Angelfish Aggression! Why Are They Fighting? How To Make Them Stop! 

Thanks for watching the video. Hopefully it will save some angels from murder and mayhem . . .

My pleasure ! The fish did most of the work. :-D

I had this happen with my kribensis. Except it was the male who was eating the babies as soon as they hatched into wrigglers. The female ended up sealing up the cave entrance to keep the male out. I decided to take the male out, and later that night I saw her out in the open with her free swimming fry pecking at the plants and rock. It was so cute. Went thru so many spawns to finally figure out what kept happening to babies.

That is fascinating, and people still think that animals and fish don’t have emotions and reasoning capacity. From largest to smallest, once you really watch any living thing you begin to see their intelligence and personality. I’m glad your male saved his babies, congratulations.🖤🇨🇦

@@katalinacastanares4602 I’m glad your babies had a good Mum, and that she figured out a way to keep them safe.🖤🇨🇦

@@tamarrajames3590 thank you. Me too. I actually feel terrible that I couldn't figure it out for myself in time. I just couldn't catch it in time to see who was eating eggs/fry, or if they were both eating em due to being young and/or stress of some sort. Anyway, I definitely agree with your other comment about the intelligence of certain animals. Before I really got into fish keeping, I would have never thought of fish as anything close to intelligent, and never knew how much parental care some fish species possess. It is amazing to see up close, and witness the amazing mother/fathering behaviors.

I love watching fish, they're so intelligent. Thanks for watching the video.

Awesome! Thank you!

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Angelfish do not need to be kept in groups. However, I can see why a sales person would be incentivized to tell you that. . . African Rift lake cichlids are often kept in groups to spread out the aggression, so that no one fish is singled out and injured, or worse. This method works for small cichlids with lots of places to hide, but it is is not effective with mature angelfish. What eventually happens is the dominant pair of angelfish will beat up on all the other angels, until they are the only angelfish left in the tank. If you'd like to breed the angels remove the eggs / slate as soon as the fish are done spawning.

Thank you !

Thanks again!

Thanks for watching the video and sharing your experiences. Best of luck with the breeding. :-)

thanks !

I agree. They're such a beautiful fish, it's hard to resist the temptation to put a lot of small angels together, but the peace only last for a short time. 🐟🦈🐟

You are very welcome. :-D

You are so welcome!

Glad it helped. Best of luck.

Thank you very much!

My pleasure it was a fun one to put together.

Glad you enjoyed it!

You're very welcome, thanks for watching.

Thanks for watching! I can always count on you.

I'm hoping the video will help to save a few angels from harm.

They're such beautiful fish !

@@TheDave333 yes they are i just got 3altum orinoko and 3peruvian angels or dantum angel fish they are beautiful

Lucky you, best of luck. :-)

There's still time to make it right. :-)

Wise choice :-)

Thanks for checking out the video. I don't do anything special for the hornwort. I've found over the years some plants work for some people and not others, it must be in the water! For instance, I can't grow Wisteria / hygrophila, and for others it grows like a weed!

@@TheDave333 Good point Dave!! Seems like that ls true!! My Hornwort is still acclimating to conditions hopefully it'll do good!

Yes, it's very common in cichlids. It's one of the things that makes them such as interesting group of fish. Complex social behaviors :-)

Hello and thanks for watching the video. I don't have any experience with the P. Altums, but perhaps they're a bit more reserved. I imagine that if they lay eggs they'd be aggressive as well.

I see! Maybe I’ll do more research into their behaviour if I ever intend to keep them. Thanks a bunch Dave!

My pleasure!

