Add Angelfish to Your Freshwater Fish Tank

Angelfish are beautiful and graceful, a great addition to any fish tank, but you must be careful not to put them in a tank that has fish they don’t get along with. Although these fish appear peaceful and gentle, they can be mildly aggressive and may tend to eat smaller fish.

A member of the cichlid family, angelfish come in many varieties and colors. They can be a bit brittle when they are young, but as they get older they can be quite hardy. You’ll want to keep them in groups of six or more though, as just two or three isn’t a good mix and it’s possible the stronger one will intimidate the weaker fish, but if you keep them in large schools they should be fine.

You will need a large aquarium for these fish, either 29 gallons or larger depending on the total number of fish you want to keep. Make sure you have gravel that is at least 1/4″ thick. You will need to keep your tank temperature between 70-82°F, so be sure to mix your angelfish with other fish that thrive in this temperature. Make sure your aquarium It is at least 24 inches deep – the deeper the better and the deeper your fish tank, the bigger your fish will grow.

Angelfish are not that difficult to feed and don’t really require any special food. You can give them the floating flake food you find at any pet store and you can substitute some freeze-dried bloodworms. If you want to give them a treat, try brine shrimp or live black worms, but be sure to select worms that are in good condition. Although angelfish are slightly aggressive, there are many other fish that can get along quite well with them in the tank. Large Tetras (not the little Neons) and Silver Dollars get along great, as do Swordtails Mollies and Platies. Avoid putting guppies with your angelfish, as angels tend to eat them. Other fish that you can include in the tank include Gouramis, Clown Loaches, Bala Sharks, and Giant Danios.

Although easy to care for and quite hardy, angelfish can become a victim of other fish that like to nibble on their long ends. In addition to this, they can be susceptible to a common fish tank disease called hole-in-the-head disease, which manifests as a sore on the fish’s head and spreads alarmingly and eventually kills the fish.

If you treat your angelfish well, don’t overload the tank, make sure you do regular maintenance, feed it properly, and keep the tank at the right temperature, your fish can live for 10 years!