angel fish in a 20 gallon tank?

[jelloplush]

i have an extra 20 gallon long tank. i was wondering if a single angel fish could go in that tank. i do not know much about angel fish, just started researching this question recently but i'm getting a lot of mixed answers. some people say they need a minimum of 30 gallons, some 40 but i'm pretty sure that's for a pair?

would just one angel fish and nothing else (well.. maybe one snail) be a bad life? thanks!

also hopefully i have posted this in the right place!

 

[Aiken Drum]

Can an angel fish survive in a 20 gallon? Yes. Is it ideal? No. If kept in a suitable environment they can get really big. To big for a 20g. The 30g you have seen recommended elsewhere would be a better home for an angelfish.

 

[jake37]

As a young fish they do fine but if you leave them in there too long they can become stunted (organs are regular size but body is shrunk - so they tend to be in poor health and not do well long term). Also a 40 breeder is too shallow for angels. There is a 50 and 65 that are the same width/length as a 40 breeder but a lot taller which is more suitable for angelfishes.
-
A 29 and 30 are not really suitable for angels due to tank dimensions not volume of water.
-
I had a large male angel i put in a 29 for a while when his mate ripped him to shred - he was very unhappy in that tank and i tried to put him back in the 120 a few times but his mate said no - so i had to give him away. was a lovely fish and deeply regretted not being able to keep him - but the lady had the final say on the matter.

 

[gilpi]

Angels (my favorite fresh water fish) can grow quite large when given the space they need. Most of us can't have a 120 gallon tank. You can have Angels in a 20 gallon but I would plan ahead of time where eventually they will be homed. I did have two Angels in a 29 gallon for about 5 years, they just seem to be growing and I knew they deserved a bigger tank so I gave them away, in a 55, I have homed them for as long as 8 years. As you say, yes I know many that have kept them in 30 gallons, they just seem to tight once they become adults. The biggest issue having Angels together other than space is the nipping that can go on between them, sometimes till one is severely hurt or dead. All that said, in the right conditions, they are very hardy, easy to keep and feed.