Angelfish care for beginners

Freshwater angelfish are graceful, curious and one of the most striking fish you can keep. They're hardier than they look, but they grow big, need a tall tank, and will eat small fish. Here's how to set them up properly.

Angelfish facts

• Size: about 6 inches long and 8 inches tall, fins included
• Tank: 30 gallons or more for one, 55 or more for a pair, and it should be at least 18 inches tall
• Temperature: 76–84°F
• Water: soft to medium, with a pH of about 6.5 to 7.5
• Group: one on its own, a pair, or a group of five or more in a big tank
• Lifespan: 10 years or more

The tank

• Height matters more than length. Angelfish are tall, so a 29 gallon (18 inches tall) is a minimum for a young one, and a 55 gallon (21 inches) is better long term. A 20 long is too shallow.
• Plants and driftwood give them places to weave through and break up lines of sight. Tall plants such as Amazon swords and vallisneria suit them. See aquarium driftwood.
• Gentle current. Their big fins make them poor swimmers in strong flow.
• A steady temperature around 78°F. Check your heater size with the heater calculator.

How many angelfish?

A single angelfish lives happily on its own. Two can work, but if they're both males, or a pair forms and breeds, they can turn on each other or on other fish. In tanks of 75 gallons and up, a group of five or more young angelfish spreads out any bullying. Avoid three or four in a small tank, where one usually ends up picked on.

Feeding angelfish

Feed a quality flake or pellet once or twice a day, plus frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia a few times a week. They're greedy and will beg, so feed only what they finish in about two minutes. See how often to feed fish.

Tankmates

• Good: medium tetras such as rummynose, black skirt and cardinals in a big tank, corydoras, bristlenose plecos, larger rasboras and peaceful gouramis.
• Avoid: anything small enough to fit in their mouth once grown, including neon tetras, ember tetras and shrimp. Also avoid fin nippers such as tiger barbs and serpae tetras, and bettas.

Common angelfish problems

• Fighting usually means a pair has formed and is guarding eggs on a leaf or the glass. Give them space, or move the pair.
• Ragged fins mean nipping tankmates or poor water. See fin rot.
• Hiding and not eating in a new fish is normal for a few days. After that, test the water. See why are my fish dying?
• Eaten tankmates. An angelfish that ignored neons at 2 inches will eat them at 5. Choose tankmates for the adult size.

Related: 55 gallon stocking ideas · 40 gallon breeder stocking ideas · Aquarium driftwood