# Angels and Rainbows...compatible?



## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

I've always assumed these two fish were compatible - you see them together in display tanks all the time. but...

I've had a community tank since January. It's a 75G and its inhabitants were: 4 baby clown loaches, 2 baby BN plecos, 3 siamese algae eaters, some kuhli loaches, 4 wild type angels, 2 black angels (wild type not long finned) and one otto (bought more only one made it). 

Things were running wonderfully for 5 months. Angels laid eggs, all was well. Then dumb me decided to add 4 small rainbows. I didn't quarantine which was my big mistake. The male rainbows got lip fungus, so I took him out and put him in my hospital tank. During this time my wild type angels starting acting funny. When I first put in the rainbows they all gathered in the corner. They weren't impressed I guess with the rainbows. Then they stopped eating and started hanging out by the surface of the tank. I checked my parameters - all seemed fine. 0 ammonia, 5 NA 0 NA 7.8 PH (higher than normal I guessed it was from the farm runoff due to spring thaw). 

The very next day I found one of the angels dead. I pulled out the other 3 and put them in the medicated hospital tank but they all died within 24 hours. Inerestingly there was no sign of anything on their bodies until the very end when they turned dark and patchy.

I'm in the middle of treating the big tank, as well as the hospital tank with API Eurothromycin. The rainbows lips in the hospital tanks (I ended up taking one more up because it too started showing lip fungus) are improving. The black angels, although hanging out together in the corner, seem ok. Everyone else remains unaffected.

So I am stumped. How come just the 4 angels from the same family (I've had them since Xmas) died? 

And my final question; are these two species compatible? Or are the rainbows just too quick and boisterous for angels, even the wild type?

I should add, that a week before this all went down I started using Flourish Excel in my tank. I'm trying to figure out what went wrong...what killed my beautiful angels, who were the centerpieces in my tank.

Does anyone have any input and perhaps advice? I'd appreciate your input. I have three other tanks with angels, long finned goldens, half blacks and baby phillipine. I have several years experience with angels, not as much with planted, community tanks as my 75G is. I am stumped.


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## Web Wheeler (May 13, 2006)

Your Angelfish most probably have an immuno virus that suppresses the Angelfish immune system, causing them to be vulnerable to bacterial and fungal infections. This virus was most likely introduced by the water your Rainbowfish were in when you added them into your aquarium.

Unfortunately, this virus is very, very easily transmitted to Angelfish in other nearby aquariums, and is most often fatal. While this virus is not airborne, it can be spread by the tiniest bit of contaminated water, such as mist or residue on nets, fingers, etc.

My suggestion is to make sure that absolutely no water from any contaminated source gets to your healthy Angelfish, and to treat your sick Angelfish for whatever symptoms they come down with, as there is no cure for the virus itself. If you can keep your ailing Angelfish alive for a few weeks, then they may recover, but they could still carry the virus and infect your other unexposed Angelfish.

The good news is that this virus only affects flat bodied Cichlids, such as Discus, Uraus and Severums.


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Hello; If you had wild Angels the ph of the water should be in the 6.2-6.5 range I have found this to be a safe range for wild type.


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## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Wow Web wheeler that's some intense thread thanks for posting it. Definitely the symptoms are identical, but wouldn other sicknesses display similar signs? It came with the rainbows, infected 4 related angels all 4 died within 48 hours. I'm treating the tanks, both hospital and community tank. There are 2 black angels left (unrelated to the 4 that died). The female was "off" for a few days the male never seemed affected. The rainbows seem to be recovering and the lone angel that had been occupying the hospital tank at the time of the outbreak (and remained there) also seems ok. I hope my two other tanks don't get it. I suspected major contagiousness so I was careful to not use the same nets or siphons but I didn't disinfect or anything between tanks. Let's hope this is over. So as a general rule rainbows are ok with angels in a community tank?


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## Norman (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks Bob123, my angels were not wild they were f1 or f2's imported from Germany. If it was the ph all my other angels would be affected; I have three other angel only tanks though...


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