# Breeding angelfish



## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

I have 3 pairs of angelfish. I have stolen fry from 2 pairs to grow out in a planted tank to sell. My angelfish are all gold marble prescale parents, and the fry turn out to be 50% to 75% pearlscale as well. Although this is where the thread goes solem. I am having a problem with one of the pairs offspring. I have narrowed it down to one pair, and will not be raising any of their fry in the future. The fry are having defects with their anal fins. Three of the ones from the parents who I have decided not to breed anymore, only have one. They are still pretty small, but big enough for me to know that they only have one.

I learnt the hard way, now I have cute little babies with one anal fin, but have no intention to keep them, and don't know what to do. Obviously I will not breed this gene toxic pair anymore, but what should I do with the three less than perfect offspring? I keep reading that i should cull them, but this is hard to do since they swim, eat and interact just fine. I know they will look worse as they grow. I just feel so bad that it happened and don't know what to do? Has anyone confronted a problem like this one? The pearlscales are prone to this kind of defect, but I have never encountered it before, and they are my fave. Does anyone have anything to say about this?


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## djembekah (Feb 13, 2012)

give them away for free with angels you sell? ooor keep? or if you think no one will want them and you don't either, just cull them.


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

If you're going to breed fish with any specific goal in mind you do have to come to terms with deformed & runt fish. Often external deformities will also manifest as unseen internal deformities, which generally means a much shortened life for the deformed or runt fish. Everyone including myself has tried saving the poor deformed or runt fish, stock them lighter, feed them better, overall increase in maintenance above what you would normally do with breeding. It doesn't take long to find out that they don't lead a normal and full life, rarely hitting the 1 year mark with angels. 

This leaves you with two options, euthanasia or an ongoing tank(s) for deformed fish. If you get busy with breeding, with hopefully some goals whether they be improving a particular trait, making a few dollars on the side, or whatever, you'll soon find that those misfits tie up a lot of tankspace that hinders obtaining your goals. One of the more common ways of dealing with culls in a larger breeding setup is to keep a larger fish that will eat smaller culls, I had an oscar for years, and now have an acara that serves this purpose.

You're not doing the hobby any favors by selling or otherwise moving on deformed fish, as eventually someone will breed them, most often weakening the species. Culling is without a doubt the most difficult part of breeding, but as with many things in life you have to take the bad with the good.


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## angelcraze (Aug 31, 2013)

Wow, thanks, this is going to be hard, but I needed the push to do it. This sucks, but I guess what I have to do. I really only had a grow out tank for plants, and some breeding angels, and thought why not? I need some $$$ too. It's actually quite interesting when you get into breeding, the genetics, percentages, etc......especially with dwarf shrimp and angels since there are so many strains.

Again thank you, I need that.


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