🐠Angelfish: gear and buying guides

The angelfish is a majestic cichlid reaching 15 cm in length and sometimes 20 cm in height including its fins. Its silhouette demands a tall tank of at least 50 cm and a volume of 240 to 300 L for a small group, in soft water between 24 and 28 °C. Peaceful in appearance, it turns territorial when breeding and eats very small fish.

Profile : 15 cm long and up to 20 cm tall, 240 to 300 L for a group, water between 24 and 28 °C.

Species profile

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Adult size

15 cm

Minimum tank

240 L

Water temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Temperament

A majestic, slow cichlid, peaceful in appearance but territorial when breeding and a predator of very small fish.

Health watch

hexamita (hole-in-the-head) in loaded water · white spot disease after a temperature shock

🩺 Reminder: this page informs, it does not diagnose. For any symptom or health question, your veterinarian remains the only reference.

Angelfish gear, family by family

• 🍖 Food

  A carnivore with omnivorous leanings: cichlid pellets, frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and krill. Vary the diet to support its slow growth and lifespan of ten years or more.

• 🧴 Care & grooming

  Prefer soft, slightly acidic, well-filtered water with a 25 percent weekly change. Its long fins are vulnerable to nipping: avoid fin-nipping tankmates such as some barbs.

• 🎾 Toys & enrichment

  Tall plants such as vallisneria or large sword plants, vertical roots and branches recreate its native habitat. It likes gliding slowly between vertical structures.

• 🏠 Bedding & habitat

  A 240 to 300 L tank at least 50 cm tall, for a group of 5 to 6 juveniles or a bonded pair. Do not house it with neon tetras or shrimp, which it will eventually eat.

• 🧳 Travel & safety

  Transport each adult in a tall, wide bag, as its fins bend and get damaged easily. Slow 45-minute acclimation in temperate water.

• 🧰 Accessories

  An external filter rated for 300 L, a 200 W heater, moderate lighting and a large net. Budget around 250 to 450 euros to equip the full tank.

Guides to read

• Community aquarium or species-only tank: which is right for a first setup?Bedding & habitat

  Community aquarium or species-only tank: pros, cohabitation risks and advice for choosing how to set up your first aquarium.

• Best easy aquarium plants without CO2 for beginnersToys & enrichment

  Which aquarium plants can you choose without CO2 injection? A selection of hardy, easy plants for a beginner's planted tank.

• Budget for a first brackish water aquarium: the real cost to get startedBedding & habitat

  How much does a first brackish water aquarium cost? Tank, filtration, salt and salinity monitoring, budgeted item by item.

• Changing filter media too often: the mistake that wrecks your aquarium's cycleCare & grooming

  Why you should never replace all your filter media at once: nitrifying bacteria, replacement frequency and the right habits.

• Restarting a neglected aquarium: a step-by-step guideCare & grooming

  How do you restart an aquarium that's been left neglected without endangering the fish? Steps, water changes and mistakes to avoid.

• GH, KH and pH: understanding and adjusting aquarium water hardnessCare & grooming

  GH, KH, pH: what do these three readings actually measure, and how do you adjust aquarium water hardness without stressing the fish?

• Upgrading to a bigger aquarium: moving your fish without the stressBedding & habitat

  How do you upgrade to a bigger aquarium without breaking the biological cycle or stressing your fish? Steps and mistakes to avoid.

• Aquarium electrical safety: GFCI protection and good habitsTravel & safety

  Heater, filter, lighting near the water: what electrical precautions keep an aquarium safe for fish and people?