Angels and Other Fish Among Us
I have always had a love for fish – ever since I was small. I don’t remember the name of the people but when I was about 4 or 5 years old we visited some friends of my parents. I don’t remember much about being over there but I remember the aquarium the biggest I had ever seen in my life. A 100 gallon tank with two pairs of Angel Fish – it was full of plants and a whole slue of other fish as well. But I always remember the Angels. Their almost triangle shape, the large eyes and certain elegance. That was all it took and I was hooked on fish.
Not long after I started 1st grade I got my first aquarium – a 10 gallon tank with a black penguin 110 hang on the back filter, heater with a little red knob to adjust the temperature, the white gravel and the fish. I don’t know how much my parents spent on that tank but to a little guy it was the coolest thing ever – almost 40 years it still is. It taught me a lot that I wouldn’t have otherwise wouldn’t have tried.
Fish in general aren’t too bad to take care of in so long as you start off with some that are fairly tough. Also, just as important you also have to name them something dignified – if not they will stare at you unblinkingly and judge you. Come to think of it they do that anyway….
The water in the area where I live has a lot of mineral in it and I have had good luck with some fish and terrible luck with others. Starting out I as a kid I had Black Skirt Tetras, Danio (or Zebra) Fish, Cory Catfish, Neon Tetras and a Plecostomus. I had good luck with all of them except to Neons. They were small and always more sensitive than any other fish I have ever owned – even now. On top of that the Pleco, who I had named “Slimy” did really well and turned into an obnoxiously huge fish who must have watched wrestling because he could do body slams in that tank like none other.
Fast forward to now, I still have fish and a 40 gallon tank setup in my living room. I still have hard water and probably don’t check the PH and water parameters like I should but I will say that after you have an aquarium you will get a feel for what the water will look like, how the fish should act and if something isn’t right you will notice. Probably the biggest and most important thing for me water filtration. If you have room for more than one get an additional one. For my 40 gallon tank I have two filters rated for 30 gallons each. Is it overkill? Maybe but it has worked fine for me for the last few years.
Which brings me back to the pair of Angles I have now. I have had them for around 3 years now – they are almost calico in color and are slightly smaller than my hand. The tank is 86°F (30°C) and they seem to be happy but they are a little pushy. If you get some for a tank make sure they have some room because they will chase other fish if they get too close. Overall, the angel fish have done fine in my water but your mileage may very depending on the water conditions. The biggest piece of advice I can give is don’t have small fish in with angels. I had Neon Tetras in the tank too and they ate them with one swallow about 2 minutes after I put them in.
In any case – if you are curious about fish in general start off with a 10 gallon tank with a few Tetras and work your way up. You really will get a feel for how to take care of fish in general. As you get more experienced upgrade to a little bigger tank – places like Petco have specials on them a couple of times a year and that’s when to buy a tank. When it comes to Angels – my favorite fish – make sure you have at least a 40 gallon tank because they’re pushy and need room. Also I have found it’s easier to keep the water conditions stable as the tank size get bigger. It’s a hobby that even now I’m glad I still do it and most fish are cheap enough that they won’t break the bank.
Peace Always,
Lester