Angelfish are one of the most popular aquarium fish with keepers. How many angelfish should be kept together?
How big do angelfish get? How many angelfish per gallon?
In this article, I will go through how many angelfish you can keep in your tank and much more related topics.
How Many Angelfish Should Be Kept Together?
Angelfish are shoaling fish and can be kept in groups. Angelfish tend to pair up and require company from other angelfish to keep them happy and thrive.
Keeping more than one angelfish requires:
- advanced husbandry
- consistent effort
- big tanks
- proper planning
The need for these requirements is because of the territoriality of angelfish. It is best to keep just two angelfish together in the same tank.
What Happens When You Have Too Many Angelfish?
Keeping more than two angelfish together might not work out well except you are very experienced, and your tank is big enough. This condition is because of the:
- territoriality
- aggressive nature of angelfish
However, you can still manage the situation by using a big tank with lots of aquarium plants to provide them with enough hiding places.
Overall, keeping multiple angelfish together is not easy, but it can be made possible with proper planning, good water quality, a large tank, and a proper diet.
How Many Angelfish in a Tank?
When you ask a lot of experienced fish keepers, they say that keeping angelfish together in a school of 5 or 6 is a healthy and recommended amount.
You will have to have enough tanks space to achieve this amount because when you follow the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule, you will need:
- at least 6 to 10 gallons of water per angelfish.
- A 55-gallon tank would be sufficient for five or six juvenile angelfish.
You may have to prepare them to move to a larger tank in the future if they become aggressive or territorial. Do not force yourself to keep more than five or six together at the same time if your tank doesn’t allow for it.
How Big Do Angelfish Get?
Angelfish are usually around 6 inches long when they reach adulthood. This is a number that is common in captivity. This is why you should not keep angelfish in a tank smaller than 20 gallons.
- Angelfish are usually taller in height than they are long. This is why it’s recommended for you to have a tall tank instead of a long one.
- Common angelfish can reach anywhere between 8 to 10 inches when they become fully mature, but this usually occurs in the wild.
- If you would like to try to have an angelfish that reaches that maximum length of 10 inches, you will need to have a tank larger than 55 gal where you can keep over five or six of them at once.
How Many Angelfish per Gallon?
Angelfish should follow the general rule of thumb when it comes to stocking any type of aquarium fish. The rule is usually that you should have:
- 1 gallon of water per inch of fish.
- If an angelfish is about 6 inches in length, you would need at least 6 gallons of water.
Some angelfish can grow up to 8 to 10 inches in length and it’s best to have more than enough space for the fish who are known to become territorial when this space is too tight.
Overall we consider a 55 gallon tank the best size for stocking 4-5 angelfish Be prepared that if they reach over 8 to 10 inches in length and display territorial tendencies, you may have to consider a larger size tank in the future.
Can Two Male Angelfish Live Together?
Yes. Two angelfish can live together but stocking only two males will be tricky. The reason being is because male angelfish can be very territorial against each other.
It will be hard for two male angelfish to share the same space without getting into quarrelling matches.
- They may butt heads if there’s not enough space.
- You will have to create a crafty territorial spaces with enough planted areas to separate them.
- The best bet is to have an extremely large tank.
This way they will have plenty of space and will not have to interact in any type of territorial disputes. Another method of lowering the tension between two male angelfish is by adding more females in the tank to calm things down.
Do Angelfish Need Other Angelfish?
Yes. Angelfish are social fish that enjoy being together in a large tank where they are kept in groups of five or more.The fact is that angelfish can get territorial and would require a lot of space to maintain the peace.
You can keep just one angelfish if you want in a small tank. You would have to provide this single angelfish with plenty of things to do such as adding decorations and planted areas to investigate and swim through.
It’s better to have one angelfish instead of two male angelfish who are constantly fighting with each other for territory in a tank that is 30 gallons or smaller.
What Is the Behavior of an Angel Fish?
Angelfish, like most other members of Cichlids:
- are aggressive and territorial.
- usually form small hierarchies and fight to defend their territory against invasion by similar species.
- fight by locking lips, and the result of their fight is generally brutal.
They usually prefer to compete than cooperate, thereby highlighting why keeping multiple angelfish together can be challenging.
Why Are Angelfish Aggressive?
Angelfish are particularly aggressive towards the members of their school and they are less likely to bully other members.
Angelfish usually weave in and out of aquarium plants and pebbles to secure a hiding place for themselves. They can also hide in an overcrowded tank because they are an immensely showy fish.
As part of their territorial nature, angelfish fiercely defends their eggs and take care of fry for up to two months until they are enough to protect themselves. They are one of the few species of fish that look after their young ones and protect them.
What Are Ideal Conditions for Angelfish?
Angelfish is one of the most demanding aquarium fish when it comes to tank and environmental conditions. In the wild, they are native to the Amazon River and its contemporaries in South America.
They naturally prefer:
- slow-moving streams
- floodplains
- swamps located along the Amazon River Basin
In aquariums, angelfish can thrive well in:
- warm water that is a little acidic
- little or no salinity
- 75-82°F temperature
- neutral pH [6.8-7]
Sandier substrates are more comfortable for angelfish. Sand might be more challenging to clean, but it will give your tank a more genuine, natural appearance.
1. Can I Keep Just 2 Angelfish?
Yes. My opinion in a nutshell is that you shouldn’t have more than two angelfish in your tank aquarium.
The likelihood that the couple will mistreat your third Angelfish increases if you have one. However, it takes rigorous attention and a lot of labor to raise larger numbers of angelfish in the tank.
2. Should Angelfish Be Kept in Groups?
Yes. Angelfish hobbyists sometimes have aquariums with solely angelfish in them. Angelfish often thrive when housed in groups of five or more individuals from the same species.
There is little doubt that choosing this choice will prevent your angelfish from having problems with hostile tank mates.
3. What Size Tank Do I Need for 2 Angelfish?
At the absolute least, a pair of angelfish require a tank that is at least 20 gallons in size. Simply said, they are too big for a 10-gallon tank.
Conclusion
Angelfish is reputable for being one of the most popular species of fish in the aquarium. They are semi-aggressive and can grow up to 10 inches over their lifespan of close to 10 years.
It is great to imagine how beautiful and gracious the tank would be in the presence of multiple angelfish but is not as smooth as it appears.
Keeping multiple angelfish together can be challenging because of their temperamental and territorial nature. Even when they are in a school of about 5-6 in the tank, they still fight for hierarchy, and they often pair up in twos. Each pair can then be kept in a different aquarium tank.
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