Angelfish Tank Mates: Good and Bad Partners, Why Grown Angelfish Eat Small Fish and Shrimp, Tank Size and How Many to Keep

In short: which tank mates suit angelfish?

Angelfish tank mates are peaceful fish too big to fit in the angelfish's mouth. Of this site's 22 species, three are ○.

Angelfish are usually introduced as good community fish. The care resource Seriously Fish also calls them a good community fish.

But the same source says they may eat small fish such as tetras. The key point: choose angelfish tank mates by the size of the mouth once grown, not by the angelfish's size today.

What this article covers:

• Why small fish and shrimp are ×, and how things change as the angelfish grows
• Pairing with neon tetras, corydoras and guppies
• Tank size (width and height) and how many to keep
• What to check, in order, before adding fish, and what to do when it goes wrong

How do angelfish match up with the other 22 species?

Source: Judged by this site's rules from the care data of each species (see the sources of the care data table)

Angelfish are × with 16 species of fish and shrimp. The reasons fall into three main groups.

• Small enough to swallow: tetras, rasboras, zebra danio, otocinclus, guppy, platy and others
• Angelfish eat shrimp: Neocaridina shrimp, red cherry shrimp, Amano shrimp
• Temperature and heater: medaka and goldfish need no heater

The three △ pairs depend on conditions. Small corydoras may get eaten. Dwarf gouramis sometimes chase long fins.

The ○ partners are the bottom-swimming kuhli loach and bristlenose pleco, plus the nerite snail. For most × partners, the "fits in the mouth" reason remains even in a bigger tank.

Why do angelfish eat small tank mates?

Because angelfish grow large and are strongly carnivorous by nature. They may eat fish small enough to fit in their mouths.

Seriously Fish writes that they may eat small fish such as tetras. Tokyo Aqua Garden also says their natural diet is strongly carnivorous.

As the table shows, the body sizes differ a lot. Angelfish also grow very tall.

Source (7)

• Seriously Fish (Paracheirodon innesi)
• Seriously Fish (Paracheirodon axelrodi)
• Seriously Fish (Hemigrammus bleheri)
• Seriously Fish (Pterophyllum scalare)
• Seriously Fish (Otocinclus macrospilus)
• Seriously Fish (Trigonostigma heteromorpha)
• Seriously Fish (Danio rerio)

Sources describe "too big to swallow" in different ways.

This site's calculation marks a partner × if it is half the angelfish's size or smaller. Body length guidelines differ by source, so if you are unsure, treating the pair as × is the safe side.

Why can small fish swim with young angelfish but become unsafe as they grow?

Because angelfish sold in shops are still small juveniles. As they grow, their mouths get bigger, and they become able to eat the same partners.

Aquarium Co-Op recommends buying juveniles about the size of a coin. It says the fun is watching them grow from young fish into adults.

Tokyo Aqua Garden says you sometimes see them kept with neon tetras. But it says this only works for a limited time, while the angelfish are small.

Even with no problems on the first day, small fish may start to disappear months later. Decide on tank mates by how the angelfish will look once grown.

Can angelfish live with neon tetras or cardinal tetras?

Both are × on this site. They are small enough to fit in a grown angelfish's mouth.

With neon tetras, a narrow temperature overlap adds to the reasons. The temperatures are in the table.

Source: Seriously Fish (Paracheirodon innesi) / Seriously Fish (Paracheirodon axelrodi) / Seriously Fish (Pterophyllum scalare)

Sources see this pair differently.

This site follows what Seriously Fish says. If you want to keep a school of small fish, a tank separate from angelfish is the safe choice.

Compatibility from the neon tetra's side is in Neon Tetra Tank Mates.

Can angelfish live with corydoras?

Panda corydoras and peppered corydoras are both △. They swim on the bottom, so they are named as partners, but small ones may get eaten.

Tokyo Aqua Garden says corydoras and kuhli loaches, which swim near the bottom, suit angelfish. It explains that corydoras are covered in tough skin, so pecking rarely injures them.

Aquarium Co-Op also writes that corydoras worked well. On the other hand, Tokyo Aqua Garden also says small fish are no exception.

Source (5)

• Seriously Fish (Pterophyllum scalare)
• Seriously Fish (Corydoras panda)
• Seriously Fish (Corydoras paleatus)
• Seriously Fish (Pangio semicincta)
• Seriously Fish (Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus)

Conditions if you try it:

• Choose corydoras that are grown and fairly large
• Keep them in the group size shown in the table
• Panda corydoras have a narrow temperature overlap. Keep the water at a temperature that suits both
• Check that food sinking to the bottom reaches the corydoras

The △ for corydoras means "with a condition: avoid small ones." Compatibility from the corydoras's side is in Corydoras Tank Mates.

Do angelfish eat shrimp?

Yes. All three shrimp, including the Amano shrimp, are ×.

Tokyo Aqua Garden writes that angelfish like to eat small shrimp. Its guide to Amano shrimp also says medium-sized fish attack them.

Aquarium Co-Op also says to avoid small shrimp, because angelfish grow large.

