# angel fish and shrimp



## treyLcham (Sep 9, 2014)

Good idea or bad? Lets say i had a well established colony of the shrimp in a 60gallon tank with a big peace of driftwood and plants would the shrimp be ok with two ultum angelfish? I wouldnt mind the fish eating a few here and there but if they are going to wipe out the colony or wipe out like every shrimp but 10then its not worth it so i was just wondering what you guys have experienced.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

I added 12 fire reds to my 36 gallon it holds 2 juvi angels. They have survived so far in the tank.
It has been about 1 month. So far it looks good. However having said that one day I may come home to no more shrimp and very fat angels.
I breed the shrimp in 2 other tanks so these are my culls. If they were my only shrimp I might not risk it.


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## treyLcham (Sep 9, 2014)

amcoffeegirl said:


> I added 12 fire reds to my 36 gallon it holds 2 juvi angels. They have survived so far in the tank.
> It has been about 1 month. So far it looks good. However having said that one day I may come home to no more shrimp and very fat angels.
> I breed the shrimp in 2 other tanks so these are my culls. If they were my only shrimp I might not risk it.


Yea but there not large angels like a 4inch angel


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## GMYukonon24s (May 3, 2009)

I personally wouldn't do it. The reason because you can add plants in your tank for protection but the shrimp won't come out as much as they would if the angels weren't there.


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

treyLcham said:


> Yea but there not large angels like a 4inch angel


True


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## treyLcham (Sep 9, 2014)

Alrighty and hwat about dwarf rainbow fish?


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

Shrimp will be food for any fish.
I have heard it said that ottos are the only shrimp safe fish.
I might include cories also.

If you are willing to put some shrimp safe zones in your tank they can still thrive. Like mesh covered PVC tubes. Large enough for shrimp to get inside. Or cholla wood. Low ground cover. Moss.
But once they come out they may be eaten.


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## treyLcham (Sep 9, 2014)

ahh ok so any semi big fish is a no go i guess lol. I think ill just stick to good oll corys neons and ottos.


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## mattjm20 (Nov 2, 2013)

treyLcham said:


> Good idea or bad? Lets say i had a well established colony of the shrimp in a 60gallon tank with a big peace of driftwood and plants would the shrimp be ok with two ultum angelfish? I wouldnt mind the fish eating a few here and there but if they are going to wipe out the colony or wipe out like every shrimp but 10then its not worth it so i was just wondering what you guys have experienced.


Altum angelfish cannot go in a 60 gallon tank. In fact, most people say adult altums get too tall even for a standard 90G tank and need more height.

You have to consider how big the fish will get, not how big they are at the time (particularly because angels grow FAST).

Finally, to answer your question, I cannot picture my full grown angelfish (not even Altums, smaller) NOT destroying a colony of shrimp in a matter of days. Don't let their beautiful appearance fool you... they are assassins. :icon_twis:icon_twis

Bump:


treyLcham said:


> Alrighty and hwat about dwarf rainbow fish?


Doubt my praecox would touch shrimp, that is probably fine. Make sure you have at least 6 for their comfort and also to maximize their effect.


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## Bushkill (Feb 15, 2012)

Although they are available, I doubt your Altums are farmed or breeder-produced but I certainly can't say for sure. If they are wild-caught or even one generation removed, Mattjm20 may be putting it mildly by calling them assassins.

The only exception I can think of would be larger Amano or any of the larger species. They may hold their own against juveniles initially, but in time instincts will take over.

The tank height thing is largely an aesthetics thing. I can't agree more that full grown altums don't "fit" in a tank shorter than a full 2 feet in height. They truly look scrunched. But that doesn't mean they won't grow to their potential in something shorter. With space restrictions in my fish room being what they are, I have a nice batch of full grown koi angels in a 40B that have been in there since they were the body size of a nickel. They move out to a 90G tomorrow......they look scrunched and even I can't stand them in there any longer, lol!

I can also second the Praecox. They only have three needs / interests....open swimming space, each other, and food floating in the water column. Couldn't care less about shrimp.


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## PapHater (Feb 21, 2013)

I've got one large angel and a thriving (what my lfs called "super taiwan red cherry) shrimp population in my 150g. BUT I've gotten pretty lazy in maintaining any sort of scape so my moss has taken over the left side of the tank. The Angel tries to hunt them which is pretty fun to watch but I hate it when he actually gets one. I've also got Congo's in there but I've never seen them eating the shrimp...of course that doesn't mean it doesn't happen when I'm not there.

I was planning on only keeping the shrimp in my sumps refugium but some how some shrimplets survived the pump and made up in to the main tank.

Edit: I had to move my two remaining amanos down to the sump because the angel was going after them to.


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## mattjm20 (Nov 2, 2013)

Bushkill said:


> Although they are available, I doubt your Altums are farmed or breeder-produced but I certainly can't say for sure. If they are wild-caught or even one generation removed, Mattjm20 may be putting it mildly by calling them assassins.
> 
> The only exception I can think of would be larger Amano or any of the larger species. They may hold their own against juveniles initially, but in time instincts will take over.
> 
> ...


Thanks for backing me up so I don't look completely crazy 

One other thing I would add. I tried some ghost shrimp while my angels were still young. Even though no fish were big enough to actually eat them, they sort of harassed them. Well, the ghost shrimp actually jumped out a few times. Two of them died that way because I wasn't there. Another one thankfully jumped out while I was sitting in the room and I was able to put him back in the water. Needless to say they needed to be re-homed. (PS - when I say "jumping," in shrimp terms that meant swimming backwards like crayfish do and propelling themselves out of the water)


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## treyLcham (Sep 9, 2014)

Bushkill said:


> Although they are available, I doubt your Altums are farmed or breeder-produced but I certainly can't say for sure. If they are wild-caught or even one generation removed, Mattjm20 may be putting it mildly by calling them assassins.
> 
> The only exception I can think of would be larger Amano or any of the larger species. They may hold their own against juveniles initially, but in time instincts will take over.
> 
> ...


Yea dont worry when i say i put them in the 60gallon i was going to be swapping them out at the local fish store when they got to big but now that its not a choice back to the rainbows! I am actually looking a getting that exact fish!


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