BACK AFTER A LONG ABSENCE

I've had no luck breeding my two at all. I'm now of the mind that - if it happens it happens, if it doesn't I'm not bothered. I'm not into breeding seriously. I don't have the space for one thing - I'm also not up for all the water changing and messing about when I'm not really well enough for it.

IF they have some babies then I'll take care of them - I'm currently taking care of a baby fish that appeared from nowhere. I have him and so I'll raise him the best I can. But I can't do that week in week out, as a one off it's fine.

I have no idea if this fin problem is genetic - the female is fine. I got 4 originally from the same source though and there was one other angel that had the exact same problem but with BOTH side fins. She did struggle to swim a little. I had to re-home her and the other 'spare' female when my smokies paired up and things started turning too aggressive.

What will be, will be

I think your attitude is spot on.  Don't actively breed Angels, but if it happens,  deal with it.  After all, no one could just let fry die without trying to help.

Akasha wrote:What will be, will be

Que sera, sera.

Aye, the flappers (pectoral fins) can be the easiest not to check, they're usually (always?) see-through and have to be viewed on a different angle to all the others. That said, it's worth checking the long feelers (ventral fins) from the front too, firstly to check that there are two, but also to make sure they're angled evenly in an inverted 'V' shape...

...what I mean by this is that sometimes a ventral can head straight down and the other one sticks out to the side, so it's the same inverted 'V' shape, but rotated. It doesn't seem to affect the fish swimming, but is still a defect.

Viewing the fish head on is always a good idea, to check for any unusual lumps and bumps on its body, but also, you can check that its other fins are vertical, that is, in line with its body and not set on a weird angle or even curved or bent.

It's too late now, as you have the fish, but in future, you will most likely look twice, or three or four times.
Anyway, we're all still learning Akasha, picking a good fish is only a small part of fish keeping. The best place to pick your own fish, is from those you've just raised. You can be sure of getting the best 10%.

my male smokey was fully grown before I even noticed his wonky fin. Before that point I'd taken tons of photo's of him and still not noticed. I only noticed when I was up close taking photo's (or trying to!) and he turned a certain way and then I noticed his wonky fin. Once I had noticed I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it before! As you say though Dean - they are see through and so not something obvious.
The rest of the fins are fine on both the female and the male. The ventrals look perfect (to me anyway) both sit straight and don't stick out. Both have nicks to their dorsals though but that's self inflicted damage and I can do nothing about it - beyond seperating them!

I won't be having any more angels. So there will never be an opportunity to scrutinise a possible new addition. I like the pair I have but there are other cichlids out there that I'd like to try in the future. I'm interested in Discus and also Severums. I also drool over Apistogramma Hongsloi's

I have a mental 'want list' but too little space to bring any of it into fruition at the moment. Give me time though

You could always try hamsters for a year or so, but I know you'd be back - right Helen?

Deans_Angels wrote:You could always try hamsters for a year or so, but I know you'd be back - right Helen?

Darn right Dean.

I've had two hamsters - both silver satin grey's, both males. The first one was a dream - he would sit on your lap and watch telly with you. The second one got re-named within a week. I re-named it Tootles cos it had completely lost it's marbles. I think it might have had a blow to the head or something. It was mental. It would climb to the top of it's cage, go to the middle bar and hook it's teeth around it and start swinging back and forth!! Mental. It was also vicious and refused to be tamed. It wasn't just the bars it swung from - it swung from my fingers several times! That hamster was enough to scare anyone off ever keeping them again.

I think I'll stick with the dog and the fish thanks lol