If you want an algae eater, the ○ choices are the nerite snail or the bristlenose pleco, not shrimp. Shrimp compatibility in general is in Fish That Can Live with Shrimp.

Can angelfish live with guppies, bettas or tiger barbs?

All are ×. The reasons involve the angelfish's long fins, plus being small enough to swallow.

Tokyo Aqua Garden writes that tiger barbs nip the long fins of angelfish. Aquarium Co-Op also says to avoid fin nippers.

Aquarium Co-Op also says to avoid fast-moving fish, because angelfish lose out to them at feeding time.

As a rule, do not keep angelfish with fin nippers, whatever their size. The guppy's side is in Guppy Tank Mates.

How should you think about tank size and height for angelfish tank mates?

Angelfish are tall, so choose a tank with height, not just width. The guidelines in the sources are below.

The figures vary by source, but all of them put weight on height.

When you add tank mates, choose a tank with room for the angelfish plus room for the partners' group.

How many angelfish should you keep?

You can keep one, or a small group. They squabble with their own kind, so sources recommend a small group.

Source: Seriously Fish (Pterophyllum scalare)

Territorial behavior gets stronger mainly during breeding. Seriously Fish says males become more territorial in the breeding season.

Aquarium Co-Op also writes that territorial behavior is mostly about breeding.

Once a pair forms, check every day that other fish are not being chased. If the chasing continues, move the pair or the partner to another tank.

Before starting angelfish tank mates, what should you check, and in what order?

Check the partner's result, its grown size, temperature, tank height, then hiding places. Remove × partners at this stage.

Tokyo Aqua Garden says always to provide hiding places such as plants or shelters. They give chased fish somewhere to escape to.

Other pairs can be checked with the quick chart and checker in the Tropical Fish Tank Mates Chart. Before adding fish, check once more against how the angelfish will look when grown.

What should you do when angelfish tank mates are not working?

If small fish vanish, fins get torn, or a fish is chased nonstop, separate the partner causing it. Then watch whether both settle down.

If fin wounds turn cloudy white, disease may have set in. If you use medicine, check its generic name and follow the instructions.

Keeping one spare tank for separating fish saves you from panicking.

What terms come up with angelfish tank mates?

What else goes with angelfish tank mates?

Angelfish tank mates connect to small fish, bottom fish and shrimp. Go on to the article for the partner you are curious about.

• Small fish in the middle level: Neon Tetra Tank Mates
• Partners on the bottom: Corydoras Tank Mates
• Long-finned fish: Guppy Tank Mates
• Shrimp compatibility in general: Fish That Can Live with Shrimp
• Livebearers that are easy to swallow: Platy Tank Mates
• Quick chart and checker for 23 species: Tropical Fish Tank Mates Chart

Frequently asked questions about angelfish tank mates

Which fish can live with angelfish?

Of this site's 22 species, three are ○: the kuhli loach, bristlenose pleco and nerite snail. The two corydoras and the dwarf gourami are △.

Tetras and small livebearers are × because they fit in a grown angelfish's mouth. Choose partners by the size of the mouth once grown.

Can angelfish live with guppies?

They are ×. Guppies are small enough to swallow, and angelfish may also chase long-finned guppies.

Aquarium Co-Op says "it depends," because guppies are small. Guppies are safer kept with their own kind.

Can angelfish live with other angelfish?

Yes. Sources recommend one, or a small group.

They sometimes squabble with their own kind, and territorial behavior gets stronger in the breeding season. An odd number of 3 or more spreads out aggression more easily (Tokyo Aqua Garden).

Can angelfish live with goldfish?

They are ×. Their temperatures do not overlap, and their heater needs differ.

Angelfish are tropical fish that need a heater, and goldfish do not need one. Keep goldfish with goldfish.

What algae eater suits an angelfish tank?

The bristlenose pleco and the nerite snail are ○. The otocinclus is × because it is small enough to swallow, and all three shrimp are × too.

Choose algae eaters, too, by whether they would fit in a grown angelfish's mouth.

Sources

• Seriously Fish: Pterophyllum scalare (a good community fish, eats small fish such as tetras, squabbles with its own kind, small groups, a pair from 6 juveniles, territorial males in the breeding season, tank size and height)
• Tokyo Aqua Garden: Angelfish (エンゼルフィッシュ, in Japanese. Strongly carnivorous, likes to eat small shrimp, small fish and fry are no exception, corydoras and kuhli loaches near the bottom, 45 cm or more in height)
• Tokyo Aqua Garden: Fish you can keep with angelfish (エンゼルフィッシュと一緒に飼える魚, in Japanese. Neons only for a limited time, the 4 cm guideline, cardinals, corydoras skin, tiger barbs, at least 60 cm wide, an odd number of 3 or more, hiding places)
• Tokyo Aqua Garden: Amano shrimp (ヤマトヌマエビ, in Japanese. Attacked by medium-sized fish)
• Aquarium Co-Op: Angelfish Care Guide (worked with cardinals and corydoras, guppies depend, avoid fin nippers and fast fish, avoid small shrimp, tank size and numbers, buying juveniles, territory is about breeding)