Angel Fish

Brief Description

Apart from other information about freshwater Angel fish, The Angel Fish article also contains answers on the following questions; How long do angelfish live, How to mate angelfish, How long does it take for angelfish to grow, How big do angelfish grow, How many angelfish should I keep in my aquarium, How to sex angelfish, How fast do angelfish grow, How often do angelfish spawn, How big fish tank do angelfish need, How do you start an angelfish aquarium, How often do angelfish eat, How often do you clean an angelfishes tank, How to stop angelfish aggression, How to add an angelfish into a tank with already 1 in it, What is an angelfish. Some answers can be found directly in the article and some answers are located within the comments below the article. If you're an experienced fishkeeper, then consider sharing your own ideas, tips and experiences at the bottom of this article!

Angel Fish (Pterophyllum scalare) is a popular tropical freshwater aquarium fish, and they are considered to be one of the most beautiful kind of tropical freshwater aquarium fishes. They also have a strong personality and it is a pleasure to care for them. They like to attract attention when somebody is nearby, or at feeding time. They are one of the first fish which were brought from America and they are very popular. They were brought to Europe around 1820 and in 1930 Angel Fish were bred in captivity in the United States for the first time. Because of the mentioned advantages and extraordinary look, Angelfish are highly demanded and are for sale in almost every pet shop.

Picture

They have a quite round and flat body, but their dorsal and ventral fins are long, each is almost as long as the body is. They can grow up to 15 cm vertically. There are many freshwater variants such as:

1) Golden - a light shade of yellow.
2) Silver - silver bodies and black vertical markings. They can be dark, light, solid, or broken.
3) Koi - red-white with patches of black or gold markings. Young fish can have red markings under the eye.
4) Smoky - a shade of silver on one half, and a dark grey or ebony on the other half.
5) Pearly Gold - a dazzling shade of gold.
6) Black - solid ebony.
7) Black Lace - black, but sporting wide light to dark stripes.
8) Zebra - a black body with white stripes.
9) Marble - marble-like swirls of silver and black on their bodies, black markings on their fins and some have golden patterns on their heads.
10) Blushing - a shade of white, and golden markings on their heads. Young fish can have a red marking under the eye.
11) Blue Blushing - grey in colour, outlines in black. Young fish can have a red marking under the eye. Amazing on this variety is their ability to become darker or lighter according to how they feel.
12) Veiltail - very elongated fins and they can be in many colour variants.

Habitat

In nature Angel Fish live in the Amazon River in South America. They can be found in bulrushes where they can find shelter. They grow and live in big crowds but this fact doesn’t mean, that they can’t swim free. Because of their flat body they have no problems if they are squeezed close to each other. They come out from the bulrushes when they want to play. But when there is any sign of an enemy, they swim back into the rushes. There they are well protected, because it is like they are behind a fence, so the enemy can’t get through to them.

Fish tank and care

Angel Fish need a large tank. This is because they are quite big fish. The aquarium should be high, because they like to swim up and down, and they are tall too, so they need space horizontally, not just vertically. I think that a height of 50 cm is quite good. If you want to breed Angel Fish, the minimum size of the tank for a breeding pair of Angelfish is 70 litres, but if you want to leave the fries in the tank with their parents, it should be 110 litres or larger. Just imagine: 2 fully grown Angel Fish and 200 or 300 newborns. Pretty big crowd isn’t it. The larger the tank the more security for eggs and young and comfort there is.

Like all freshwater aquariums, an Angel Fish aquarium should have plants. They improve the water by keeping it clean, hinder algae growth, add oxygen into the water, and give shelter to the young fish. Angel Fish like broadleaf aquarium plants because they like to lay eggs on them. Amazon Sword Plants - Echinodorus are the perfect plants for an Angel Fish tank. The pH level should be between 6.0 and 9.0, and the temperature should be around 25°C. High temperatures cause rapid growth and early death.

Generally speaking you should keep more than just a few Angel Fish in an aquarium. If there are only a few fish, the strongest will make the others miserable and they will feel lonely. But in bigger groups they will behave better. However, as I have wrote already, they need a lot of space. Especially if you have more fish.

Tankmates

Very good tankmates for Angelfish are various Tetras (such as Black Skirt Tetra for instance) as Tetras don't fit the Angelfish' mouth. If possible, the tankmates should originally come from South America. Bristlenose Catfish and Cories are just a tip. In general, don't combine Guppies and Angelfish as Guppies would nip Angelfish' fins, and vice-versa Angelfish would eat Guppies. If they're kept together from juvenile age they may be peaceful. Fish of similar size from Asia may be considered too. Angelfish usually don't fight for territories with other species, but this rule doesn't apply to small aquariums.

If you're adding new angelfish into an aquarium with at least 1 angelfish that's there already, introduce the new one after feeding time, preferably when lights are turned off.

Food and feeding

Flake food is enough for Angel Fish, but it is better for their health to give them a variety foods. This is especially important when they are breeding. They like live food such as Adult Brine Shrimp, Black Worms, Mosquito larvae, finely chopped earthworms, and Guppy fry. But they can also eat frozen Blood Worms, Brine Shrimp and others. They can be also fed dried foods like dried crabs. Don't overfeed your fish, it's completely OK to feed your adult angelfish once a day the amount that's eaten in 4-5 minutes. Young angelfish should be fed twice a day and the fry should be fed even 5-6 times a day depending on how many newborns swim in your aquarium.

Breeding

When genital papillae appear, the Angel Fish is about to spawn. These little nipples are used for depositing eggs and fertilizing them. Then they choose a spawning plate and clean it two or three days before spawning. After a few days the female lays eggs and the male fertilizes them. After few hours unfertilized eggs turn white and the parents will remove them. After little Angel Fish hatch they should be fed with powdered flakes or dried blood worms for the first 4 weeks 4 times a day. After that time they can be fed with Guppy fry. It is a very nutritious food. But they grow best if they have a varied diet.

Diseases

Some diseases which attack Angel Fish are:

Exophthalmia or Pop-Eye. The symptoms are: bloody spots, tumors, body sores, black spots, loss of fins. Causes are: not enough cleaning fish wastes, infection by some parasites, bacterial infections. Another cause is worm cataracts, when the eye becomes cloudy.
Ichthyophthirius or Ich - white spot disease. It is caused by parasites.
Hunger Strike; lost of appetite.

Feel free to visit the article about the most common diseases in freshwater topical aquarium fish as it describes them very well and it wouldn't make any sense to repeat the already written content on this page: aquarium fish diseases.

Selling Angelfish

If you've succeeded breeding Angelfish, you'll find out that there are plenty of babies swimming in the tank. If fed properly (very good food is Artemia Salina), they will grow and at least 50% should survive. In some cases only 10%-20% survive, in some cases even 80% of newborns survive. Later you'll face the problem called "overpopulated aquarium" and you'll have to sell some specimens. The best time to make your Angelfish available for sale is when they're 3-4cm long. Always tell the buyer that Angelfish won't stay 4cm long! If you're going to earn more by selling adult specimens, you can earn even $20-$30 per one. Sometimes it can be more, however this depends on the variant and colouration.

If you're selling Angelfish to a person who haven't seen the parents, make sure that you take and show some pictures to such a person when selling. It will help you to avoid unhappy and angry customers!

Additional information about Angelfish

At this stage we'll talk about usual questions asked by keepers. Many aquarists ask how long do angelfish live. The answer is simple; As long as possible depending on conditions in your aquarium. Usually at least 4 years. Angelfish that are 8 or 9 years old can be often seen in healthy aquariums. New angelfish keepers are also interest in speed of their growth and ask "how long does it take for angelfish to grow". It heavily depends on feeding, but generally between 12 and 18 months.

