I Need A New Fish

[number20121]

Ok well, I don't really NEED a new fish. I would like one though, for Christmas. A tropical one to join in the 55g tank (which was originally intended for my goldfish) that belongs to my husband (even though I'm responsible for maintenance and most of the feeding).

So I think I should be "allowed" to get one fish for that tank.

My question is just what would work good in this tank? I personally would like either another angelfish or a female betta the most.

For those of you who don't remember, it is currently stocked with

1 angelfish

2 dwarf gouramis

2 platies

1 rubber lip pleco

1 common pleco

2 apple snails

I think I'd tend to a female betta more than the angelfish because I am not sure how much the angelfish would enjoy another one of her kind. She is slightly territorial with the smaller fish. Meaning that depending on her mood, if they are closer than 5 inches to her, she shoos them away. Never really aggressive toward any of them though.

But that makes me wonder if there was another angelfish, if this would stress her and make them both aggressive, or aggressive toward the other fish if the new angel was a boy.

This is why I tend more to a female betta.

BUT what other single fish would do well in this community tank?

[Hidr]

I would get a a platy or two.

[number20121]

So a female betta would not work in this setup?

[blackteles]

I'm not an expert on Bettas but I'm going to give you this link to tropical fish compatibility. Hopefully it may help, Fang.

Tropical Fish Compatibility Guide

[shellbell4ever]

I'm not 100%but maybe a few female betta's? sometime they do well in a community...I'm looking into something like that myself;) my daughter has a few with her guppies and so far no issues but she has a backup plan just in in case (LOL)

[Hidr]

The only problem I see is your dwarf gouramis they have a lot of color and the betta might go after them.

[rai-nbow]

I just wanted to lend my input on, DO NOT GET ANOTHER ANGELFISH. With my experience with my father's angelfish he breeds, Lord, it can be a pain to have more than one. The fight, fuss, try to breed, fail at breeding, fight, fuss. Even if it's two of the same gender. Ugh. So yeah. ahahaha. I say go with a betta! But then I don't have any facts to back up that decision, just personal Wants. xD

[number20121]

Thanks everyone! Dennis, that is a cool chart!

I googled "female betta and angelfish" and so far found 90% positive answers about them being together. Like people asking the same thing I did and a lot of people replied that they are doing it and everything is perfectly fine. Only one said that the betta was killed by the angelfish, but seeing that our angelfish is not very aggressive toward the other small fish, I doubt she'd be very upset over the female betta.

I guess.

[number20121]

Oh, I see what you mean Hidr. But IMO the platies I got are more colourful; deep yellow/orange/red shades while the dwarf gouramis are powder blue. But no fish with long flowing fins except for the big angelfish, but she is natural color, so not very colorful, just silver and black.

And the good thing with the female betta would be that if it does not work out (and I can only return them to the LFS within 14 days which would be the time she is quarantining) I could get one of those small 3g tanks for her and keep her on the entertainment stand where the cats don't get to her.

I could quarantine her by having the 1 gallon half round bowl clamped to the inside of the tank, filled with tank water. I just tried that for the heck of it and it works, very stable. That way more or less same temperature and the fish would have a chance to check each other out. I know the 1 gallon bowl is too small for her on the long run, but it sure is a big step up from the half pint cups they're being sold in.

Just my naive thoughts

Rai: Yes, that is what I am worrying about with Laura. She seems to have been the only angelfish for all her life, so getting another big fish might really bother her.

[Hidr]

Bully has been fine in the past with betta's. A group of females and a male one time.

He is just aggressive enough that he chased them away when they got to close but he never got close enough to do any damage to them.

But he is a bully and I can't put any other angelfish with him. He does attack them.

[number20121]

Yeah, I got the feeling it would be the same with ours. It seems like she likes being the queen of the 55g.

They still got this pretty girl betta at the LFS. Almost all white, a few darker scales on her sides, and the fins are dove blue. And she has big black button eyes

Too bad hubby doesn't want any other fish in "his" tank.

I'm gonna stop doing the maintenance of the tank and feeding his fish. If he has all the saying about "his" tank (which I originally thought for my goldis) then he better takes care of them himself too.

In reality I'll still do it when he's not home because I love those fish, but in a couple weeks I'm gonna ask him when he last did a water change or fed the fish. I know he didn't feed them the last two days (I did though)

[Hidr]

LOL Ya that well teach him.

[johann_pond]

I would look at adding a few rummie nose tetras.

[ashlee18]

I thought I would add that my super aggressive angel ying completely ignores the 6 female bettas in his tank right now. They were in a tank by themselves and showed stress stripes 24/7 but have colored up nicely since being moved over.

I've had experiences with the male bettas going after the angels but none of that behavior with the females.

[arabpaso]

I had one betta girl in a community tank that never tried to hurt anyone including the guppies. I had another girl though that did attack my gups and chase after my dwarf platy. So I would be most concerned about your platies if you do put a betta in there--good thing you could keep her separately if it didn't work out in the big tank.

[Migaloo]

Hi Fang! Did you get anything yet?

What about a few corys? They are very awesome and so active and entertaining! BLackteles and Kristi first introduced me to them and I have never looked back!

[blackteles]

I'd suggest a little herd of Corys anytime! If you like spunky fish that are fun to watch go Corys!