# Angel Fish Breeding



## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

So I have 4 Angels in my 55g, Unknown genders yet. I was wondering what the average size and age angels are when they breed. Mine are about 3in in diameter, and Ive had them for about 8months... So possible breeding? yes no?


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## snyderguy (Feb 9, 2010)

It's definitely close! But I'd say it'll be another couple months. Just make sure you have slanted objects or broad-leaved plants and they'll do all the work


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

do they guard the fry like other cichlids?


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## snyderguy (Feb 9, 2010)

You know, I don't know... I would assume so yes but I do know that once the eggs hatch, the fry fall to the ground and wriggle around for like 24 hours or something like that.


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## Bettawhisperer (Oct 1, 2010)

I'm interested in breeding Angels also so I've been asking questions too. On another forum I belong to there are quite a few on there that do breed them. From what they have said a new breeding pair are likely to eat the eggs the first few batches until they get the hang of what they are supposed to do then they will take care of the fry themselves for a few weeks. Some people will take the slate or whatever the eggs are on and put it in another tank just to be on the safe side. I have no experience just what I've been told.


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

the wigglers would become dinner for my feather fin cat hahaha


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Angels do defend their fry. I had one pair fill a 55 with fry and it was really cool to watch. They cared for them until they were quite large. But it is very common to get a pair that always eats eggs or wigglers. Even a good pair will do so if they feel threatened or think the fry will end up lunch for other fish. I think because many angels are raised by humans, the instinct is no longer as strong as in 'wilder' fish. But you can get a pair to raise them for if you are lucky. Be careful with community tanks. If you get a pair with really good parenting instincts, they may hunt down all the other fish.

Look for the tubes. When you see them, they are 'big enough'.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i have bred a few angels but only to sell and not to play with so i pulled the eggs and hatched them in a separate tank..
if you have had those angels for 8 months they are ready to rock and roll.best bet is to have a 20 high ready for a pair and a nice long piece of slate for them to lay the eggs on..feed them good for a week or so..do a 50% water change...have the temp at 80-82..if you do it right they will spawn every week like clockwork..just maintain the routine..
oh yeah...you will need lots and lots of tanks..big ones too..the deeper , the better..


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## Bettawhisperer (Oct 1, 2010)

lo thanks for the good info. Very helpful.


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## AvocadoPuffDude (Jan 20, 2011)

The first thing you need to do is to get a pair, nobody has mentioned anything about that. Angels aren't the type where you can just put a male and female together and presto get eggs. You need to keep the angels in a group of (usually 5 or more) and let them find their own mate. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET A PAIR OF BREEDING ANGELS unless you buy an already-established pair. 
How do you know when they've paired up? It is SUPER OBVIOUS - they stay with each other LIKE GLUE - swimming absolutely EVERYWHERE in complete and total tandem, unless something big happens like feeding time or something like that.
Once you have a PAIR, remove the other angels.
My angels tended to be good parents, but usually laid the eggs right on the intake to my filter - meaning they hatch and one second later and shredded to bits in the motor of my canister filter - not such a great idea. So I'd have to either remove the tube with the eggs on it or turn off the filter, and found that turning off the filter worked better. The parents spent much more time with the eggs fanning them when I did this.
I never had a pair lay eggs and eat the batch the first time spawning. I've heard that happens but I've never seen it, guess I've been lucky in that regard.
Some parents will eat the wigglers, some right as soon as they hatch, others will slowly pick them off, but you increase your chances greatly by removing the parents and raising the fry separately. The wonders of mother nature and watching the parents raise and tend to the fry is glorious, but you run the risk of seeing the mother nature when she's not so pretty and all the babies get eaten. If you want to leave the parents and fry together, make sure they're all WELL FED but NOT OVER FED!!!!! A super hungry angelfish, parent or no parent, can barely pass up a live baby fish swimming by, it's own or any other kind.
Hint: Start making an infusoria culture now, put a big glass jar of water in the window with a chunk of muddy grass or leaves and let the sun make it all green. Great first food for the babies and it's free.
Good luck to you!!!


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

WWthanks I haven't seen any tubes yest so I'm thinking too soon...


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i have paired up angels in a number of ways..natural selection..males from one source placed with females of another..a known male with a known female..i have always artificially hatched the eggs as i was looking more for production..
i'm still kind of a novice at this breeding stuff...have bred a few but not as many as some...i quit using infusoria and brine for cichlids a long time ago..and i currently use some foods that are far more nutritious...
if you do have a pair you will need a 20 high to house them..a couple of 2" x 12" pieces of slate for them to lay eggs on..a few 10 gallon hatch out tanks and some 50-75 gallon grow out tanks..the fry will stay in the 10 gallon tank for about 2 weeks or so..then into the large grow out tank..40-60% daily water changes will get them to market much more quickly..6 weeks or so..temps in the lower 80's..feed 3-5 times a day.do water changes in the evening so they have fresh water for the night..


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

So no tubes yet, but two of my angels have started hanging out by a plant in my tank


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

feed them 3-4 times a day until wednesday no staple food..frozen or some other high protein food.....then do a 50% water change..make the temp 82 degrees F..


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## funlad3 (Oct 9, 2010)

"i currently use some foods that are far more nutritious..."

THAT made me laugh. Fine! You have my word that I will eventually buy some Plecocaine!

Just to be somewhat on topic, one of my friends has a pair of angels that breed like crazy. I'll ask him if I can remember. Good luck!


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## e048 (Dec 23, 2010)

thanks, i might give up on them though and move on to another fish, rams maybe?


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