People are also interested in knowing how many angelfish is optimal for their aquarium. I keep angelfish myself and they have 75 liters each. However, it's OK to offer them 45 liters per specimen. This question is closely related to another one, which is "How big fish tank do angelfish need?". Angelfish fish tank must be big enough not only in terms of capacity, but also in terms of dimensions. Height of 50 cm is perhaps the best starting point, however if you choose 70 cm, they won't mind! As adult specimens don't swim too much, it is not necessary to give them plenty of swimming space. Planted aquariums will be welcome by this species!

Another question is how often do you clean an angelfishes tank, which has a simple answer; As often as required. For instance, I don't clean my angelfish aquarium since it's big enough, the filtration is superb and no dangerous substances are present there. However, if your aquarium is too small and overcrowded, it's possible that you'll face ammonia problem (and related ones). In such a case it's necessary to test the water once a week and perform partial water changes every time when needed.

Pictures of Angelfish

Thanks to Lorna Marie Kemble for the picture (a link to website has been removed on 6 March because the domain changed owner and content).

Angel Fish

Thanks to Tamri Shavi too!

The Angel Fish

has been viewed times since June 30, 2009.

Let's buy a book about aquariums!

tianna on: March 8, 2009, 8:23 am wrote

I wanted to get a lionfish until I heard that they sting people and so now I want/have an angelfish and she's very nice and doesn't sting me!

Lance on: March 23, 2009, 5:51 am wrote

I have kept angle fish on and off for the last 30 years. There are so many different color variations, varying from individual fish to individual fish, that they never become boring. A tank with a school of five or more angels is breathtaking to behold. Their carriage is stately and graceful, and they have a certain delicate appearance. My personal favorite has always been the gold veiltale, although I always strive to make my school up of as many of the color variations as I can, basically just for the beauty of it. When adding angels to my tanks I make an effort to find as many similar sized angels as I can at one time. I do this because the leader of the pack (they often do establish a pecking order) will sometimes viciously attack a newcomer. In my experience the leader can often be identified because he/she develops a red eye color. Anglefish make great community tank members because they are primarily interested in their own kind and are generally fairly oblivious to other species. Although not reccomended widely, I have kept Angels with other larger cichlid family members. They have proven themselves able to hold their own. One caution, be wary of putting angels in a tank with known fin nippers such as blowfish or barbs, especially if you choose to keep veiltales. I highly reccoment angel fish to both the novice and experienced hobbyist.

James on: March 24, 2009, 6:23 am wrote

Hi all, fairly new to fishkeeping but completely hooked, excuse the dodgy pun! Just wondered if these are likely to make a meal out of my neon tetras, they're very small at the moment, but I thought they might be alright if the angels physically can't fit them in their mouth? Thanks all, oh and will they be OK with guppies, heard they can nips fins?

Answer by admin: Angelfish can become as big as your flat hand is. If they're kept with Guppies and Neon tetras from juvenile age, then they won't likely eat these species. But you're always taking the risk.

Bev on: March 29, 2009, 8:09 pm wrote

I have 2 angel fish and they ate all 6 of my neon tetras over a couple of weeks. Can anyone tell me why the black stripes on my silver angel fish keep disappearing and then reappearing?

Answer by admin: Naturally, the answer is simple. Stress, lighting and overall feelings of your fish affect the stripes to disappear and reappear. Even the colour of substrate and plants can affect this. In general, when the fish feels safe, the stripes should be nicely visible.

Alison on: March 31, 2009, 5:33 am wrote

I have a 260 litre tank (57 gallons); it's been set up for 3 months now and I have 9 guppies, 2 neons, 1 catfish, 1 silver shark, 1 rainbow shark and 1 plec. Today I got a little baby angelfish. How many more should I get to keep it company? Or is there any other fish you could recommend to go with it?

Answer by admin: Firstly, Angelfish should be kept in groups. I recommend you to buy another 3 specimens. Secondly, Neon Tetras should be kept in groups of 10 at least. Thirdly, when Angelfish reach their maximum sizes, it's possible that they will eat Neon Tetras and Guppies. Fourthly, Guppies (before they become eaten) can nip Angelfish' tails. Fifthly, the sharks will likely eat Guppies too (also probably Neon Tetras) once they become adult.

I just hope that all of your fish are juveniles at the moment. If they're kept together as juveniles, it minimises the chance of treating their companion as food.

Not only to criticise, I've seen aquariums where Guppies, Neon Tetras and Angelfish lived in peace. So there is a chance that your tank becomes a successful community aquarium even when it's inhabitants reach maturity.

yvette tjaden on: April 7, 2009, 8:15 pm wrote

Hi, I have a 300 l community tank with 5 guppies, 2 sword tails, a large pleco, harlequins, 2 scissortails and a large angelfish. The angel has been on his own for about a year now and is very happy, we want to add maybe 2 more angels but was wondering if this would be the right thing to do since this angel has grown on his own and might be territorial towards any young newcomers?

Answer by admin: I wouldn't worry. It's a 300L tank, I count on that there are enough plants and hiding places which divide territories naturally. The biggest one may be aggressive, however he won't kill newcomers for sure. Maybe they'll end up with shortened fins, but this isn't anything extraordinary. I just keep these fish (again after a break that lasted a couple of years) too and all I can say is that they grow very fast.

amber-pontzgirl@yahoo on: April 21, 2009, 5:06 am wrote

I have a gold & silver angel. Want to know how to determine the sexes. I had eggs yesterday and then 16 this morn and now 2. I have a huge tank 2 angels and 2 gold fish. I put a temperary divider in the tank to keep goldfish at bay. Not trying to breed but would love to be aware of my fish. I also saw a pic that looked like my silver with red in eyes. I assume that is normal.

Beverley Thompson on: April 21, 2009, 2:13 pm wrote

I have bought a new & larger tank for my Oscar fish, but now the tank looks bare so I was deciding what to put into the tank with the Oscars knowing that they eat everything. I have had Angel Fish before & love them but wasn't sure that they would cope in the tank with Oscars. However, I went shopping last week & came across a large Angel fish in the pet store (large as in, approx 5cm in height), but since my Oscars are still small (approx 6-7cm long) I decided to give it a try.

As Angel fish are flat & diamond shaped, I figured that the Oscars couldn't fit the fish into their mouths. So I bought the fish (after being dropped onto the floor by the staff in the shop) I put him in the tank with the Oscars & it has been a success! The Oscars checked him out, but they didn't seem to mind & The Angel actually follows them around the tank. When I bought the Angel from the store, it was swimming around a huge tank all on it's own, now I guess it is happy to have some company. I am now looking for some more large Angels to add to the tank as they look stunning in large numbers & their colours compliment the colours of the Oscars.

Domenique on: April 25, 2009, 7:26 pm wrote

I have a 430 l aquarium, I have 3 big angelfish, one silver, one marble, one golden, and 4 small angelfish, 2 zebras and 2 leopards, 2 bronze cory's, 2 peppered cory's, one big catfish, and 2 green severums. The aquarium is still a bit empty.

Yvonne on: June 10, 2009, 8:23 am wrote

I have had angels now for a few years. About a month ago I bought a larger tank and transferred all my fish over. They seem happy and healthy but now a couple of the angels' fins are falling over a bit. Is this normal? Is there something I can do to help them? They have had a diet of only flakes for some time now. Would it help to vary their diet?

Answer by admin: In my experience fins of Angels fall if they're kept in low aquariums only. Varying their diet will be beneficial as everyone (not only fish) needs different food... not only one kind all the time. The only logical reason which seems likely is that some Angels became more dominant on your new fish tank and thus they're harassing others; And thus their fins are suffering.

