twinkles Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 I have a pair of angels in a 220L tank, with no other fish except bristlenoses. They're supposed to be a breeding pair but haven't bred for me yet. When i first got them they spent most of the time cruising around together, then the larger one started picking on the smaller one. I thought maybe they were getting ready to breed but they've only got worse. 90% of the time its the big one nipping at the little one and it spends most of its time hiding in the vall at the back of the tank, but every now and then it chases the big one away instead. My bristlenoses have also lost the tips of their tails this week, which i assume is from one or both of the angels picking on them. Should i be worried about them fighting? They haven't hurt each other at all yet, but the little one looks sad hiding in the back. Would adding a few more angels help spread out their attention and stop them picking on each other? Should i take the bristles out? Could i add some other fish to the tank instead to distract them, they eat anything guppy sized but i'd love some rams in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 If you are worried about the fighting then I would seperate the tank with a piece of glass so they can see each other, or remove the more aggressive one for a few days to let them settle back down.. If they are a pair, then adding more fish may stop them beating each other up but they may just turn their collective wrath onto any other fish you add especially angel fish as fish hate their own kind when breeding (they see anything the same as a threat). I probably wouldn't do blue rams either, it might be ok, but rams are fairly delicate and probably wouldn't last long with a couple of angel fish beating them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 yeah i thought as much about the rams, still had to ask just in case i'm not too worried about them being together, they haven't ever hurt each other. Maybe i could get a few more big angels and re arrange the tank when i put them in? It seems silly having this lovely big tank with only two fish in it, only one of whom is usually up the front. Although they both race up together and share nicely at food time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morcs Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 I wouldnt add anymore angels. I had a third angel in with my pair, and he got picked on my both. They will fight a bit, and you will see the odd ruffled scale. Ive seen the male beaten the hell out of the female quite badly to the point of wanting to separate, then ill turn around and the female will be beating up the male even harder. A few days later they lay eggs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 ah well, i'll leave them then and see how they go. Its just annoying having such an empty tank, maybe i'll have to get some more plants to look at... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morcs Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 ah well, i'll leave them then and see how they go. Its just annoying having such an empty tank, maybe i'll have to get some more plants to look at... Move the BN out, so its just the angels. Put a sponge prefilter over your intake, stick a breeding cone in there and youll have a tank full of little angels in no time at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 ok, was thinking i might have to move them once the second one lost his tail tip can't find breeding cones anywhere to buy, but i do have a whole pile of broken clay pipe pieces, would one of them standing up please them you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 One of those pipes will be fine twinkles. Personally I have found if they're in the Mood to Breed, they will Lay their Eggs on whatever they can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morcs Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 One of those pipes will be fine twinkles. Personally I have found if they're in the Mood to Breed, they will Lay their Eggs on whatever they can. This is true, but the better surface you can give them, the more eggs. Mine would lay 5 times as many eggs on a breeding cone as they would on an intake pipe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 ok, will get onto that now catching the bristles is going to be mission.. there's some good big java fern leaves and smooth wood and things so with a pipe they should have plenty of choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 alright so i've managed to catch them, and only uprooted one plant while at it :lol: now is it safe to put the plain unglazed terracotta in? It came out of the garden, buried there for 20 years as fill so i can't imagine it leaching much. Also can i use a rubber band to tie some filter wool over the intake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 You can chuck the terracotta in, some people boil it, I think its an overkill and just use it have had no problems.. Rubber bands are not that good in water, try fishing lylon or tie wraps to attach stuff. If you are sick of these guys taking up this tank have you considered transferring them to a smaller (maybe barebottom) breeding tank with a sponge filter and using your bigger tank as a community type tank with smaller fish then you can chuck any babies in there to grow out once they are big enough.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 i did ponder setting up another tank to move them to, but they do like nice in there, and i don't really have anything else to put in at the moment. I've got an empty 4ft to set up eventually, so if they do breed i might put a divider in it and put them in there, grow out some babies behind the divider. But i'll just see how they go for now. Will find some fishing line to tie it on then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morcs Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 i did ponder setting up another tank to move them to, but they do like nice in there, and i don't really have anything else to put in at the moment. I've got an empty 4ft to set up eventually, so if they do breed i might put a divider in it and put them in there, grow out some babies behind the divider. But i'll just see how they go for now. Will find some fishing line to tie it on then Ive bred angels in a 20L, Barebottom, spongefilter, No light. Breeding cone. Real easy to clean, a day or two after the eggs are layed you can move them back to the community (or when they start eating healthy eggs) and raise the fry from there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 I wouldn't stick a pair of angels in a 20L tank I would say it is too small for them, especially if the pair have a bit of a tiff like these ones seem to do occasionally.. Min tank size I would use would be a 2fter preferably a tall one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinkles Posted September 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 they wouldn't fit in a 20l, big angel is about 15cm high. They haven't been picking on each other at all this evening, maybe the bristles were annoying them. I want to see them breed so i know which one to call a girl and which one a boy lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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