Angelfish

[JaredMiklosovic]

What are the requirements for an angelfish to thrive in a tank?

 

[Khuligirl93]

I'd say at least 20 gallons for 1 fish. Clean water (regular water changes and a cycled tank), and places to hide.

 

[JaredMiklosovic]

So 35 gallon tank would be alright for one? And are they aggressive?

 

[Wiggles24]

They can be. If you want an angel in a community tank the best thing you can do is get it as young as possible that way they don't usually end up seeing their tank mates as potential snacks

 

[Khuligirl93]

I have one in my 36 gal with a few mollies and she's doing ok so yes I think that would be fine. Just a tip, the decor in my tank is mostly towards the bottom of the tank, and she goes down to hide behind it at the bottom, if I could re do my tank I would put in a taller centerpiece decoration so she would have a better safety spot to hide!
As for aggression, it depends on the personality of the fish and the setup of your tank (lots of plants and hiding places or not). Before I knew anything about fish I had my angel with a bunch of guppies in a 10g. As she grew older she ate every single one. I have 1" mollies with her now though and she does not bother them. She just needed more space. I would advise you though if you are EVER planning on getting more than 1 angel- add them as babies at the same time. I had a bad experience with aggression when I added a second angel a few months ago and as the new one grew and approached the same size as my current one, they started to fight and chase each other. I had to give the new guy away.

 

[adammorrill]

I have a pretty big angel in my 36 gallon tank. It has been housed with neon tetras, cherry, barbs, and khuli loaches for close to a year now and has not bothered any of them. My tank is planted with live plants and the tallest plant only reaches halfway up the tank, but the angel doesn't care it's always towards the top begging for food. I also have a smaller angel housed in my 55 gallon, but there are bigger fish with it, but it hasn't bothered any of them either. I think it all depends on the fish, but in my experience my angels have all been pretty mellow. Also, in a 35 gallon I think you could put 2 or 3 angels in there, if you have tall plants in there.

 

[JaredMiklosovic]

My plants go up about halfway, so about a foot. But they're artificial. Is that okay?

 

[adammorrill]

Probably, just make sure when you introduce the angels, you do it all at the same time. And just in case it doesn't work out, make sure you can return them to the fish store. In my experience it should work though. Oh yeah, try to get them small too if you can, if their body, not fins, is the size of a quarter, that would be best.

 

[Scouser]

They can be. If you want an angel in a community tank the best thing you can do is get it as young as possible that way they don't usually end up seeing their tank mates as potential snacks

I got my angel when it was young, it used to be fairly timid.

Once it got large enough it ate the full grown neons I had... Didn't touch the sides :O

 

[bettaowner]

Angelfish are naturally predatory fish so you need to have fish that probably won't be eaten or nip at the long fins. Bad tankmates include tiger barbs, black or white skirt tetras, serpae tetras, small tetras, and most shrimp.

 

[Autumnsky]

There are three Angels in my 72G, not full grown yet and today added some Otocinclus and they are smallish too not full grown...and they immediately went to the glass to clean it up, and over came the biggest Angel trying to suck it up like it was a spaghetti noodle! I waved my had at the tank at it to shoo it away and it came back again and I waved it away again and then I fed them so they would stop looking at the Otos!

I think the Otos are still all there. This is the first time I have seen the Angels think another fish is food, they have all been in the tank together since two were quarter size and the other around nickel size.

There are some Tetras..., now I am getting concerned, Conchu Blue and Cardinals and a lonely glowlight, his buddies ended up in the other tank when I moved, and one Neon.

I have seen aggression previously (different fish) when in too small of tank.

BTW They always seem like they are starving!

Originally I had planned on these Angels being for my mom, when she moved out here this summer but she's not moving now. They are such beautiful fish. I would like some more. But not if they are going to try to kill each other!

 

[JaredMiklosovic]

Do you think an angelfish would eat my kuhli loach?

 

[adammorrill]

Do you think an angelfish would eat my kuhli loach?

I don't think it would for several reasons. First of all khuli loaches are a good size, so I think it would be to big for the angel. I also the the loach is way to fast for the angel to catch. Also I have my angel housed with some khuli loaches, and my angel never bothers them.

 

[JaredMiklosovic]

Okay thanks, and how big is your tank?

 

[adammorrill]

It's a 36 gallon bow fornt, also I have plenty of places for my loaches to hide