Damien on: June 15, 2009, 5:54 pm wrote

I have recently bought my second tank for breeding Angel Fish. The tank is 75lts and tall which is what I was instructed to get, I have 4 angel fish of small nature in the tank. Do I need to wait till a certain age before they will breed? Also I would like to know if there is anything that can be done to speed the process?

Answer by admin: Angelfish do mature at the age of 6-10 months in general (sometimes it can take more time). So you have to wait, of course. You can speed up the process by feeding them high-protein foods (usually live food). For instance, feed them small Guppies and so on. However, your fish will live shorter than if they were fed normally.

Antoun on: June 19, 2009, 8:52 pm wrote

Hi, very nice site and interesting information being shared around. I had a question regarding angels... I put my first angel about a week ago (6 month old) in a 250 litre tank. This week I introduced another 2 (similar size) but they are being continuously chased and nipped by the first angel. Will this stop after time or will I end up with a dead fish? Thanks.

Answer by admin: This will stop in such a big tank. I had the same problem a couple of times and Angels haven't killed anybody ever. The reason why they fight is that the first specimen in the tank protects it's territory and wants to be the dominant one.

Jessica G on: June 20, 2009, 12:05 pm wrote

Hi, I got a 20 Gallon fish tank for my 14th birthday about 6 weeks ago and wanted to ask about angelfish. My dad is really experienced with fish and told me to add two angelfish to my tank. Today I bought two nickle-sized angelfish from the petstore. I introduced them to my tank and at first they were hiding in the back but now are swimming around with my other fish. I also have 4 platies and 3 balloon mollies in the tank. Are they fin nippers? So far so good with them all. Right now the black angel running around the tank with the other fish while her sister (actually Ii don't know their sexes) hides in the back behind my log. She rarely come out of hiding.

To sum this up, here are my questions:

Are they OK in a 20 gallon?
Why is one so shy?
Are my other fish fin nippers?
How long does it take to get full grown?

Sorry, if I'm asking a lot of questions.

Answer by admin:

1) Sooner or later your fish will outgrow your tank; for sure. The problem isn't with Angelfish directly; But you're keeping a lot of fish in such a small aquarium. For instance, a 40 gallon aquarium would be much more suitable for them. On the other hand, I'm not saying that you're facing problems right now. Your fish can live happily, but you'll likely need to do water changes more often.
2) Any fish can be shy; don't worry. One is the dominant one, the second isn't. Everything should be OK as long as your fish eat, grow and swim.
3) Your fish shouldn't be fin nippers. You can't tell exactly... because fish are personalities too. However, in general your fish should live fine together. Nipping fins can be usually seen in overpopulated aquariums.

Eric S on: June 25, 2009, 11:00 am wrote

Very nice site you have here. My pair of Golden Angels have bred. What is the incubation period? Fortunately the tank, 29 gallon, has a few zebras, neons and two cories so I believe the eggs and fry to be relatively safe. I bought a shrimpery to raise brine shrimp for the impending brood. But I can't find info on incubation. Thanks for your help.

Answer by admin: It should take between 24 and 36 hours.

Danielle H. on: July 1, 2009, 2:13 am wrote

I have a ten gallon, rectangular aquarium, which is pretty much just your basic starter aquarium. I got it 3 years ago, when I bought my first angel fish. Since then, we've added 1 other angel fish, another female we believe, to the tank. They have both been surviving for quite some time in this tank, but are always chasing/nipping each other's bodies. Why is this? Also, what size tank would it take to make them comfortably feel that they don't have to fight all the time, and live happy, healthy lives? The older fish I have is also getting the white film over one eye, and has some sort of bump on her head. We try to clean the tank once a week or so, but how often should you clean a 10 gal. aquarium to keep it clean? It seems like its every week that algae grows in it and we are using the filters and the chemicals to keep it away but it always grows back.

Answer by admin: If I had to buy a comfortable fish tank for 2 Angelfish, I'd definitely choose 90x50x50 cm (approximately 35x20x20 inch) at least. That's 250 litres, or roughly 60 US gallons. They're fighting now because the size of your aquarium isn't sufficient. The film on an eye and bump on the head may be a result of poor water conditions, or stress. Answer on your question regarding cleaning depends on how fast pH, KH and ammonia levels get dangerous/inappropriate for your Angelfish. You should test the water on a regular basis and when you notice that water contains too much of something, or if it contains too little of something (KH for example), do the water change or add chemicals. I personally don't prefer adding chemicals into the tank. There are articles on this topic on this website already; check the articles, please.

scyn on: July 13, 2009, 7:06 am wrote

Hi, I just found this site. So far it's pretty informative. However, I am new to the angelfish world. I just bought two of them yesterday, today one of them died. =(

I don't have the other one in the big tank freely yet. They were in a smaller container over night in the big tank. As to keep the water temperature the same as the tank. I obviously don't want my other one to die. Not sure why the other died to be honest, he was fine all day. They even ate some food last night. But just now when I checked on em, he/she was well.... dead.. =/

Anyway... The question is. Would it be better to just put the other angle in the tank instead of the little container? Only reason I have him in the container right now was to introduce them slowly to the water /temp change of the big tank. Since the other one died, wondering if that was such a good idea.

I've had problems with new fish bringing the Ick into my tank, so I was just being careful to not have that problem again. It doesn't look like these guys had/have ick, there's no spots on them at all and considering the petstore... They actually look like healthy fish. Which, doesn't explain why the one just up and died. /sigh.

So yeah... Any suggestions that will help keep the little one alive would be much appreciated. I've had betas so the tank was for the most part set up to them happy. But now the tank looks bare and my pleco well. He's all alone except for a little tiny algae eater. Figured the angles would be something different.

The tank is a 55g... big enough, lots of bubbles, low lighting (because the pleco stresses out with bright light) ... the filter is meant for a 75g tank so it's definitely clean enough.

Obviously I want the little guy to live and be happy unlike his partner. I do plan on getting more once I get this one stabled and learn a little more about their likes and dislikes.

Thanks.

Answer: Buying new specimens and bringing them home is always risky. Even though they look happy and healthy, not all fish survive the transport, and not all fish acclimatize. Most likely this is the reason why your fish died. You shouldn't experience any problems with the remaining one as long as he can acclimatize.

laurence on: July 22, 2009, 7:08 pm wrote

I got an aquarium. 8ft x 2ft x 3ft. Instead of putting oscars, was wondering of angels instead. How many angels would be ideal for my aquarium? What others fishes will be compatible? Got 3 bala sharks & a rainbow shark, will they be a good tankmates?

Answer: You can easily keep even 20 Angelfish in such an aquarium, eventually more.

Almost every bottom dweller will be suitable as a tankmate. Corydoras species, a lot of catfish species too. The mentioned sharks should be a good companion too as your aquarium is really big enough.

Practically any species that lives in South American rivers can be a good tankmate as long as it's not too big/small in comparison to Angelfish.

lam on: July 23, 2009, 4:51 pm wrote

My brother gave up his 1300 litre aquarium. I plan to take it & place lovely angels in it. How many angels could I put? What other fishes are compatible to make a colorful community?

Answer: The best choice is between 14 and 20 specimens. It may sound too little, but once all grow and reach adult size, you will understand why this suggestion.

Other species that may look nice are various tetras. Don't buy small species. An adult tetra specimen should be 6cm in length. Use our fish search to find the most suitable ones.

Antoun on: July 26, 2009, 9:02 pm wrote

Hi there,

I had a question regarding angel fish breeding. I have a definite pair and they are in a community tank (55 gallons) with other angels, red tail shark and couple of bristlenoses. When they lay the eggs, I place a partition and isolate them on one side of the tank. First time around I think they ate the eggs after few days (60 hours) although some were clear.

