Isabella

Hello All I managed to take some (well, quite many) pictures of my baby Angels. Of course the pictures are very unclear, the resolution is bad, etc ... but that's because they're still too small to photograph with a regular camera. However, you'll still be able to see them. They're more than a month old, and they're a little more than half an inch in length right now (including fins, so without fins they're smaller).

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Isabella

P.S. I love them so much I don't want to give them away even though I have no space to keep them!

Gunnie

Isabella,
They are adorable! I know how you feel. That's why I'm kinda okay with my angels eating their eggs, because it would be hard to part with the babies!

atmmachine816

Very nice

Isabella

Gunnie you may be entirely right. Maybe it's better not to let the eggs survive (before they even hatch) than to raise them and then give them away, just like that. Besides, only you yourself know how much work you've put into raising them. And then ... watching them grow into beautiful angels! All this makes it that much harder to give them away. Maybe I should leave raising angelfish alone for now? And raise another batch when I have a huge tank and enough space for them in the future? How long do you think my angelfish pair will keep breeding?

P.S. The parents laid eggs already twice since I began to raise this batch. Of course, all were eaten. But I don't feel bad about it anymore because they were eaten so soon after spawning that they probably were not yet fertilized well. Imagine losing a batch that you've already raised! That would be a terrible loss!

atmmachine816

I'd say a long time since mine are over 10 years old and they are stilll breeding, there my grandpas. Just let them eat there eggs and you have no problems, that's what I do.

Austin

p.s. I wish I had a digital camera to show pictures of my baby guppies and angels, there so cute and funny lookin.

Isabella

Thank you ATM. 10 years!!! That's a LONG time I am very glad it is so. I should definitely have another tank (that "huge" one, lol) within that time. I am actually hoping in 2-3, maybe 4 years.

atmmachine816

Yup my grandpa knew his stuff. In maybe 15 years I hope to have a betta rack, large SW tank, large FW tank, and some smaller breeding tank and as many tanks as I can take care of. Hope you get your tank.

Austin

Butterfly

Your babies anf pics are gorgeous!!! Their fins are beautiful. See all those water changes are worth it
they will spawn approx. every two weeks for the rest of their life
Carol

atmmachine816

really mine spawn more like once a week

0morrokh

awww, they're so cute! *You must be doing a great job raising them. *I know what you mean about not wanting to part with them. *My Guppy had babies in my tank and 2 fry survived, and I ended up keeping them because I couldn't bear to part with them! *Remember that even when you do have to give up your babies, you can always raise a new batch.

Isabella

Thank you all so much. I know I can always raise another batch (especially when I have another tank) - which is a sort of consolation for me. However, considering that it is my first batch of any fish raised, ever, it will be sad to give them away. Yet I know I have to, because angelfish grow to quite a size. My 30G is already stocked enough, plus there already are 2 angels in there, so an introduction of any new angel(s) could cause problems (ex. a new angel being rejected or picked on, etc.). If I wanted to keep any, it would have to be at least 2 angels that like each other from the batch. And once again, that is impossible, as my 30G would be way too overstocked.

Another thing that I am concerned about is that they'll die at the fish store because of (1) poor water quality (not enough water changes), and (2) confinement (not enough space). I have already seen how fish are confined and poorly kept at fish stores. My angels are receiving the best of care - I change water every day and feed them a couple of times a day. Their pH is stable (7.0 all the time), the temperature is at 80F all the time, and generally their water quality is very good. I am 99% sure they'll never have all that at the fish store. I also know they'll be sold to people who don't have tanks big enough for them and to people who may even unintentionally cause them to die.

All this renders my hard work being done in vain. If I only knew if they'll get into good hands. I don't even want any money for them, as long as they're well and happy. I also worry that the fish store won't take appropriate steps with acclimatizing angels in their new tank, and as a result they'll die. How do fish stores prepare for new fish? Do they get entirely new water? Or do they dump them in dirty old water? Because if they did that, my angels would die instantly as they're in water that has 0 nitrates. Won't a higher level of nitrates be a shock to them? What about a different temperature and a different pH? As I have said, my angels are receiving good care, and a new tank that has very different water parameters may seriously harm them, don't you think?

Maybe I should slowly start getting them used to poorer water quality, so that when they are transferred to a fish store, they won't be so shocked?

P.S. Carol, yes, the water changes definitely paid off. I can never thank you enough for your help. You've been wonderful. THANK YOU!

Marc

How long will it be until you must give them away? I will be setting up a Cichlid tank this summer (hopefully) with Rams, Kribs, and Angels, so I may be able to take some off your hands before you must give them away

New York isn't THAT much of a drive..

0morrokh

I know how you must feel. But there are good stores out there. I have seen my lfs get new fish, they let the bags float and stuff to let the temp equalize. Maybe you could visit different stores and ask them different questions to see if they seem to treat their fish well. Or just see if the fish are healthy and listen to what advice they give to people about fish.

Isabella

Thanks Marc and Omorrokh.

Omorrokh, I will ask the fish store to which I'll be giving my angels about how they will handle my fish. I'll ask them about acclimatizing technique(s) they use, the pH, and water changes. I hope they'll give me some good answers - they better!

Marc, you live in CT, right? No, it's not that far from NYC. However, traffic in NYC is always so bad that it would take a long drive even by car to get from one state to the other - I know that as I sometimes drive to CT (Stamford) to see my friends. Stamford isn't that far from NYC, and yet it takes at least an hour's drive because of all the traffic I have to get through. (I hate all the traffic in NYC and how much time it can waste you - terrible.) I keep my angels at 80F all the time, and an hour's drive would decrease the temperature a lot - I don't think they'd make it.

I already told my LFS that I will be giving them my angelfish once they're big enough and they're expecting them. So I don't know if it's appropriate to back out now. But thank you Marc for suggesting you'd take some of them. That would be great if you told me a bit earlier, and if it didn't take so long to drive. I will be giving them away once they're big enough - I don't exactly know when that will be, but I think they should be ready in about a month (they're supposed to be dime-sized for sale). I can't keep them long because as they grow, they produce more waste and my tank is only 10G. Angels grow to quite a size, so I have to give them away as soon as I can so that they are not confined within a tiny space and suffering.

P.S. Does anyone know how old are dime-sized angelfish?

0morrokh

If you ask about how they handle fish and they don't seem very good, then don't give them your fish. Make up some excuse, but don't give your babies to someone who won't take good care of them. If you need to back out, then back out!

Isabella

You're right. If they will give me poor answers, maybe I should back out. But then I'll have to find another place quickly as my angles will need a larger tank VERY soon. Even at the size of less than a dime, 11 angles will already be too many for a 10G tank. Anyway, we'll see what my LFS will have to say. How about advertising in a local newspaper? Do you think people search for fish in local newspapers?

0morrokh

If you want to, why not put an ad in the newspaper? It might be a good idea to find another lfs as a back-up in case this one isn't good. Remember that your amgels will be happier at least for some time in a small clean tank than in a big dirty tank. If they give you bad answers, do back out.