Angels Are Getting Aggressive

I have had my 55 gallon set up for about 1.5 months I got cories and a few mystery snails in there at about 3 weeks once it was all cycled. I added 4 fairly small Black Angelfish (about 2.5 inches from top to bottom fin) 3 weeks and they were very peaceful for about 2 weeks but recently they've been getting more and more violent. I can see some kind of pecking order forming like when the dominant one pecks a smaller one it sets off a chain of bullying until the last guy is left just running. Any advice on what to do? This is my first larger tank after my 10 gallon but i've done my research. Thanks!

 

As Angels mature they will form a pecking order, this a natural behavior. I would advice if one seems to be getting singled out and bullied by all the others, then remove it, because things will most likely just get worse and worse as they continue to mature.

 

sometimes angelfish are just jerks and will bully a certain fish, if you see them particularly picking on one angelfish you might need to remove it, and watch for any ripped fins as well, however they are most likely just establishing their pecking order and it should calm down eventually, but it may not depending on each angels temperament

 

Rearrange the tank, this resets territory boundaries - however when angels start picking they don't stop because they are learning where they fit in the tank, if one is weaker or won't back down it becomes a sudden death kind of attack - they will bully and keep bullying the weaker angel, and one that won't back down can cause larger fights to break out.

 

Hm okay it would be pretty hard for me to rearrange everything but the one on the bottom/ getting bullied the most has a small tear on his top fin if it continues I'll bring him back to the store. Thanks for all the help and quick responses!

But at the same time it's not like they'll all attack one they just have an order in place of who they can mess with like the second highest can beat up the lower two but not the dominant one

 

Hm okay it would be pretty hard for me to rearrange everything but the one on the bottom/ getting bullied the most has a small tear on his top fin if it continues I'll bring him back to the store. Thanks for all the help and quick responses!

But at the same time it's not like they'll all attack one they just have an order in place of who they can mess with like the second highest can beat up the lower two but not the dominant one

Its not like a normal hierarchy like with bettas - fish can quite suddenly have an issue you don't see and the pecking order changes overnight and you have a dead fish in the morning.

 

Ok I’m going to add in some more plants and my vallisneria just started growing out super fast so that might help them have less contact with each other

 

IMO a 55 gallon is too small for any more then 1 mated pair of angels. bizaliz3 would you weigh in here please?

 

I was trying to get a pair out of them but I don’t know if it’s gonna happen

 

I was trying to get a pair out of them but I don’t know if it’s gonna happen

You should have a mated pair soon, if not already.

 

Yeah I hope I just don’t know I they’re mature enough

 

Yeah I hope I just don’t know I they’re mature enough

Usually when they start getting aggressive there mature enough to start spawning.

 

Usually when they start getting aggressive there mature enough to start spawning.

They’re only about 2.5 inches from top to bottom at the largest

 

They’re only about 2.5 inches from top to bottom at the largest

Ok yea you got some time. I suspect you have both males and females, since there already getting aggressive.

 

Angels will start looking for a partner when they are smaller than you think. I would say 2.5 inches is big enough for them to be reaching sexual maturity. They can be sexually mature before they are full grown. One of my actively breeding females has a half dollar sized body!! And the male isn't much bigger!

IMO a 55 gallon is too small for any more then 1 mated pair of angels. bizaliz3 would you weigh in here please?

I agree for the average person, yes.
I have two pairs in my 55 at all times, but those pairs have to be swapped pretty regularly. Eventually one of the two pairs take control of the tank. It can take a while, but it eventually happens. In fact, the current two pairs in there have to be separated soon. One of the two pairs has officially taken control of the tank, I noticed it last night. They came over and ate the other pairs' eggs...and the other pair seemed to have given up on saving them. They just sort of watched it happen. So the other pair has finally given up control and I don't like that. They lived together ok for about 3-4 months.

My 55 is VERY heavily planted. Which also helps. But long term, I have never been able to get the same two pairs to live peacefully. Some have gone a good 6 months with no issues, but eventually one of two things happens....One of the pairs gets divorced and I have to shuffle for that reason. Or, one of the pairs takes charge of the tank.

 

Alright I thought they had to be bigger but things have cooled down again thanks for all the help I’ll probably rehome the extra 2 once I get a pair for sure