My question is, will it be okay to move this pair just before the female lays its eggs to a different dedicated tank (10 gallons) then after they spawn move them back to the community tank? Will they remain a pair if I do that every time they spawn? This is to avoid using a partition and let them freely roam around.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Most likely they won't be a pair any longer. This is my personal experience not only with Angelfish, but with other species too. They must mate again. However, mating may occur immediately. It all depends on how fish feel.

Amy on: July 30, 2009, 9:26 am wrote

Hello!

I have a 70 litre tank with 4 angelfish. I have two dominate ones and two submissive ones. I'm worried that one of the submissive ones (the smaller one) is getting picked on by the dominative one. I got them around 4-5 months ago and they are all varied in size. Obviously the dominate ones are larger, so I'm worried that the small two aren't getting enough food.

Should I get another angel or some other tank mates? Would I be able to fit any more angelfish? Thanks in advance.

Answer: Most likely you will have to give your Angelfish to someone else. They'll outgrow the tank for sure; a 70 litres aquarium isn't enough for 4 specimens of Angelfish.

It is natural that the dominant one bullies smaller ones, and it's also OK to see that dominant specimens eat more food than others. In the current situation it would be a mistake to buy another Angelfish. BTW, I keep 6 Angelfish in a 375 litres tank and sometimes I think that 4 would be a much better choice. The smaller tank, the more aggression.

Lynsey on: August 2, 2009, 9:58 pm wrote

Hi,

I have a 70L tank, and I have kept several fish in the past, Glass Catfish, Neons, angelfish (koi) tiger barbs etc etc. I only had one angelfish left in my 70L tank, he is an average size for an angelfish, but he has been kept alone in the tank for roughly 3 months due to a disease breakout. I decided that he had shown no symptoms of disease so i bought him a friend, Zebra angelfish, his body size is a lot smaller than my current Koi, but his fins make him roughly the same size. The Koi hasn't taken very well to him and tends to chase him around the tank. The Koi dominates one half of the tank, but the new Zebra seems to be "testing" the Koi by slowly moving in on his space, I'm pretty sure my large Koi is male, but I think it's too early determine in the smaller Zebra. Is this likely to wear off and they will learn to live with each other? Also, can anyone advise any other fish that could live with them?

Thanks!

Answer: Angelfish usually live peacefully after they initial "testing". A 70L aquarium is quite enough for 2 angelfish and I'd recommend bottom dwellers only. Otherwise there would be little space for each specimen.

Debbie on: August 15, 2009, 3:19 am wrote

I have had angels for two years now and never had I seen them spawn. Well I saw it last night. I sectioned part of my 55 gallon tank off so the other fish would leave them alone it looks like it might work. And I will add I have never seen anything quite so amazing. They are very sweet fish, I have 4, all the same size and it looks like the other two will spawn soon. I am so happy I have a friend who raises Angels.

Terry on: August 17, 2009, 12:27 pm wrote

Debbie,

I am right behind you by a couple of days as my fish ate their first fry before I got a divider a couple of days ago. I have a 75 gallon bow front.

The day their babies started to swim they kept bringing them back to the nest in their mouths and when I fed the parents they had babies in their mouths and they swallowed them, afterwards they became upset and then just ate the rest of them.

When they laid again this time we sectioned them off and I am waiting for the second hatch more prepared.

The parents seem happy and content being alone. We will see what happens this time.I will let you know.

I will also separate the parents from them if I suspect they will repeat their behavior.

migs on: August 17, 2009, 6:53 pm wrote

Hi! This site is very nice and informative. I REALLY LOVE IT!

I just want to ask what is the easiest way to tell apart the males from the females.

I just want to ask if my 4 angelfishes are okay in a 20 gallon tank (they are just 1 cm in size, I just bought them 1 week ago).

How to say that my angelfish is in top shape?

Lastly, how can I stop them from nipping each others tail or fin, because sometimes I spotted them nipping each others tail but just after a short period of time, they do not nip each others tail anymore.

Answer:

1) Sexing is described on this page already; It's hard to sex angelfish.
2) 4 angelfish aren't OK in a 20 gallon aquarium. Once they reach adult size (if they'll), they will always fight for territory.
3) How to say if they're in a good shape? Nice in colour, swimming well, good appetite, begin active.
4) Moving them into a bigger aquarium solves nipping fins.

Mary on: August 20, 2009, 7:20 pm wrote

HI!

I have just had my angel fish spawn this morning. I have a 90 litre tank and I have separated the eggs from its parents after they were fertilised because they kept getting eaten :S . I wonder how long it will take for the eggs to hatch?

Answer: Roughly 48 hours.

ray from MALTA on: September 7, 2009, 3:45 pm wrote

Interesting forum.

I have a planted 100 l aquarium with 7 angels and some tetras, could I add 2 elephant nose fish, the ones that look like dolphins please?

Thanks

Answer: No, you should get rid of some specimens instead. 100 litres isn't enough and they will nip each other's fins as they become adult.

miguel on: September 12, 2009, 8:59 am wrote

Hi, I have a 120 litre tank and would like to get some angelfish. I was thinking of getting 3x bristlenose's, couple of harlequin's and how much angelfish should I get?

Nice site!

Answer: A pair will be the best choice. In my experience it's best to keep a pair or at least 5 specimens in one tank. As 5 Angelfish would feel uncomfortable in a 120 litre aquarium, it's definitely better to put 2 there.

Erica on: September 24, 2009, 4:50 pm wrote

Hi, I have a community of 6 Barbs, 2 Bala Sharks, and 2 Angels. Today I bought 4 more small Angels and the two big ones are nipping at the small ones fins, and just driving them crazy. Before I introduced the four small angels everyone in the tank were friendly to each other. Now like I said the two big Angels are going after the smaller ones and also picking with one of my Balla sharks. What should I do?

Answer: It's normal behaviour, there's nothing to do. Smaller ones simply must go through this. Eventually you could divide the tank or buy a temporary aquarium that can be used occasionally for sick fish, fry or growing plants. Then simply put the newcomers into that tank and wait until they get bigger.

Kate Yoak on: September 28, 2009, 3:09 am wrote

I love angel fish, but I also like to have a varied aquarium. I used to have 3 angel fish in a 50 gallon tank that also housed 3 gold fish. I found that one of the angel fish became aggressive and started nipping the gold fish, who developed sores on their sides and started dying. It's been a few years and I am looking to replenish the fish tank. I have a few mollies and a couple of cherry barbs. I am considering koi instead of gold fish as they don't have the huge fins that attract attention and are probably better able to take care of themselves. I just love angel fish and would love any advice that would enable me to keep them!

Kate

Lee on: September 28, 2009, 4:54 pm wrote

Hi, I have recently purchased a 90 liters tank and am interested in getting some angelfish along with a small shoal of tetras.

How many Angelfish and tetras would you recommend?

Answer: Maximally 2 angelfish and about 15-20 tetras; this is what I'd choose.

Nicola on: September 30, 2009, 12:38 pm wrote

I have four platies in my 70 liters tank and today I just got two juvenile angelfish. They seem very content drifting around the tank and aren't getting bothered at all by the platies, but I was just wondering if this is going to be big enough? It doesn't look over crowded yet but I know they grow quite large, so do I need to look into buying a bigger tank for them?

Answer: Yes, for sure! 120 liters or 150 would be much better!

RENE FROM MALTA on: October 8, 2009, 3:49 am wrote

Hi, I just bought a 378 liters tank and would like to put in some angel fish. Would you please tell me what type of surroundings they like and how many would you put in there? Also would a 10 inch cat fish attack them? Thanks for your help. I'm just new to all this!

Answer: 6 specimens is the best option. I know it because I own a 375 aquarium with 4 Angelfish (previously 6, but 2 died). They're quite big after reaching maturity, that's why I recommend only 6.

