# 55 gallon centerpiece fish have 4 angels now, should I change?



## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

As the subject says, right now I have 4 angel fish as centerpiece fish in my 55 gallon tank, which they share with many (yay) cory cats, otocinclus, cherry barb females, and 1 bn pleco. They are not full grown yet, but are a bit pushy with each other.. I am wondering if their mild (so far) aggressiveness is keeping the other fish mostly in the plants or if they would be more comfortable with the angels gone and perhaps something calmer as a centerpiece fish.. maybe a single male pearl gourami.. 

My original idea was to get 4 baby angels (which I did) and then keep them until 2 pair off and take back the remaining 2.

Should I stay with that original plan because things will calm down when they pair off or should I change fish. 

open to any suggestions please?

Gina


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## Plumkin (Jan 24, 2011)

do u have another tank for just the breeding pair if you get one?


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## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

no. I wasn't going to breed them, I just thought that when they paired off they could live as just 2 without aggression.. Is that wrong?

Gina


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## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

hm.. no opinions?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Angelfish are naturally "feisty" with their own, which is why a group is always better. Any dominant fish can take out its aggression on the rest with no individual getting "picked on" whden there are more of them. It is their natural social structure, and provided the tank is sufficient in size (your 55g is) this should be within reason. But as with people, some fish are worse than others.

Unless you want to remove the angels completely and move in a different direction (no angels), I would leave them. The corys will not be bothered, and I suspect the barbs will manage. Lots of plants will help, and bits of wood like branches, similar to the angelfish's natural habitat.

Byron.


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## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

If I decided to take the 4 angels back, what would you suggest as a centerpiece? My water is hard, so a large school of neons or cardinals are out.. I had zebra danios at one point, but they were so fast and frantic they stressed out the entire tank.. 

So I guess... something either that is calm and colorful in a large group, that would be ok being in open water as well as with the rocks, wood and plants in the tank or a larger single calm fish.

Otherwise I have a tank full of bottom dwellers lol.. even the cherry barbs stay low in the plants...

or.. no one has really answered this.. if I get a couple of the angels i have to pair off and take the other 2 that don't pair off back, would the 2 that I keep be calm as long as they are not spawning?

Gina


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

ginagv said:


> If I decided to take the 4 angels back, what would you suggest as a centerpiece? My water is hard, so a large school of neons or cardinals are out.. I had zebra danios at one point, but they were so fast and frantic they stressed out the entire tank..
> 
> So I guess... something either that is calm and colorful in a large group, that would be ok being in open water as well as with the rocks, wood and plants in the tank or a larger single calm fish.
> 
> ...



I still suggest keeping all four and not just a pair. They are shoaling fish, and unless you want to spawn them and raise the fry, 4 is better. If two do pair up, it will be better for other fish in the tank to have the 4 as the pair's aggression (which will intensify during spawning times which will be regular) will be more spread out.

In basic harder water, rainbowfish are ideal. They are larger, shoaling fish so a group of 7 in your 55g would work. And very peaceful to other fish. Check out our profiles, we have 3 species so far, under Athernids. I would get rid of all 4 angels if you go with rainbowfish.


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