# How many angelfish for a 55?



## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

55g tanks are in reality about 40g of water once you add substrate and the odds and ends. :wink:

A pair to 4 adults is my max in these narrow tanks.


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## Fdsh5 (Jan 3, 2012)

In my 56 gallon I have 6 angels, 2 bristle nose and 8 ottos. No problems here


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## Dx3Bash (Jan 9, 2013)

You could easily do 6 or more angles, however once they pair up, there may only be enough room for one or two pairs. The others will likely be harassed and battered. Really depends on the individual fish. I had angels in a 5' long 77 gallon. Ended up with one pair that was very intolerant of any other angels in the tank. This would be an exception, not the norm.


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## mitchfish9 (Apr 30, 2012)

55's are such a skinny tank, i would only do one pair. But if you get them from a breeder when they are young, they might end up with better personalities.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Currently have angelfish in about 15 tanking systems and reading forums I know absolutely nothing about how they behave :icon_redf

If you are lucky enough to get all males you can over fill the tank but with any females then all bets are off. 
(done it several times sorting fish) More about nature than personality.


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## msawdey (Apr 6, 2009)

wkndracer said:


> Currently have angelfish in about 15 tanking systems and reading forums I know absolutely nothing about how they behave :icon_redf
> 
> If you are lucky enough to get all males you can over fill the tank but with any females then all bets are off.
> (done it several times sorting fish) More about nature than personality.


racer is correct... 2 pairs... maybe 6 unpaired max that are young....


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

Mine are still relatively young (~5 months) and small (2" long, 3.5-4" tall), and I've had them since they were barely bigger than fry, and I'm down to just one pair in my 55g.. they were chasing the others and not letting them eat (but are leaving all the other smaller fish alone) so I had to pull out the ones being picked on. I'm not even convinced the two remaining ones in my 55g are a "pair" exactly, but they never leave each other's side.

The two that I removed are temporarily in my 20H and they seem to stay as far away from each other as possible. It took them several days to start eating again.. they still hide a lot. I am not sure how long it will take them to get over being terrorized, but once I am certain they are doing fine I am going to take them to my LFS.. I don't really have the space to keep them separately, the 20 is supposed to be my quarantine tank.


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## msawdey (Apr 6, 2009)

they are probably paired.. but 5 months is still pretty young for them to be beating each other up. 55gg should be plenty of space for 4 angels that size to coexist... maybe change around hardscape and plants to create barriers between them


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## sarahspins (Sep 24, 2012)

I tried that, initially, but things just got worse despite trying to give them more "safe" spots. I didn't want to lose them so they had to move out. I have quite a lot of driftwood in my 55 and lots of plants and plenty of hiding places, but the bully angels would seek them out and make them go back to the corner with the filter intake (which has always seemed to be everyone's least favorite place in the tank, except for my smallest BN pleco who likes to chill out between the tube and tank wall) and they woudln't come up to eat, and even if I dropped bloodworms near them they acted like they were afraid to move at all. They are eating fine now, but like I said it took them a few days to touch anything once they were moved. 

I am absolutely fine with just having the two angels in my 55 - that's all I really wanted, but I got mine on ebay and initially had 9, and gave some away, thinking I'd keep the 4, but they had other ideas.


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

well when angels get bigger they will probably end up eating the neons. with that said i have my tank over stocked and have 6 angels, a breeding pair, i belive another female and 3 other males. along with 15 columbian tetras. way to much for the tank the angels are smaller in size but do breed have layed eggs 5 times now but i have not messed with trying to save them. and the tetras out compete the angels for food so i think that is also a reason for their small size. i would say go with 4 but if you want a breeding pair or so in a 55 get more and when some pair up you can always sell the others. 

newest pic i have of the tank, when my pair lays eggs they end up running every one out of 1/3 the side by the filter (right side in pic) and lay on the big sword leaves i have had these angels since oct of 2011 and they were about 6 months old when i got them they started laying eggs around oct 2012 and have had 5 spawns now but i dont have room to raise babies so i ony have one angel fry atm


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## Tank Man (Sep 10, 2012)

If I get all all different strains will they still pair off? (Stupid question, but just making sure).


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Pterophyllum scalare, P. leopoldi, P. dumerilii and P. altum are the wilds recognized as separate species I think.

Phenotypes (looks different) are what you are talking about and yes all will pair and mate with each other. Just like with dogs and other animals angelfish are selectively bred for the desired traits we want but yes all healthy critters want to reproduce (nature).


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## wicca27 (May 3, 2009)

i dont really thing a local pet shop will have wilde angels so yes they should pair off if you get a few to start with. i would say start with 6 and it might take up to a year if they are young to pair off. about the only way to know for sure on sex is the egg tub and that is something you just kinda have to see to know sex. ive even read about 2 females acting as a pair where one will lay eggs and another female follow behind and never any fry from it. i think i have a couple of pics of the angels that will show sex if not i can get one in a week or so when they start thinking about laying eggs again


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## kochman (Jan 25, 2012)

I have kept angels in the past in a 55g and once they paired off there were occasional fights and wounds. I now have a pair in 55g and they are fine with a few other small community fish and seem to be very peaceful.


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