They like plants and driftwood. Driftwood helps them to divide territories. A 10 inch catfish as a tankmate? Depends on what species of catfish it is. Usually catfish are peaceful, also Angelfish can protect themselves.

emma on: October 11, 2009, 11:50 am wrote

Hello. I have a 12 gallon tank and 2 anglefish, and another fish I'm not quite sure what it is. It is gray with blueish-gray spots and a little bit smaller than the angles. The angles are quite big. The one angle is 3 years old and the other is 1 or 2. The older one is actually not the dominate one. I think the mystery fish is trying to spawn with the dominate angelfish. Could they do that? I breed beta fish so I know what spawning looks like.

Answer: It's practically impossible.

Tammy on: October 11, 2009, 4:22 pm wrote

I just got a 36 gallon which came w/2 angelfish & 3 green cory catfish. I added mine from my 10 gallon - 2 neon tetras, 2 zebra danios, 2 gold skirt tetras, 1 powder blue gourami & 1 pleco. Went today & got 2 silver hatchetfish, 2 lamp eye tetras, & 2 long finned red minor tetras. Have I got too many? I noticed one of the angels chasing some of the other fish around & it has me worried? I tried to follow the "inch per gallon" rule, but I have read this doesn't apply to angels. Also, I have been told that you don't have to count bottom feeders into the inch rule. Is this correct?

Answer: Yes, you overstocked the aquarium. Angelfish need more space than usual because they're tall. It's necessary to have an aquarium that's at least 40-50cm tall. Bottom feeders don't count as they usually don't swim in top or middle levels of the aquarium.

lucy on: October 18, 2009, 8:09 pm wrote

Why do angle fishes eat their eggs some time?

Answer: Because they're full of proteins and because when there are too many fish in the tank, the parents don't feel comfortable and they rather eat the eggs.

speedy on: October 18, 2009, 11:21 pm wrote

I have a black angelfish with a kind of a silver stripes and he is in a tank with four tetras. They tend to get along fine.Tthe only problem is that the teras like to nip at the angelfish and he tends to not be too much of an angel to them when they mess with him.

Lynne on: November 11, 2009, 4:55 pm wrote

Hi,

I have a 96 liter tank, it had one large angel fish, I added one small angel fish, a siamese fighter male and female. The angel fish killed both of the siamese within two days and is now chasing and nipping the smaller angel fish all of the time - should I take him to the pet shop? He is really very beautiful, black lace with lovely stripes and he must be about 5cm but I really want a variety of fish but I don't want them bullied or killed.

Any advice gratefully received, thank you!

Lynne

Answer: Of course, if one fish is too dominant to keep other small fish in the same aquarium, returning it back or finding a new home for all small specimens is the best solution of this situation.

I'm not sure if your fish tank is planted enough, because having a planted aquarium helps to get rid of aggression in many cases.

Alyssa Spinks on: November 15, 2009, 10:27 am wrote

Hi, I just bought a starter kit 20 gallon aquarium. I let it run with bubbles and put the temp to about 75 degrees. I just bought 3 tiny angel fish (silver dollar size), and they are swimming doing good.

I have read about putting conditioner in the water each time you clean and before the fish go in (which i did), I have stuff called Prome or something close to that name; Do I add that each time I clean the tank and add new water?

Also the brand Tetra says I should add stuff called API STRESS COAT, API STRESS ZYME for the water condition. And to add AMMO LOCK to protect them from the amonia. Should I do this? Because I have been told I don't need to but I want them as healthy as possible. Also Tetra says to add API MELAFIX for the first three days to prevent infections. Should I do so? I am confused because I have been told it's OK not to but I want to be sure they live long and are healthy as possible. Also I bought the Prome which I was told was the best out there, not sure what to use please, help.

Also, is this 20 gallon tank large enough for the 3 very small angels for now? I planned on getting a larger one in a year or less when they grow. How long does it take to get fully grown?

Do I take my decorations out every time I vacuum the rocks? I have pink jewels I bought from the pet aqua store on the bottom with the rocks, should I take them out too? Sorry for so many questions. TOTALLY new to this and want my fish very happy and healthy and I don't want to see one die I am afraid of that!

If possible please take the time to answer my questions:

1. Should I use the bottled chemicals recommended by Tetra, or just use the Prome bottle and nothing else when I clean it?

2. Do I take decorations and jewels out when I clean poop out (vacuum/or whatever it is called)?

3. Is a 20 gallon take good for these 3 small angels for now, and for how long will this size be OK, if at all? (I plan to add upgrade when they start to get bigger.)

Answer:

1) You don't need to use all chemicals. Companies will tell you to use them, but if water in your aquarium is really stable and of good quality, you won't need anything. It's necessary to know pH, dGH, KH and temperature, of course. If pH is about 7, if dGH is say 4 or 10, if KH is at least 4, if temperature is say 24°C, then it's all OK!

2) Never change all water. Do regular water changes if possible (but it's not necessary if water in your aquarium shows stability in terms of the above-mentioned parameters), always change 10%-20% of water. You won't need to take the decorations out.

3) A 20 gallon aquarium isn't big enough for 3 Angelfish once they reach adult size. They'll be almost fully grown in the 8 months of age. It's also important to offer them at least 50 cm of height. Otherwise their fins will degenerate. Fish won't die, but their fins will be formed unnaturally.

joe on: December 15, 2009, 4:38 pm wrote

I have recently setup a 100 liter tank, approx 26 gallon. I have a pair of angelfish, was wondering what to add to the aquarium next; a pair of swordtails or 3-4 corydoras or 3-4 hachetfish?

Answer: Definitely corydoras. But instead of 3-4 specimens, try 10! The more, the better! Corydoras should be kept in groups and they feel very good then.

divejulea. on: December 15, 2009, 8:14 pm wrote

Yesterday I've bought 2 golden angelfish; Today, the one laid between 250 - 300 eggs. And the second fish slides on top of the eggs - what's going on? When will the eggs hatch? And what food should I feed the babies - if finally they hatch? Please, help.

Answer: Looks like you bought a pair; The female first lays eggs, then they're fertilised by a male. This is what has happened in your aquarium. The fry should be fed Artemia Salina.

Jtini87 on: December 29, 2009, 4:41 am wrote

Hello I'm new to the aquarium world. I'm planning on getting one or two angel fish depending what is best, the thing is I want to make sure that I can make a habitat for my angel fish that will guarantee survival, but all I want is one fish, what is best for a starter aquarium?

Answer: Perhaps you need a fish to start the nitrogen cycle? If yes, then try snails. They produce excrements and are usually hardier than any fish.

James Evans on: December 30, 2009, 5:13 am wrote

I have eco-complete substrate (crushed coral), I would like to put live plants in my tank then get some angel fish and other tank mates. Do I have to change my substrate for the plants?

Answer: As long as you're using fertilizers, you don't need to change the substrate. Just make sure that the plants can attach themselves to the substrate naturally (by roots or rhizomes for instance).

gg4 on: December 31, 2009, 6:40 am wrote

Can someone tell if being overly aggressive is normal for parent guarding eggs, it has almost killed a tankmate!

Answer: It is not normal, however in small aquariums or in aquariums where territories are too small, an Angelfish may become aggressive. Once again, it's not normal, but it may occur.

mohit on: January 2, 2010, 2:58 pm wrote

I've a 70l tank with 5 angel fish; around 4 cm. I also have 4 3 cm goldfish. I want to know if I can add any other fish or by how much should I upgrade the size of the tank.

Answer: Definitely a 70 liters tank isn't enough for even 5 angelfish or 4 goldfish. 300 liters is the smallest aquarium you should consider for your fish' needs.