Thanks for watching the video. :-D

Thank you. . . . You're cool for watching all of my videos!!! 😁

Thank you so much 😀

Hello again. Those green spheres are dead / unfertilized eggs. The eggs were treated with an antifungal agent known as methylene blue. It stains everything the white/dead eggs blue, but the blue fades to a turquoise green color after a while. The prominent forehead bulge is an indication of an older male. Everything is well on my end. Looking forward to warm weather, so that I can get back into the rivers and lakes to film. Lots of great stuff in the making. I'm very excited about the coming year. . . Hope springs eternal . . . 🐠 🐠 🐠

@@TheDave333 Thanks for the answers, I thought it might be that, but wanted to check and be sure. I think this year will hold much that is good, and it’s nice to know you are excited about upcoming projects. By this time next year I will be back caring for orphaned or injured wildlife again. Just have to rewrite and insulate our old brick double carriage house, get a heated floor and incubators, washer/drier and small fridge in so it works as well in Winter as the other seasons.🖤🇨🇦

@Tamarra James Well, it looks like you're in for a busy year as well ! Based on some of your previous comments, your work with animals in need comes as no surprise. I always sensed that you had a deeper connection to the natural world. I wish you the greatest success in all of your endeavors. 🌍

@@TheDave333 Thank you, I have always been connected to Nature in a spiritual way, since my childhood on a farm. When I was younger I did wildlife rescue, but it’s hard to do when you are running a business, now that I have retired I can give the time to wildlife care again. It will take me a year to get property set up and myself up to date with current practice. Thanks for the good wishes, I look forward to your next project.🖤🇨🇦

Thanks. I'm glad that I could make you smile. 😁

In the wild, they live in a very large river system, once parental care is over, their relationship is over, and they probably never see their children again. They probably don't know their own parents.

The problem is each tank set up is different, and each fish has its own personality. So, results can vary. People buy them several of them when they're small (before they reach sexual maturity) and everything is fine for a while. . . But that all changes once a pair decides to breed, then there will be trouble . . . guaranteed. Fins will be torn, fish will be stressed, and if there's one that's really aggressive, someone will get hurt. It just depends on how much aggression you're willing to put up with. Some people are okay with fish bickering constantly and fins being torn. In my opinion that detracts from their beauty. In the short term, they're okay, but in the long term view, trouble is 100% certain.

@@TheDave333 For that same reason it seems like the best choice would be to either keep one, or get 6, raise them up, and keep the most docile pair. I see why a group of angels can be so majestic. but I totally agree, health comes first

My thoughts exactly.

If it's a mated pair of angels, the other juvenile angelfish is probably in real danger. It really depends on the personalities of the individual fish, and how densely the tank is planted. When the pair decide to lay eggs, there might be real trouble for everyone. It's a bit risky for the newcomer. . .

Unfortunately, some angelfish can turn aggressive over time, especially if something has changed about its environment. Did something change recently? New tank mate / lose a tank mate / a change to their feeding routine / water change schedule / tank setup . . . What is the other larger fish? Lowering the water temperature a little can sometimes help reduce aggression. ( no lower than 72 degrees )

Yes, in fact that's the most trouble-free way to keep them. It will eat smaller fish - like baby guppies and neon tetras.

Sometimes after several failed spawns, a pair of angelfish will begin to fight, each blaming the other for the failure. In the wild, they would just switch partners, but in the aquarium, not so much. . . Have they ever had a successful spawn? Is it possible you have two females? (Females will lay eggs without a male present) If they spawn again you might want to consider removing the eggs to hatch them on your own. Then, you'll know if they're fertile or not. Sometimes, a pair will fight for a while, and then work things out. And sometimes they're just incompatible. It's hard to tell for certain how they'll behave. Sometimes just separating them for a while will help them work things out. Watch them closely to be sure that she is still eating and not getting hurt. If you do decide to rehome one of them, be sure that the new fish is about the same size or one of them might get hurt. Fish love is unpredictable. . .

The pair (male and female I assume) can be reunited after a while. It helps to rearrange the tank, so that the fish don't have any recognizable areas of the tank that it claims as its own. This will make the fish a little less territorial about its living space. If you have 2 males, the fighting will continue. Be sure to provide plenty of food so they don't fight over it, and keep a close eye on both fish. Males and females generally settle down after a while and try to spawn. Are you trying to breed them?

Yes, it would be a good idea to move her, and as the others reach sexual maturity, they will become more aggressive as well. They are preparing to breed.

Thank you! :-D

Don't be sorry. . . You're right. I said it wrong. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!!! :-)

what a beautiful crab!

