Hello everyone! My friend has a 20 gallon tall tank. It's been set up for a couple of years. When she gets rid of her platies, she would like to place an angelfish in the tank. I told her that this was not a good idea, and that an angel needs at least a 40 gallon tank (at least that's what I've heard). She doesn't want to listen to me, so I'd like a bit more information on angelfish. Aqadvisor tells me I can keep an angelfish in a 30 gallon aquarium. What is the minimum size for one angelfish? What is the minimum size for a pair? Does the pair need to be one female and one male or can it be two females so that she doesn't have to worry about them breeding? I know angels need a tall tank, but what kind of plants/rocks/wood do they prefer? Thanks!
Angelfish?
- Thread starter littletankbigworld
- Start date
I'd never keep an angelfish on its own, they're sociable fish that enjoy the company of another. It doesn't matter what sex either in the pair is they should still get on. However I do agree with you a 20g is too small in my opinion. I think a 30g, as long as its quite tall, would deal with a pair of angels easily.
Decor is really down to personal taste but be sure to provide them with some shelter and hiding space. Personally I think angels look great next to a piece of rootwood which mimics their wild habitat. They also look lovely with vallis as a plant and amazon swords, java fern and other broad leaved plants. I always found my angels felt more secure and coloured up much better in a fair well-planted tank.
Decor is really down to personal taste but be sure to provide them with some shelter and hiding space. Personally I think angels look great next to a piece of rootwood which mimics their wild habitat. They also look lovely with vallis as a plant and amazon swords, java fern and other broad leaved plants. I always found my angels felt more secure and coloured up much better in a fair well-planted tank.
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If the angelfish are small, they will be okay in the 20g for a while, with the caveat that they will need to be rehomed sooner or later. If they live and thrive, they will need to be moved when they gets larger. They are 'okay' on their own, but yes, multiples together would be better. Having said that, the 20g really isn't big enough for more than two small angels, and if there are just two, you run into the risk of one being overly aggressive to the other or that they turn out to be a male/female breeding pair, which would require the 20g being only a breeding tank for the angels.
BTW, angels are impossible to sex until they breed.
They will be fine with almost all plant/decor - they are not terribly shy fish that need cave-like hiding spaces - but would appreciate tall vegetation like amazon swords and vallis to swim through. Just be careful about tankmates - nippy tankmates like barbs will chase and eat the angel's trailing fins.
FWIW, one of my angels, that I bought as a young fish just over a year ago, has lived and thrived, so much so that he has already outgrown the 39g - he is going to be rehomed in the next few days. He grew much faster than his mate, and I can just see that he needs to be in a bigger tank. His span top to bottom must be six inches . . . what a beauty . . ..
BTW, angels are impossible to sex until they breed.
They will be fine with almost all plant/decor - they are not terribly shy fish that need cave-like hiding spaces - but would appreciate tall vegetation like amazon swords and vallis to swim through. Just be careful about tankmates - nippy tankmates like barbs will chase and eat the angel's trailing fins.
FWIW, one of my angels, that I bought as a young fish just over a year ago, has lived and thrived, so much so that he has already outgrown the 39g - he is going to be rehomed in the next few days. He grew much faster than his mate, and I can just see that he needs to be in a bigger tank. His span top to bottom must be six inches . . . what a beauty . . ..
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So you think anywhere between a tall 30 gallon tank and a 55 gallon would be suitable...Bigger is better, but she does not seem to want to upgrade her tank even though she is set on the angels. Hopefully she takes a bigger tank into consideration.
If the angelfish do breed, will the parents eat the young? I doubt she wants to buy more tanks to take care of babies if she doesn't want a bigger tank now.
If the angelfish do breed, will the parents eat the young? I doubt she wants to buy more tanks to take care of babies if she doesn't want a bigger tank now.