Angela Harris on: January 7, 2010, 2:32 am wrote

I own two black and silver vieltail angels, they are very nice. I was watching them and found out that when I go to bed at night they are deep silver and with black stripes, but when I wake up and turn on the light they are white like pearlescent. Within 10 minutes they get their colors back. It is like watching a polaroid developing. I was wondering if anyone knows why they do this. Please let me know if you have any ideas. Your ideas would be helpful!

Answer: It's normal, you don't need to worry. It's a reaction to the light. If you want to get rid of these colours changes, use two lighting systems; turn on on light and after a couple of minutes turn on the second one. There are also systems that slowly increase the lighting intensity - but they're usually more expensive than simple lights.

Sophie Smith on: January 10, 2010, 8:25 pm wrote

Hi all,

I have 175l which has been set up for about 6 weeks now. The tank is now fully cycled and my ammonia and nitrite is around 0, with the nitrate a little above 0 between water changes.

Currently building up stock and have 9 penguin tetra, 8 black neon tetra, 5 corys. Want to get another set of tetra - probably congo - and a pair each of dwarf gourami and red honey gourami. Then the plan is to get a pair of angels. Will the angels get on with the rest of the planned community? The tetras and corys are fine, but what about the gouramis? I have heard that the red honeys (being smaller than other gouramis) are timid and wonder if the angels are going to be aggressive towards them? Plan to get very small angels so they have time to grow.

Any suggestions much appreciated.

Answer: It should be fine. In my experience Angelfish and Dwarf Gouramis get along well.

lee on: January 14, 2010, 4:45 am wrote

I have a 50 gallon fish tank that is 75 cm tall. In there I have 5 angels, 1 of them is probably half grown, the others about a inch body size. Would I have problems if I put in a nearly full grown angel or will my tank get overstocked? In the tank I have 2 internal filters 8oo LPH, I have had no problems with the ones I have in there now. Also in the tank I have :

2 gold rams
4 blue rams
3 albino corys
1 clown pleco
8 zebra danios
5 neon tetras
6 glowlite tetras
1 common plec (getting rehomed soon)
1 red tailed shark (also getting rehomed)

Thanks for any comments guys!

Answer: A fully grown specimen might be harassing smaller angelfish, and also may be aggressive toward neon tetras. However if that fish has been living with these species, it wouldn't be any problem at all.

Anyway, my personal opinion is that 6 angelfish is too much for a 50 G aquarium.

Tiffany on: January 15, 2010, 8:09 am wrote

I have a 20 gallon tank with a dalmatian molly, 3 danios, a guppy which I know I should get a few more, but we also got an angelfish 2 days ago, which I am now thinking was a mistake. He sits in the corner of the tank most of the time until the lights are off and that we can see is not eating. Is this normal? And I'm also curious as to what to do with the angelfish? All of our fish are delinquents. I know there is a risk, but if we got one more angelfish and a few more guppies would that create problems? Because they are the 2 singled out fish in the tank. What should I do? Thank you :)

Answer: You should return the angelfish to where you bought it. Buying another one will be a mistake because a 20 gallon aquarium isn't big enough for two adult angelfish, that's for sure.

leo on: January 17, 2010, 2:48 pm wrote

I was wondering if I could get 1 angelfish. I have a 63L with 2 blue Gouramis, 8 neon tetras, 4 cherry barbs and 5 Black widow tetras. Is it possible?

Awesome site!

Answer: It's possible, but I don't recommend it. 2 gouramis is quite enough. Moreover, aquariums that are smaller than 80-90 liters aren't usually high enough. Bear in mind that Angelfish require high aquariums! I personally recommend 50 cm at least. About 5 cm is substrate, about 3 cm are not filled at the top, so then it's something about 40 cm of water column.

Mel on: January 25, 2010, 7:11 am wrote

Since you seem to be helpful and willing to answer questions, here it goes:

I have a 48 gallon (181 L) with 4 angles, 2 small cories, and a pleco. This group has been there for about 8 months. Two of my angles have tried spawning twice; after spawning, the other fish make a meal out of the eggs. This doesn't bother me too much since I'm not to interested in raising fry.

My angles tend to be somewhat hostile towards each other. I'm assuming that it's just because the mating pair are protective of their space. My question is:

1) In your opinion, did I over-populate this tank?
2) I've raised African Cichlids before, and have been told that it's a good idea to over-populate the tank so that aggression is spread out amongst the group. Does this apply to angels?

Thanks.

Answer:

1) You haven't overpopulated the aquarium.
2) It is not a good idea to overpopulate any aquarium. The more fish, the more aggression.

Stephanie on: January 31, 2010, 3:23 pm wrote

Hello, I just got a 85 gallon aquarium and I know that I want the tank to be filled with neon tetras and sword tails, neon rainbows and Zebra Danios. My mom once had a 35 gall and had 2 angels, 2 swordtails and 6 neons, so I know that they can get along. My fear is that the neons will either get eaten by the angels or sucked up to the filter. I don't really want to put a divider in because I want the angels to grow big. So hear are my questions:

1. Will I need to get a divider to keep the angels and neons separated as well as keeping the neons from the filter?
2. How many of each would be suitable; I know 6 neons is normal but what about the others?
3. Which ones would be best to buy and introduce together in sets?

Answer: The divider is not necessary as long as fish get along; Thus, buy all as juveniles at once. Bigger fish won't consider smaller ones as food.

It is not required to keep Tetras away from filter as they are good swimmers. Only sick or dead fish may be sucked into the filter; along with fry, but it's not your case at the moment.

Such a big aquarium is OK for say 30 Neon Tetras, 4-5 Angelfish, 10 Zebra Danios, 4 Swordtails.

Jen on: February 5, 2010, 11:14 am wrote

Hello I purchased 5 angelfish 3 months ago and they have since doubled in size. I have a 46 gallon tank and now I'm worried about overcrowding because I would like to add a few more fish. My water has recently became very cloudy and I've checked the pH which seems to be at 8 maybe a little high? I would also like to know how to tell the difference between male and female. I appreciate any help. Thanks.

Answer: pH of 8 shouldn't be a problem as long as carbonate hardness is at least 4. Cloudy water is usually caused by algae or by impurities that decompose (excrements, uneaten food, dead fish, snail, plant). Sexing Angelfish is hard and the best way to tell sex is watching how the fish pair with each other. Males usually fight and so do females (although less). Once they're ready to breed, you will see which are males and which are females.

I don't recommend you to put more fish into your fish tank. I would even give one or two Angelfishes to someone else.

gayle on: February 10, 2010, 11:24 am wrote

I have a 30 gallon tank with 2 discus, 3 molly, 1 paradise, 1 biker, 2 rosey barbs, 3 black skirt tetras, 1 algea eater and 1 african butterfly. I had 2 angels in the tank and they died. This is a fairly new tank - 1 month. I really want to replace the angels but I feel after reading the comments above that I may have over crowded. Everyone seems to be doing fine though. Please advise.

Answer: Yes, your aquarium is overcrowded already. Also, you keep only a few black skirt tetras which is not good for their comfort.

latisha on: February 11, 2010, 8:38 pm wrote

What food should I give my baby anglefish?

Answer: Artemia Salina.

Bill Ecob on: February 16, 2010, 2:40 am wrote

I've had 2 Angelfish alone with a Cory for several years in a 20 gallon high tank. They breed regularly (every month or so) and seem to tend the eggs after laying them; until I turn out the lights! That somehow signals them to eat them. I've only managed to have two clutches survive by leaving the light on only to have the fry promptly devoured. They lay the eggs on the same leaf every time so I'm loath to remove it. How do I encourage better parenting?

Answer: Try using a divider. Size of the aquarium could be a problem too, but creating or buying a divider is surely a cheaper solution.

