Angel Behavior

Z06-Hec · Feb 13, 2015

anyone have experience with Angel fish?

I have read in some places how angel fish growl but i THINK i have never experienced that...
My Majestic Angel never makes any noise, and when i had an Emperor angel it never made noise either...

Now.... My blue face angel....
I originally thought would slap the glass with its tail when sprinting across the tank.... it would make a quick loud repeating slapping noise..
Brief like pat pat pat pat pat pat... as he sprinted... he was always near the glass so i thought he was just slapping the glass...

In fact before i figured out it was him i thought i had an air leak somewhere in my system, it sounded like a release of pressure in a pipe or something similar...

Anyway other day he wasnt by the glass or sprinting... he was free floating and i heard the noise...
So my question is, is that what people call Angle Fish growling?
its like a loud tapping..... pat pat pat pat pat pat.....

Z06-Hec · Feb 19, 2015

Really? no one?

Humblefish · Feb 19, 2015

Never heard one growling, but most Holacanthus angels I've owned will slap other fish with their tail. I recently rehomed a Blue Angel, and he decided he wanted to sleep behind a rock a large eel was occupying. He slapped that eel in the face with his tail until the eel left. :tongue:

Z06-Hec · Feb 19, 2015

LOL the Blue face tries to slap the Majestic... It turns out to them swimming diagonal and turning in the water parallel to each other...

Humblefish · Feb 19, 2015

You must have a really big tank or these are juveniles. Oftentimes, two Poma angels will not tolerate each another's presence.

Z06-Hec · Feb 19, 2015

2 adults in a 150 gal 6 foot long.
The majestic is perfectly fine... When i first brought the blue face in, she would chase him and keep him in a cave but after time she left him alone. Now he's the one that chases and tries to tail slap but nothing too aggressive. He will sprint and then turn back and go to his cave.

jdl513 · Feb 19, 2015

I had a Blueface for several years and he/she was the alpha of the display.
"Growling" did occur occasionally and was typically a threat display to let everyone else know who was boss.

I am not surprised the Blueface took the dominant position over the Majestic.
Majestic angels in general are not as assertive.

Z06-Hec · Feb 20, 2015

Sometimes i wonder if i threw an adult Emperor in there how things would change...
I used to have a Juvi emperor with the majestic and they were like best friends