Angels and bettas?

[ahhthatsbetta]

I just got a new 30 gallon cube from my husband for my birthday, and I have been wanting Angels for a LONG time (this is so perfect for angels!) [glow=red,2,300]I wanted to know if anyone has had any success (or problems) with keeping a pair of angels with a betta in a community setting.[/glow] Any ideas on good tank mates if I were to put them together?
Tank would be planted, and I would be getting young angels.
Thnaks!

[accountingchick]

I have never put angel fish with bettas, but my dad could not keep angels with other fish because they were to aggressive. My personal recommendation would be no because I have seen the damage angels can cause and bettas having long fins and being slow swimmers makes them prone to attacks.

[wheelyfeet]

Happy Birthday! How thoughtful of your husband.

Angels are a cichlid and can be pretty territorial. They are classified as a semi-aggressive. I stopped in at a LFS and saw a gorgeous full grown angelfish. It was HUGE! It was probably 6 inches tall and 6 inches long, not including fins, and it was probably an inch and a quarter wide. The folk there said that it had been brought in by someone, and they couldn't keep it in the tank with the other angels.

Anyhow, we've got two small angel fish that we are raising in the community. We've been told that if they grow up with the other fish they may be alright with them when they are adults. I've also been told to be prepared to have to remove one at some point if one decides to pick on the other.

I wouldn't pair them with a Betta. If the angel fish are small the Betta may attack them. When the angels get bigger the tables may turn.

Oh, and I would recommend doing a fishless cycle, using BioSpira, or cycling the tank first with a few hardy fish before adding angel fish.

Have fun.

[ahhthatsbetta]

thanks! I figured I couldn't put them together, but was curious if others have. I wanted a crowntail, but don't want to keep him cooped up in a small tank ... and really don't want another 5 or 10 gallon set-up. Oh, well, no crowntail for now!

I haven't set the tank up yet, having just got it last nite, and won't be doing it for a few days ... and no fish for a few days after that 9we have a lot of tanks, so usually do a shortcut to getting the tank cycled by using used filter media and rocks, etc. from an established tank. Seems to work well, and less traumatic for the fish.

[ahhthatsbetta]

;D ;D ;D
Great news ... [shadow=red,left,300]I will be getting a crowntail![/shadow] It won't be in the 30 cube though -- I have a 2 .5 gallon for him
A couple are raising them in a city near me and recently had 2 batches of CTs ... 350 baby fishes! and they are willing to sell me one! Yayayayay!

I will post to let y'all know what I get ... any tips for the newbie on what I should be looking for when I pick him out of the batch (they are still fairly young -- 3 months or so.)

Please let me know how I' ll know if I get a good quality fish

Thanks!

[sevenhelmet]

when buying from a breeder, you're more likely to get a younger fish, but be careful as some breeders don't cull out the weak fish like they should. I usually just pick a fish I like, but some things I tend to look for are:

1.) Coloration- Even and symmetrical in the colors you want, though this might be harder to tell in a really young betta.
2.) Body- not emaciated, fat, or lumpy. If it doesn't look right to you, don't get the fish- "charity cases" never turn out well.
3.) Fins- not torn, ragged, or rotting
4.) Scales- even pattern, none missing, look down from the top to make sure the scales are smooth (no dropsy!)
5.) Behavior- curious and responsive to outside stimuli (wave your finger at the fish and see if it flares, follows, or darts away)
5.) Swimming- floats steady and effortlessly in the water and can move easily. No "bellysliding" along the bottom or uncontrolled floating, either of which might indicate a swimbladder problem.

[ahhthatsbetta]

I got a female CT from the woman on Feb. 9th-- white with red fins, a really pretty girl (and my first female, as well as my first crowntail!) . She is "Latifa", and is a bit mean to her tank mates -- killed 6 rummynose tetras, 1 scissor tail rabora, 2 young angels, and 2 harlequin rasboras since we got her!

I also got a week or 2 ago, a male CT from a LFS ... red and blue -- he is too precious to go in a community tank and risk him getting hurt, so he's alone for now. Would it be a bad thing to try breeding them once Latifa has matured a bit? If they like each other?