Jenn on: February 19, 2010, 4:22 pm wrote

I purchased a 10 gallon tank. I first bought 3 guppies and one angelfish. Now I just added 3 more guppies and 2 tiny neon tetras and added plants. The angelfish isn't that big, but I've noticed thats the guppies fins are getting nipped at. And I read up on that neon tetras are a schooling species and should be in groups of ten. So that means in a 10 G tank 6 guppies 10 neon tetras and 1 angelfish. I think that's bad.

I plan on getting another tank a bigger one! My question is what size should I get? And should I put the angel fish and a couple more angelfish in the new one. Or get a couple more angelfish and put them in the 10 G tanks and move the 6 guppies and 10 neon tetras into a bigger tank? Who goes in what tank? Is the 10 G tank too small for 6 guppies and 10 neon tetras? Plus I think one of the guppies is pregnant but I'm not sure, what does it mean when it hides in the plants on the bottom of the rocks? Another thing is the temperature is at 80 F is that OK for all of them?

Answer: a 10 gallon fish tank isn't big enough for even 1 specimen (Angelfish). If I were you, I'd surely buy at least a 40 gallon aquarium. Then all fish could be kept together as long as plants are present in the tank.

You should keep more Neon tetras as you've already mentioned. 10 or 20. I recommend even 30. If you want to use that 10 gallon aquarium, then it's suitable for Guppies only.

If you're asking about Guppies, please visit the article about Guppies. This website contains plenty of pages not only about Angelfish or Guppies (use the search box or simply click on non-underlined blue text links within the article; not meant as AdSense ads or Infolinks ads). Anyway, if a Guppy is hiding, it doesn't feel OK. This might be closely related to size of your aquarium.

The temperature of 80 Fahrenheit is OK even though it could be a little lower.

Amy on: February 22, 2010, 3:45 am wrote

Hello, I'm hoping to get a tropical fish tank soon but I think it will be between 10 - 29 gallons depending on what my mum says, but I'd love to have one angelfish, guppies and maybe a few harlequin rasboras.

Do you know any good tank mates for an angelfish? Those are just suggestions. I'd also like either algae eaters or some kind of pleco, but I don't know what size they can grow up to and how many gallons some need.

So the questions I'm asking are

1) What are good tankmates for angelfish (if I have a 10 - 29 gallon aquarium). I cant' give a precise size because I'm only 13 and my mum needs to tell me what size roughly.

2) Do you know the kind of freshwater fish that is like gold if a male and a bronze/ opal colour if female? Because I would really want some of such fish with my angels but I don't know if they'd get along and I can't remember the name.

I really hope you can help me as soon as possible. Thank you - I think this is a genuinely good site and I will keep on coming here !

Answer: Buy Angelfish only if your aquarium is 29 gallons big! For Angelfish the bigger is better. If a tank is tall enough, then say a 20 gallon aquarium could be sufficient, but surely not big enough.

So if you're about to get a 20 gallon one, then Guppies aren't the most suitable tankmates as Angelfish may tend to eat them. Especially the fry will be eaten in a blink of an eye.

In fact, in a 29 gallon aquarium, only algae eaters should be considered as potential tankmates. Bristlenose catfish is what I recommend you (we have pages about this species, use search box at the top of this page). Eventually Coryodoras species. Corydoras Panda looks very pretty.

If you decide to keep other species than Angelfish, I strongly recommend you Dwarf Gourami. They're not that big, are peaceful and if kept in a pair, they'll most likely breed often.

Regarding your second question: There are so many species that I can't tell you which it would be. Sorry. Maybe you're referring to some Gourami species, maybe some livebearers, am not sure. Bear in mind that there are colour variants of one species in many cases and thus it's hard to tell.

tara on: February 24, 2010, 8:43 am wrote

What fish goes with angel fish in 1 of my tanks, I have mollys, swordfish?

Answer: Both mollies and swordtails can be kept along with angelfish if the aquarium is big enough and if water conditions are suitable for these species.

diego on: February 24, 2010, 12:11 pm wrote

My sister gave my daughter a 10 gallon tank. My daughter is only 8 yrs-old and wondering what are good, easy to take care of fishes for her to keep in the 10g tank. We are fairly new to this. When she gets good at this we are looking to upgrade, but for now we are satisfied with the 10g.

Answer: Guppies :) .

Terrence on: March 3, 2010, 2:28 am wrote

All of a sudden my angel fish has become extremely aggressive. For about 8 months it has lived peaceably. I have a 50 gallon tank & the angelfish has recently killed one shark, 2 tetras, 2 gourami's, 2 platys. Now there are only 2 sharks surviving. What do I do? Please help!

Answer: Even though these fish are usually peaceful, filling a 50 gallon aquarium with that much fish (which aren't small!) is not wise. Perhaps your angelfish is now adult and decided that his tank is too small for all these fish. You haven't mentioned if there is enough plants in the aquarium.

I'm sure that in a heavily planted aquarium, which is not overcrowded, the angelfish would live peacefully.

jay on: March 8, 2010, 7:21 am wrote

How much does it cost to buy one Angelfish specimen?

Answer: Angelfish aren't expensive. The price usually starts at $0.50, but can be raised to over $10 per specimen depending on it's age or colour. Juveniles are usually cheap.

Chris Collins on: March 8, 2010, 6:19 pm wrote

Is a 29 us gallon aquarium with 5 blackskirt tetras sufficient for 2 angels?

Answer: If it's high enough (at least 50 cm preferably), then surely YES.

bryan on: March 10, 2010, 6:01 am wrote

Hello, I have a well established, heavily planted 60 Gallon tank. I have 10 Pristella tetras, a dozen gallaxy rasboras, half dozen Endler's, some ottos, 7 cories and a variety of shrimp. I also have 2 Flying Fox's.

I have focused on making this a very friendly tank for small fish and shrimp but would like to have something larger.

I would love to put 2 or 3 angels in the tank but am not sure if they would get picked on by the flying fox's (although they've shown no aggressiveness towards anyone so far) or if they would eat the smaller fish like endlers or galaxy rasboras once they grow.

Would 2 or 3 angels make this tank overstocked?

I know you've already answered versions of these questions already on this thread, I'd just like to hear your opinion about my specific situation.

Answer: As your aquarium is planted enough, and as you keep all mentioned fish, I think it won't be a problem to add 2 or 3 angelfish. The aquarium won't be overstocked. Angelfish shouldn't eat smaller neighbors once they're fully grown. I keep small tetras along with angelfish and they let them be :) .

cathryn on: March 11, 2010, 12:33 pm wrote

My husband bought be a 40 gallon tall aquarium and I would like to keep some angelfish, how many would be happy in the tank? I would like to add a small group of tetras or danios. What do you recommend?

Answer: 2 specimens would be my choice. Danios or tetras only if angelfish are juveniles.

Concerned on: March 15, 2010, 5:52 am wrote

I have a community tank with 3 angels, they are very content and good. Recently I added 2 new angels to the tank. 1 of the three angles are being a little aggressive and nipping at the two new ones. Will the 1 old fish stop picking on the new ones and realize they are staying?

Answer: Yes, it has been mentioned here a couple of times already. They fight because of dominance.

As long as your aquarium is big enough for 5 angelfish, they'll be OK.

todd mck on: March 15, 2010, 2:32 pm wrote

I have a 70 gallon tank with all real plants, drift wood, rocks etc. Also have 5 angelfish, 2 corie catfish. 2 angelfish have laid eggs and - now have baby fry. So far the other fish have been run away, but what are the odds of the fry making it to adulthood? The parents are chewing up the flakes I feed them and giving it to the fry, I have done no special feeding or care also.

