Angelfish Care Guide

Tank size & setup

• Use a tank at least 45 cm tall — angelfish need vertical swimming room to match their body shape
• Minimum 75 L for a single pair, 150+ L for a small group of 5–6 juveniles that will pair off naturally
• Provide tall plants or driftwood (real or artificial) that mimic the flooded-forest roots they'd use as cover in the wild
• Keep some open swimming space in the mid-to-upper water column
• Use a gentle-to-moderate filter flow — angelfish come from slow-moving water and dislike strong currents

Water parameters

• Maintain pH between 6.5 and 7.5 and temperature between 24–28°C
• Soft to moderately hard water suits them best; avoid extremes
• Do a 25–30% water change weekly to keep nitrates low
• Cycle the tank fully before adding angelfish — they're sensitive to ammonia and nitrite spikes
• Test water parameters regularly, especially in a newly set up tank

Diet & feeding

• Feed a good-quality flake or pellet formulated for cichlids as the base diet
• Supplement with frozen or live foods like brine shrimp or bloodworms 2–3 times a week for colour and conditioning
• Feed small amounts 1–2 times daily rather than one large feeding
• Avoid overfeeding — uneaten food quickly fouls water quality

Tank mates & compatibility

• Angelfish are semi-aggressive and territorial, more so as adults or when paired off to breed
• Avoid fin-nipping species like tiger barbs or serpae tetras — they'll shred an angelfish's long fins
• Good tank mates include larger, calm tetras (like congo tetras), corydoras catfish, and gouramis
• Avoid housing with very small fish or fry, which adult angelfish may eat
• Introduce angelfish as juveniles alongside other fish rather than adding them to an established aggressive tank

Common problems

• Fin nipping from incompatible tank mates shows up as ragged, shortened fins — remove the aggressor or the angelfish
• Clamped fins, loss of appetite, or dark colouration often signal poor water quality — check parameters first
• Hole-in-the-head disease can develop from poor water quality or nutrition; improve both promptly
• Breeding pairs become notably territorial and may attack tank mates near their chosen spawning site

Frequently asked questions