One Angelfish getting aggressive

HollyinWA

All three Angels in the big tank are still doing fine this morning.....larger black one, and two small silver angels (one being pretty small - body a little smaller than a quarter).

The big black one in the 14 gallon is as pretty as ever but looks bored. I don't go in that room as much so I think he is lonely. He does not have any fish in there with him. I took the two guppies out and put them in the 10 gallon Guppy tank in my other daughter's room. I feel bad for him.

How long do you think I need to wait before I try to put him back in the 56 gallon? How many days or weeks?

HollyinWA

P.S. Just posted, but reread your first response, Byron, and you said a couple of months. Gee, I hope I can hold out that long. My heart aches for the happiness of the big bully.

HollyinWA

I found this while reading online:

Strains such as Double Dark Black angelfish tend to be very aggressive. Consequently, you see very few angelfish breeders offering this fish for sale. We need to breed for angelfish that exhibit good parental care and that are not aggressive towards their mates. This cannot be reliably judged in juvenile angelfish, so you must be willing to only breed angelfish pairs that exhibit the proper behavior.

I know for sure my black Angels are the double black from viewing pictures. They may be a pair. They always seemed to me that they were actiing in ways that pairs do or at least acted like they were trying to pair up, but have not yet spawned. The day that I noticed the real aggressive behavior was on a day that the large one's padilla was very prominent. If they are a pair or if the big black one wanted to pair up, I sure feel sorry for him/her...he/she is alone and most likely wondering where the "mate" went.

Byron

As for how long, the point in this is to get the other 4 now-small angels up to a size that the aggressor can be put with them and because he will always behave the way he is programmed (does the leopard change its spots? they say) the idea is to have a group of 5 that will mean no one individual is picked on but it is spread around naturally. If that does not work, and one fish is still singled out, then the answer would be to get rid of the aggressor. Otherwise, you will have a tank of very stressed, and therefore prone to disease and health problem, angels.

This is the same strategy we use with difficult characins like Serpae, or with Tiger Barbs. A large group to avoid single fish being harassed mercilessly, and in sufficiently-sized tanks. Then the natural behaviours of the fish can play out with minimal consequences. As an aside, I read an article by Iggy Tavares in the current (May) issue of AFI on Serpae, and he recommends nothing smaller than a 90g aquarium, and a group of more than 8 (8 the absolute minimum) serpae, and well planted. Then, the aggression of the dominant fish will be spread around the group, and the plants will allow for periodic hiding or refuge places. And the 90g allows for other fish species which also helps to diffuse the bullying.

But the fish are the way nature made them. We can't change that. We can provide an environment that will hopefully work to reduce the tensions. And some fish seem less inclined to act "naturally" than others, just as some dogs behave differently than others by instinct. And people too.

Byron.

HollyinWA

Thanks, Byron. I totally understand. I actually only have three Angels in the 56 gallon....three different sizes, black one is the biggest and then a very young silver and even a younger smaller silver. I would have to go get another one to make it 4 in there now and then 5 when I return the bigger black one. I may end up upgrading my daughter's tank to a larger community tank. If so, that would be better for the big black bully. In the meantime, should I get the bully a tankmate? Obviously, not another Angel but some kind of other fish? I don't want to chance bringing in desease though. He just looks so lonely.

HollyinWA

P.S If I can find maybe two or three good sized Angels, I could put the two smaller ones back in my daughter's tank until I upgrade and then put the bully back in and he would have three or 4 to divide his attentions. If I would not have fallen for these black ones at the time, I would have gotten 4 or 5 young ones at one time. These double dark black ones are good looking!

Byron

Just make sure you let the new angels settle in well before re-introducing the aggressor. If the new fish are settled and form a group (and 3, 4 whichever is fine, I had earlier thought there were 4 for some reason), the re-introduction of the problem fish may work better as he will be the new kid on the block. And with comparable-sized fish, it is more of an even playing field.

Byron.