Answer: Natural mortality always exists. Sometimes it's up to 80%, sometimes only 20%. However, if 80% of newborns die, you can be really assured that the remaining 20% are strong fish. No-one can 100% tell you how many are going to reach adulthood. Sometimes even a single specimen doesn't make it to the first two months.

mas on: March 20, 2010, 1:11 am wrote

Hi,

fabulous site... 2 questions:

1. I have a 190l tank Juwel Trigon 190 with bogwood and live plants. I have 2 albino pleco's only (tank was started 10 days ago and just added the pleco's). How many angelfish do you recommend I keep and when to add them. I want to maximise the tank for keeping Angel fish.

2. What background is best to help them feel secure?

Many thanks in advance,

Mas - London

Answer: 3-4 specimens would be good. You can add them anytime you want as Angelfish don't produce too much excrements. So the aquarium doesn't need to be 100% cycled.

Regarding background: Anything that isn't too dark. My own aquarium is without any background and fish feel quite good in my opinion.

Ahmad on: March 24, 2010, 9:49 am wrote

i have a 10 gallon aquarium, one pleco, one betta, two black mollies, two platies, and two semi-juvenile angelfish. I'm worried that my angelfish will eventually get too big to live in my tank, can this really harm them?

Answer: Angefish' fins will be deformed and they will fight for territory unless you put really many plants into the aquarium. They (angelfish) should stay peaceful toward other species, but I'm not 100% sure.

Peter on: March 31, 2010, 6:12 am wrote

Could an Angelfish survive in a Biorb and for how long before it outgrows it? I understand from above that they do get quite big and it probably isn't optimal, but could it live quite happily?

Answer: In my experience Biorb isn't only 1 aquarium, there are more different sizes. So... If your aquarium is up to 20 liters, then your Angelfish must be moved immediately unless it's a newborn or a 2-3 cm long specimen. If your Biorb aquarium is up to 40 liters, then you can keep your fish in there until it reaches 6-7 cm in length. If you have a big bowl, then perhaps your Angelfish can be happy. However, height of the aquarium must be at least 40 cm.

jamie on: April 7, 2010, 2:59 am wrote

I have a 10 gallon tank with 5 neon tetra, 3 lemon tetra, 2 ghost tetra, 1 common pleco and 1 small angelfish. Forgot to say it's a 10 gallon tall, not wide. Will all these fish be OK in there or not? I only ask because I will be buying a 400L tank in the near future anyway, but do you think I need to buy this sooner or will they be OK for 4-6 months?

Answer: It's questionable, all depends on how fast the angelfish grows. I think that 4 months could do it, but surely not more than 4 months in such a small tank.

Ayshi. I on: April 7, 2010, 11:09 am wrote

Yeah hi, I have a 300l tank. I have 14 angels fishes and 1 beta fish and 1 shark. What will happen to my angel fish? Will the beta fish and shark kill them? Is my tank overcrowded?

Answer: As long as the angelfish are big enough, the beta fish and shark should leave them alone. However, 14 angels in a 300 liters fish tank is too much. They will fight for territories as they grow.

dennis on: April 7, 2010, 2:48 pm wrote

I only have one angel fish, what should I do with the eggs?

Answer: Nothing. Maybe the fish will eat them. If not the fish, then snails for sure. If not snails, they will turn to fungus in a couple of days and will disappear later.

Rob on: April 12, 2010, 9:30 pm wrote

I have a 55 gallon fish tank I set up 2 weeks ago and added two dime size black marble angels one week ago. Everything was fine, then suddenly both fish died on the same day. I tested the water with an ammonia test kit and a 5-1 test kit. Both tests showed the water as being safe in all areas. What should I do next before adding angels again. I currently have no fish in the tank.

Answer: Perhaps you could try adding some apple snails to produce some excrements first, then the nitrification bacteria will take the place, things will become stable. Wait 2 weeks and then add some hardy catfish for example. And if they do well for about a week or two, add other species.

sarah on: April 14, 2010, 8:01 pm wrote

Hi,

I have a question about the markings on my angelfish. I've had them for 5 months and growing nicely.

I have noticed in the past week that there seems to be a black round mark appear behind their eyes. All specs are fine. They look happy. Do their markings change with maturity?

Thanks you!

Answer: Markings come and go, especially during maturing.

Nicole on: April 28, 2010, 12:35 pm wrote

My Angel fish just laid their eggs 2 hours ago and the male fertilized them, so now what do I do?

Answer: Keep monitoring the aquarium; If parents or any other fish in the tank try to eat the eggs, immediately move the eggs (most likely laid on some plant) into another aquarium or use a divider in order to prevent them from being eaten.

abinadab on: May 4, 2010, 4:53 am wrote

I love angel fish very much. I have 6 black molly, 2 angel fish, 4 gold fish, 2 white molly, 2 yellow molly, 50 guppies, 2 sharks, 2 tiger barb, 2 platies.

shane on: May 12, 2010, 6:11 pm wrote

When can I separate eggs from parents? My other fish steal them at night.

Answer: Once they're laid. In my experience the eggs are usually laid in the evening, or after noon. When you notice that the eggs have been laid, act immediately.

tanya on: May 21, 2010, 7:11 pm wrote

I have an angel fish that got stuck in the filter of the tank. And after I pulled it out I discovered that one of its fins was ripped and it couldn't swim. It kept trying to move the side that works but just ended floating to the top, while still attempting to move the other fin. Now it's floating on the surface trying to swim but it can't. Is there anything that I can do to help it? Please answer me soon, my fish could die! Thank you.

Answer: It must be a more serious injury than just a problem with fin. I kept Angelfish who were missing fins due to fights, and they could swim just fine.

I think that euthanasia would be the best thing for your fish.

Paula on: May 30, 2010, 9:17 am wrote

I have a tank with 3 clown loaches, 1 male betta, 3 guppies, 1 red claw crab, 1 5"pleco, 6 platys, 4 corys, 4 large angel fish and tonight have just added 4 beautiful 3 month old blue angels (stunning) and one silver large angel. They are still establishing boundaries but nothing too bad yet, infact my shy angel who used to hide away has been out and about, swimming around enjoying herself, mixed the tank about a bit after adding new angels, this helped them out I think, not so territorial. I'll let you know how things go over next couple of weeks, (fingers crossed).

akmom21 on: June 28, 2010, 8:58 pm wrote

I just though that I would throw this out there because a lot of the suggestions were for bottom fish and tetras but my 2 angel fish and my green severum are all best buddies. They make a really neat mix of shapes and colors. I also have 2 cory cats, 6 skirt tetras, 2 rams, and 2 lemon tetras in a 100 gallon tank. It makes a very interesting set up and every one gets along. They get fish flakes in the morning and blood worms and brine shrimp in the evening. Every one seems happy. You have an excellent site here. It has answered all my questions. Thanks :)

pat carroll on: July 1, 2010, 7:12 am wrote

I have 16 adult angel fish in a 50 gal. tank now for over 10 years, they have been healthy. I change the water completely once a year, filters are changed once per month. I don't have babies because they have nowhere to hide and become food for all, I have only seen one once and it disappeared before I could locate a net. When I change the whole tank out I am careful to move them in as close to the same temperature. I am wondering if I should now start to accept them to die of old age soon, what is the life expectancy?

Answer: Yes, they're old. Angelfish usually live about 7 years.

Andrew Lawson on: July 26, 2010, 9:20 pm wrote

I just got a new ten gallon aquarium. I have right now two Diamond Tetras, two Platties, and one Angel Fish. If I put another Angel Fish in on Friday, then another Platy on Saturday, would that be OK? Oh, and I also add that they all are getting along and are actually staying together like a school.

Answer: A 10 gallon aquarium isn't big enough for one Angelfish (adult specimen), nor for two. Platies should do better in there.

Let's buy a book about aquariums!

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