multiple angels?

[kakalakasha]

I've heard people.say they can add more then one dwarf angel at a time and they can keep them together. I have a 40g breeder and I was wondering, can I keep a flameback and a flame angel together in this tank? And if I can forsure keep 2 do you think I could try to throw in a coral beauty at the sametime too? Or only 2. Let me know, angel experts!

 

[kenc87]

Honestly from my own experience it didn't work at all as my dwarf angels were trying to kill each other within minutes. However I have heard of people succeeding. If you want to try then go for it but be prepared for it to not turn out well. Also I think you may have better luck with a larger tank. As for doing more than two I wouldn't recommend it since you only have a 40. Good luck with the additions!

 

[kakalakasha]

Yeah I have a second tank and I can split them up if need be!

 

[dzfish17]

I personnaly wouldnt put two dwarf angels in a small tank like yours... its barely big enough for one. There is a well known member here that has two or three in his 75g but most of the people that try this will have problems. Ive kept two in a 210g with no issues.

 

[angelfish7]

Absolutely not! A 40 breeder is a QT! I would go no less than a Six ft tank like q 120/180 .

 

[johnike]

I have an Eibli and a Flame in a 240. I added a Coral Beauty and it was killed almost instantly.

 

[nonimmigrant]

Absolutely not! A 40 breeder is a QT! I would go no less than a Six ft tank like q 120/180 .

Can't disagree here. I now have four multibarred, two golden pygmies, and a flame in the 400 with no problems. But it's a 400. A 40 would be too small for multiples; especially a flame.

 

[albano]

Can't disagree here...
A 40 would be too small for multiples; especially a flame.

+1...I have 4 dwarfs and 6 large angels in my 450g DT, over 2 years without problems...I would not recommend 2 dwarfs in a 40

 

[kakalakasha]

So just an update, I have aadded a flame angel in with my flameback after about a 6 week quarantine. I've setup my tank in mind for my angels, I've maximized tthe amount of hides along with open swimming space. My tank is a macro algae tank and I've got 6+ types of algae for them to graze on, which they do constantly, and there is a massive amount of pods living throughout the algaes and rocks which they are constantly picking on. And to finish it off I finish twice daily, once in the morning and once at dusk. I feed a variety of: red algae, green algae, squid, clam, krill, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, bloodwirms, and rods coral food. Along with the ocassional live brine or live black worms for a snack. They barely ever acknowledge each other. In the morning they bicker a bit, and the smaller flameback seems to bbe more dominant. Towards the end of the day when my halides go off and the actinics are on they tend to swim together and feed together. They're very cute and are doing great together so far! I will keep this updated, as I still have my 2nd ttank I can transfer an angel to if anything goes wrong. And some shots:

You can see them in the bottom right hand corner in that last shot.

 

[orangegoby]

u took the chance and it works out for u. congratulations.

 

[kakalakasha]

Yes and I was very doubtful at first because for the first day my flameback beat the crap out of my flame, but I think the flame was put I'm his place. I blame my success in part on a constant supply of varied foods. I then think the open swimming space + lots of hides leads to a sort if freedom for the angels.

 

[aandfsoccr04]

success isn't measured in a few short weeks. Come back in a year or two with an update. Many very knowledeable people gave you good advice and you ignored it. I hope for the best for the fishs sake but I don't see that working out long term unfortunately. Good luck

 

[MoonSkin]

keep in mind that breeders of dwarf angels, especially hybrids, use 40-55 gallon tanks for a pair or even trios. It is possible if done slowly and patience. If a fish is too aggressive, rehome it.

 

[MrTuskfish]

All dwarf angels need plenty of mature LR to thrive; regardless of tank size.

 

[MrTuskfish]

keep in mind that breeders of dwarf angels, especially hybrids, use 40-55 gallon tanks for a pair or even trios. It is possible if done slowly and patience. If a fish is too aggressive, rehome it.

It works sometimes, everything does. Usually, it doesn't. Breeding pairs of fish are bonded an accept each other. This is totally different than tossing two into a tank.

 

[kakalakasha]

success isn't measured in a few short weeks. Come back in a year or two with an update. Many very knowledeable people gave you good advice and you ignored it. I hope for the best for the fishs sake but I don't see that working out long term unfortunately. Good luck

I didn't ignore the advice, I went against the norm, there are people out there who have had success. I have backup plans, another tank, or even a close friend with a tank, too. And I'm realizing that I said the word success, but in the post before that I said everything is going well so far and will keep things updated. I appreciate your support. I'm not ignoring the advice given, that's why I have backup plans for rehoming.

keep in mind that breeders of dwarf angels, especially hybrids, use 40-55 gallon tanks for a pair or even trios. It is possible if done slowly and patience. If a fish is too aggressive, rehome it.

I'm happy to hear that, and I've been keeping an eye on aggression. They were a little violent towards eachother during the first couple of days due to territory issues. I'm not saying the issues have been completely solved, but the way things are looking so far is in my favor! Thankyou for your support.

All dwarf angels need plenty of mature LR to thrive; regardless of tank size.

I've got 20lbs of maricultured man made rock from California coated in a thick glazing of deep purple coralline and crawling with pods, worms, algaes, and other organisms. I've also added a piece of baserock which is already seeing coralline growth and 2 pieces of rock from my already established tank. the tank was fishless with food and algaes for nearly a month during setup in order to get most populations of organisms stable (or somewhere close). I'm fairly confident that my tank has an established source of food to scavenge throughout the day, supplimented with 2 feedings a day. thankyou for your concern!

 

[MoonSkin]

Well, I sorta know what you're going through. I used a split qt tank to establish a bond between a coral beauty and a blue fin angel. I wanted to use 2 other species but, both fish were too aggressive. Tonight I put the pair in the display tank and they swim side by side and are sleeping in the same cave. I think that size difference, a good supply of food and a slow acclimation to each other's company is key. A stark contrast in appearance helps but, in my case it didn't make much difference.

 

[Curious George]

Adventure is the main ingredient for discovery. Take me for example. Everyone told me my tank was too small, my experience too limited, and my stock list too much to add a Moorish Idol.

HA!

I added that Moorish Idol and he got ich after 2 weeks of celebrated success, then wiped out the rest of my tank with disease.

So there!

Good luck with the experiment though. Sounds like you're off to a good start and have a backup plan if things go bad fast. I'd put money that sooner than later, one of them will want the place to himself.

 

[kakalakasha]

Hey guys, just wanted to update this. Although I had to get out of the hobby and sell off the tank, the angels were doing great together and even spent most of their time swimming laps around the tank together. I had them together for 11 months before I took the tank down. I think my success was due mostly to constant availability of food. I had ~9 different types of macro algaes in my tank for them to graze on. The tank was absolutely crawling with pods. And I fed multiple times a day with blood worms, mysis, rods food, brine shrimp, ova, and algae. I want to tell people that it is possible with patience and hard work!

 

[Rilelen]

Wow, thanks for coming back to give us an update! I always wonder how these kinds of threads turn out, great to hear that you had short-term *and* long-term success with the two!