Help with angelfish aggression-29 gallon

Hey everyone!

So I've had my 29 gallon tank set up for a few weeks now, current stock is 2 young adult angelfish and 6 threadfin rainbowfish. My two angels are unsexed, but I have a feeling I have 2 of the same gender. One is a half dollar size veil/superveil, and the other is a slightly larger golfball veil or standard fin (was supposed to be a veil but its fins are not nearly as long and flowy as the smaller one). Anyways, I had the threadfins in the tank before adding the Angel's. I'm assuming the angelfish are siblings, I ordered them online from a breeder. They have both been very healthy and active, and I've had no health issues with any of my fish. Temp is 82 with a 55 gph rated sponge and 95 gph canister and 9 watt UV.

Now onto my *MINOR* issue with my angels. Since I ever first introduced them to the aquarium, it was clear from the beginning that the larger one is boss of the tank. It has claimed the front half of the tank (probably for a better feeding spot). Now its hit or miss whether or not it chases my smaller angel. Sometimes it will let the small one pass by or hang around in its general area and not pay any attention to it. But most of the time, if my smaller angel gets too close or within eyesight, the larger one chases it away. Most of the time the smaller one knows to stay out of the big angels way, which means that it usually has to hang out around the back side of the tank. I've been keeping a very close eye on any injuries, and other than some frayed tail finnage the little one is left unharmed. Sometimes if a threadfin gets too close to the big angel, I can see it slowly turn and eye up the rainbowfish. Luckily for them they are much faster and haven't been picked on at all. It's more aggression between the two Angel's, although I do worry about the bigger one catching one of my threadfins offguard...I don't like the way it looks at them lol...my smaller angel is a straight up SWEETIE and even let's the threadfins push it out of the way. It never ever tries to fight back with the larger angel, even when the large one gets particularly defensive during feeding time (I've been shutting the tank lights off 5 minutes after feeding now to combat this behavior)

On to possible solutions.
Right now the tank has become pretty bare in regards to plants. My plant shipment contained some diseased anubias that has wiped out over 15 plants and is still eating away at what I have left. I would like to add a large java fern mat to break up the line of sight more like how the tank was before my anubias rot, but I have to wait to see how this anubias disease plays out before investing in more rhizome plants. But maybe this would be a good alternative?

Next is a 3rd angel. My coworker keeps Angel's in his 55,60, and 75 and suggesting adding another angel similar in size might help. I would love to add another, but my worry is pushing it with the stocking at that point. Also I would NOT like to have a pair, as then I can't keep any other fish in the tank and I want a community tank. So I would hate to have 2 of the same gender and add a 3rd, then have 2 pair up and I have to rehome all the other fish.

Another option: the previously mentioned coworker can rehome the bully angel, and I can purchase a smaller juvenile angel or two to accompany my small sweetie angel. I really think this angel just has a generally passive nature and wouldn't bother one or two smaller angelfish.

My last option is to purchase 6 more dither fish. This would most likely be 6 praecox rainbows. They are robust and fast like the threadfins, so they won't become a snack. Maybe with more fish of other species floating around would distract the bully angel from picking on the small one so much..


Any help is appreciated--these are my first Angels and my first medium sized tank, so I'm really enjoying having it and wouldn't want it to become an issue. Heres some pictures of the angels and the tank for reference (ignore the "blackwater"..the driftwood is still leeching tannins)



:

 

Crispii

The Angel Signal

I would move one of the angels to another tank, or rehome. 2 of the same gender (male) could end up bad. 2 females might "false" pair and become aggressive, protecting eggs.

 

Crispii

The Angel Signal

I would move one of the angels to another tank, or rehome. 2 of the same gender (male) could end up bad. 2 females might "false" pair and become aggressive, protecting eggs.

I figured I would let them completely grow out together before I considered rehoming one, since I still have no idea what gender they are (unless anyone wants to make an educated guess with the pictures I provided...yours is better than mine) but it's my understanding with angels you never really know until they actually spawn. I'm wondering if anyone has had any SUCCESS with keeping two of the same gender?