Because they're so young, they are probably still establishing a pecking order. And once everyone knows their place, the fighting should slow down. As long as no one is getting hurt, everyone is still getting food and they're all still moving around the tank, it will be okay for a while. However, if a fish is always hiding in the corner, then it should be removed. If one of them is getting injured, it should be removed. Unfortunately, the fighting will most likely continue, and it will get worse and worse as they get closer to sexual maturity. With 6 sexually mature angels in a 65 G, someone will eventually get really hurt.

Yes ,they can lose their appetite when they focus on other things like spawning. Turn the heater horizontally to keep them from putting eggs on it.

@@TheDave333 Thanks for your reply very much appreciated, that's less worry regarding the eating, as she eats smaller bits to what she did do but still holding good weight. Thanks for the tip on the heater 🙂

My pleasure 🙂

There is some research that suggest just that, or you could go the opposite way and change a lot of water more frequently so that the pheromones don't build up as much. Caution is advised if you plan on doing less frequent water changes. Testing the water for ammonia, and nitrites is the best way to determine when and if to change the water. Using lots of live plants will also reduce the need to change the water as much.

The size of the nuchal hump varies from one type of angel to another. Sometimes, it's hardly visible at all.

@@TheDave333 nuchal...duh I said ponchal. These are my first angelfish, and it shows

No worries, I knew what you meant. Angelfish are awesome. They're so graceful. Where most people run into problems is with fighting and aggression.

Yeah I've got 1 tricolor who is the oldest, then the 2 blue zebras. The tricolor male has paired with a blue zebra, and they all get along for the most part. Never any fin or body damage anyway...just a lot of posturing occasionally and the tricolor stays completely out of it. It is so much fun to watch. Thanks again for your help

You're very welcome.

As long as she's not inflicting serious damage to the male, and they're both eating normally, they can usually work things out. You wouldn't want him to be cowering in the corner and not feeding. Have they spawned before? Failed spawns sometimes cause a pair to fight, but they usually resolve their differences after a while. If you have more than 2 angels in the same tank, they sometime can switch partners. It's best to keep them in pairs, other angelfish in the same tank can really complicate the breeding process. A single pair in each tank will make things much easier. More space will help[, but not always.

No damage to him, eats fine, nothing major just irritating. Gonna put them in the big tank, the rest is up to them to figure it out. Thanks!

It is irritating to see them bickering, I agree. I'm not a fan of fish fighting. It always worries me and I feel bad for them. Best of luck.

If they were a sexually mature pair they probably would've laid eggs on the glass by now. It could be two males or two females, but I guess it couldn't hurt to put a couple pieces of slate in there and see what happens. If you do decide to try adding another angel, be sure it's of a similar size, and keep a close eye on it for a few days after introduction.

I love saltwater angels!

Yes, that's pretty much how they think!

Lucky you! Did you pull the eggs?

@The Dave unfortunately not, no extra tank. But maybe i should pull em anyways, due to the aggression.

When they decide to spawn all hell can break loose. . . Extra tanks are always helpful. And this is how I ended up with 22 tanks. . . 😁

No room for extra tank/s here😅

I understand. . . 😁

Hello, sorry to hear of your troubles. It is important to remember that in the wild angelfish pairs don't stay together throughout the year, they breed once and then go their separate ways until the next breeding season. They change partners each season. In the aquarium, we often expect them to reproduce repeatedly without much of a break. It's very unnatural and can wear them out. It could be that the female has not had enough time to rest and recover. She may be tired and not willing to cooperate, which frustrates the male. In the wild, he would drive her away and seek a different, more willing partner. This is not really an option in the aquarium. It may be helpful to keep them separated for a longer period of time, and be sure that the female is well-fed, healthy, and ripe with eggs before placing her back with the male. Remember, she's older than she used to be, and as they get older the spawning becomes less and less frequent, which is perfectly normal. As I mentioned in the video, a failed spawn can also cause the pair to lose trust and fight. Give them more time apart, or try to find a new female. Best of luck.

@@TheDave333 understood.. thanks dave ... will keep them seperated ...

Happy to help. Give her lots of protein rich food like frozen bloodworms to help her with egg production and help her build back her strength. Sometimes small love foods like baby brine shrimp and daphnia can help signal to the fish that its a good time to reproduce because there's lots of small foods in the water for their babies to eat.

