far as buying angels already paired off instead of singles, I have had much better results in pairs then watching them fight it out and lose their fins as singles.

 

[ChrisK]

You will be fine keeping Dwarf gourami with your angel. The zebra danios may be a problem though there frantic swimming may stress, laid back angels, not to mention they can be very nippy.