 

Are these the special angels from another thread that you split the order on ?
If so they look good ..Red spot koi ?
Get a divider or decide which one you want ..
Having a community tank with 2 angels is very difficult .
Your tank size adds to it drastically IMO .
Your tank looks very nice in the picture ..

 

Love the wood!

 

Another option: Upgrade the tank to at least 55+ gallons and get more angels. A 29 is too small for two angels imo (unless you have a mated pair and are planning to breed). Adding more angels will help diffuse any signs of aggression. However, any number less than 5 will be prone to constant aggression.

 

But then you have the risk of pairs forming, which is not the OP wants I believe. Otherwise Crisp is giving good advise.

 

Yes it's the Angels from my other thread! The ram was moved into my other tank because it was having trouble distinguishing the cichlid pellets from the gravel and I got worried it would swallow a piece of gravel. When I originally came on here about tank size before I had it set up I had the advice from other users that 2 Angels in a 29 gallon would be fine *under certain circumstances, until full maturity at which point they will either work or wont. I just bought this 29 gallon and definitely don't want to/have the aquarium funds to do a 55. They aren't fighting or injuring each other, or going at it constantly all day. Which I read bickering and bullying is pretty normal if not inevitable for angelfish no matter how many there are. So I'm confused on why everyone is saying to immediately separate and rehome?

Edit: I just thought of a secondary question. It's my understanding that angelfish pairs are too aggressive for communities because they will fiercely defend their eggs. What happens in a community setting if there's a pair and eggs are removed from the aquarium immediately? Do they also defend each other during spawning? Or does the pair aggression only occur with eggs/fry/other angel pairs present?

 

Yes it's the Angels from my other thread! The ram was moved into my other tank because it was having trouble distinguishing the cichlid pellets from the gravel and I got worried it would swallow a piece of gravel. When I originally came on here about tank size before I had it set up I had the advice from other users that 2 Angels in a 29 gallon would be fine *under certain circumstances, until full maturity at which point they will either work or wont. I just bought this 29 gallon and definitely don't want to/have the aquarium funds to do a 55. They aren't fighting or injuring each other, or going at it constantly all day. Which I read bickering and bullying is pretty normal if not inevitable for angelfish no matter how many there are. So I'm confused on why everyone is saying to immediately separate and rehome?

Edit: I just thought of a secondary question. It's my understanding that angelfish pairs are too aggressive for communities because they will fiercely defend their eggs. What happens in a community setting if there's a pair and eggs are removed from the aquarium immediately? Do they also defend each other during spawning? Or does the pair aggression only occur with eggs/fry/other angel pairs present?

I never said anything about separating or re-homing the angels.

From my understanding, the pair aggression usually occurs during spawning, where the parents will fiercely defend the eggs/fry. However, the aggression will continue if they keep spawning.

 

I never said anything about separating or re-homing the angels.

From my understanding, the pair aggression usually occurs during spawning, where the parents will fiercely defend the eggs/fry. However, the aggression will continue if they keep spawning.

Sorry, I meant that to the general thread because 2 other users suggested rehoming. I fed them about 20 minutes ago and the larger one was being more pushy than I've seen before. I'm wondering if it's a male starting to reach maturity. Luckily my coworker that has all the large tanks has 2 of the same angels from the same lot in a 65, and would buy the bully off of me. Or my LFS has an employee that breeds all the angels for the store and would probably be interested in taking it if need be. I would really hate to separate them, but the smaller one has been much more passive since the beginning and while it has less overall orange koi coloring the red spots on this one is more defined which I enjoy. At that point I suppose I could try another school of fish or some type of bottom feeder. I'm going to see how the next few days go and make a decision to separate them or not. I would hate to see the little one get sick from stress considering it's the best candidate for a community tank temperament wise.