@@TheDave333 She has been separated for a while now.. and I also see she is full of eggs.. I think she is just not ready mate with the same male.. may be i will try find a new mate for her after a while... I give her a diet of tubifex worms.. frozen blood worms 2-3 times a week.. tetra bits the other days..baby brine shrimp everyday.. because thats the main inducer of breeding in my opinion..

It sounds to me like you're doing everything right. . .

Sometimes they get very focused on spawning and their appetite slows down, but mine still feed when they're breeding. Is one of the fish bullying the other fish, so it doesn't feed? That would be a definite red flag. A hungry fish will eat their eggs or their fry. Try changing foods, or try live food to help convince it to eat.

Not much really, just the way I like it! Several family members came over to my house. We had cake and ice cream. Opened a few gifts, nice and simple. I don't really care for large crowds. It was nice.

I'd say they're about the same, especially when guarding their young.

They are Philippine Blue Angelfish.

I don't mind the questions. I'm here to help you, and most importantly, the fish. Fish, like people, have different personalities, so what may work with one, may not work with another. Aquarium setups differ and that can have an effect on behavior as well. However, a full-size angelfish can and will eat guppies ( adult and babies). In a densely planted tank, only the slow, the silly and the sick will be eaten if the angel can catch them. In fact, some people use angel fish to keep their guppy numbers under control. As angelfish mature, they become very aggressive, especially if they form a pair and start defending a spawning area. Unless you're breeding angelfish, it is much less problematic to keep just a single fish as the centerpiece of the tank. They don't need to be kept in a group. A group of angels always leads to trouble when they reach sexual maturity. Here's a video that explains how to sex them accurately. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-myZS_NgAsjY.html

Only the mommy and daddy discus can do that. Maybe some day.

That's anew one, they remind me of barbs.

angels love to battle . . .

No discus in the fish room at the moment.

@@TheDave333 They're beautiful!

Yes they are!

No, I haven't. That's a very strange name. . . .

@@TheDave333 It's called the snoek in New Zealand, but it's called the barracouta in South Africa.

Wow! I went and looked it up. What a scary looking fish!

@@TheDave333 I love large predatory fish with sharp teeth. Don't you?

Yes indeed I do.

I've never done that combination before, but the angel might eat the gobies, or the gobies might pick at the angelfish. The angelfish might also outcompete the gobies for food.

@@TheDave333 thanks. looks like its going to be hard to find any center peace fish that can go with the gobies in my 30 gallon. It seems like the whole upper portion of the tank is empty.

I've never kept them before, so I'd hate to offer advice not based on real world experience.

Are they fighting?

Same here, my male keeps nipping the one female.

That's where they should be, The encyclopedia of life. . .

@@TheDave333 I got it for Christmas in 2009.

That's awesome. I love books.

I think he might have. There's always someone out there who's bigger, stronger, and tougher than you. He probably ran across other fish who wouldn't put up with his nonsense!

Yes, interspecific. . . oops. :-)

Yes, but they don't have any health insurance . . .

😂

Hello! I can help. I have a video all about how to sex angelfish. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-myZS_NgAsjY.html

No sir, but I have heard of bream.

@@TheDave333 I just love introducing you to new species!!!!!😁

Well I do appreciate it!

Yes, sort of. Still haven't been in the lake all year. I need to get in there and get some freshwater sponges!

Most cichlids are fairly aggressive. They're very serious about their young and their territory.

I have, and there's a silly bounty / reward system for catching and killing them in some places out west because they eat baby salmon. They're a native species that belong in the river, trying to wipe them out is silly.

@@TheDave333 I saw that on a picture yesterday. And yes it is very silly.

I'm so glad you agree. Nature does not need managing. It's people that need managing. . . If we leave it alone, it will do what it has always done for millions of years, without our help.

@@TheDave333 You are absolute right!

​@@TheDave333i have a pair of angel fish and they are fighting

Cichlids are great parents, so yes they mean business.

I can see that now. I had to look them up! :-)

So?🤨

They are certainly not

They're a breeding pair, those little babies you saw are theirs. . .

Sometimes aggressive . . caring parents protect their young.

You can have one,they're beautiful fish

In many ways, yes. . .

Yes, there shall be no eating of the babies. :-)