# Breeding angels



## Guest (Jan 25, 2006)

I've a pair of angel fish in a 60 gallon hex tank that have been laying eggs for some time now. Usually, the eat 'em right back up within a few days - this time, however, they hatched and got themselves to the freeswimming stage - and then mom and dad ate them. Does this reflect a maturing of the parental skills, and might i expect this to continue such that one day they'll successfully rear a batch w/o my intervention? Or should i realistically expect them to continue to eat 100% of their young?

I also noticed that this 'most' successful run they've had came after my not being as thorough in cleaning the tank as I should be - there's a fair amount of algae growing on the walls - is this just coincidence, or does this in some fashion contribute to a more successful rearing?

Thanks so much!


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Is the pair alone in the 60? If they feel threatened they may not be sucessful. It has been my experience that angels usually get it right after 2-3 attempts. Most pet shop angels come from fish farms where eggs are taken from the parents and artifically hatched and raised. I have read that this process, somehow, "short circuits" the nurturing instinct. So some may never get it right.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2006)

There's a pleco in with them, but that's it. Actually i just went down and looked closer, and there's still 4 swimmers - the angels appear to be putting them in their mouth when i come near to protect them, then release them. Most of them seem to have been eaten, but there's a few stragglers. 

Everything i've read suggests one should separate the egg from the parent - i'd rather they do it themselves, and fully realize the liklihood of mass survival will be less, but i'd like to know what to do to maximize their survival, given a natural environment.


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## Lisachromis (Jan 19, 2005)

They may one day rear a batch of fry, but just remember, they will only raise them for approximately 2 weeks. Only very rare pairs will guard young longer than that. Generally, they want to spawn again and the older fry are a threat to the new batch so they get rid of them. Also, even if they do raise some fry, don't expect them to always do it right. I have a pair that continuously spawns every 10-12 days. Most times they'll eat the eggs at about hatching time. Then there are the times they let them get freeswimming for like 2 days and then eat them. OR they also have times where they'll guard the young so well that they'll leave them alone when they spawn again, and the young are getting quite large!


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