Freshwater Angelfish
The king of the community aquarium — graceful, intelligent, and surprisingly territorial. Those dramatic, elongated fins, that laterally compressed body, those curious eyes that follow you across the room. Complete guide: the 110L tall tank minimum, the cichlid aggression you need to manage, and why Neon Tetras are natural prey for adult Angels.
📋 Species Overview
📑 TOC
⚠️ TALL Tank — Why Height Is NON-NEGOTIABLE
Angelfish grow 25 cm (10 inches) TALL from dorsal fin tip to ventral fin tip. A standard 75-liter tank is only 30 cm tall — the fish would barely have room to turn. Minimum tank: 110 liters (29 gallons) with at least 45 cm (18 inches) of vertical height. A standard 20-gallon long is the wrong shape entirely — Angels need vertical swimming space. For a group of 4-5 Angels: 200+ liters (55+ gallons) tall.
🐠 Tank Mates — They WILL Eat Small Fish
Angelfish are cichlids — peaceful by cichlid standards, but still cichlids. In the wild, they eat small fish, insects, and larvae. NEVER keep with: Neon Tetras, Cardinal Tetras, or any fish under 3 cm — they are natural prey for adult Angels. Good tank mates: Corydoras, larger Tetras (Black Skirt, Buenos Aires, Congo), peaceful barbs, Bolivian Rams, plecos, and Gouramis. ⚠️ Fin-nippers: Tiger Barbs, Serpae Tetras — will shred Angel fins.
🥚 Breeding — Parental Care Masters
Angelfish are devoted parents — they form monogamous pairs, clean a flat spawning surface (plant leaf, slate, filter intake), and both parents guard the eggs and fry. However: inexperienced pairs often eat their first few spawns. Remove other fish during breeding — Angels become extremely aggressive when protecting eggs. Fry hatch in 2-3 days and become free-swimming at 5-7 days. Feed infusoria, then baby brine shrimp.
🎨 Color Varieties
Silver/Wild
Gold/Golden
Black/Phantom
Koi/Marbled
Blue/Pinoy
Platinum
🏥 Diseases
- Hole-in-the-Head (HITH): Pitting on head/lateral line — linked to poor water quality, activated carbon dust, and nutritional deficiency. Large water changes + metronidazole
- Hexamita: Intestinal parasite — white feces, weight loss, refusal to eat. Metronidazole treatment
- Ich: Common after temperature stress