Angelfish

How Many Angelfish in a 55 Gallon Tank? Get Your Angelfish Tank Size Right

5 min read

Angelfish are a great choice for your aquarium, but these cichlids can grow to a considerable size. So it is important that you have the ideal angelfish tank size.

When it comes to the number of angelfish you want to keep, you may be thinking the more the merrier; however, it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Cramming too many together is not a wise thing to do, that is if you have a morsel of concern for your fish’s wellbeing.

So, how many angelfish can you keep in a 55 gallon tank?

Find out the answer in this post, and also learn about angelfish’s minimum tank size.

Let’s get started.

Angelfish Tank Size: Factors to Consider

Angelfish

On average, angelfish can grow to a length of 6 inches and a height of 8 inches. As you can imagine, this makes them one of the biggest fish you can keep in a small aquarium.

Looking at the dimensions of these cichlids, they have flat bodies and are taller than they are long. That means when you are looking for the ideal angelfish tank size, the height should be an important consideration.

On top of that, they have really long fins – a part of their appeal –, which means they need a lot of room to feel comfortable.

Besides the number of angelfish you intend to keep, there are a few other factors you should consider when determining what size tank angelfish needs.

Angelfish Behavior

Angelfish

Despite their name, they are no angels. Hobbyists would describe them as semi-aggressive. That means they are not aggressive like the betta, but still show some aggression towards other fish.

And the fact that they are quite large means they could easily snack off small fish in the tank.

Angelfish display peak aggression when they are breeding, something you have to keep in consideration when figuring out how many angelfish should be kept together.

When they are breeding there will be fights for mating rights, and when they are ready to lay eggs they will become very territorial around their spawn site and chase the other fish away.

After reaching adulthood, angelfish will pair off naturally. Once they form a pair, it may even last a lifetime.

You may wish to separate the males and females to prevent breeding, but it is very hard to tell them apart and females are even known to pair with other females.

Water Quantity

Getting a larger tank means you are getting more water in your aquarium. This is great in many ways.

First off, more water means it takes longer for nitrates to build up in the tank, which means you do not have to do water changes that often.

Moreover, it becomes much easier to maintain the conditions of your aquarium if you have a lot of water.

Conditions such as temperature, pH, and oxygen levels won’t fluctuate that much with a large quantity of water, making it easy to maintain them.

Other Fish in the Tank

Unless your tank is solely dedicated to angelfish, you are going to have other types of fish in your aquarium. They need some space to go about their lives too.

Some types of fish can co-exist with others, while others can’t. Do your research before you introduce two different species together – it may spare you some nastiness in the water.

How Many Angelfish in a 55 Gallon Tank?

55 gallon tank

A 55 gallon tank is a common size for aquariums that is large enough to accommodate a variety of small to medium-sized fish; it is a good tank size for angelfish.

You can keep anywhere between 4-5 adult angelfish in a 55 gallon tank. The rule of thumb is to have one adult angelfish per 10 gallons of water.

You can push that number up if it is juveniles, but be ready to move some of them out when they grow into adulthood as they can be very aggressive when it is time to breed.

A breeding pair needs even more space, so if you reduce the number of pairs you can accommodate more.

For instance, if you choose 5 angelfish instead of 6, you can keep it down to two pairs and one lonely angelfish (try not to feel sorry for it).

How Many Angelfish in a 75 Gallon Tank?

So how many angels should you have in a bigger 75 gallon tank?

Going by the one angelfish per 10 gallons rule, you can have between 5-7 angelfish in a 75 gallon tank.

How Many Angelfish in a 125 Gallon Tank?

A 125 gallon tank is one of the biggest tanks you can have. It provides plenty of room for your angelfish and other co-inhabitants.

You can keep up to 10 adult angelfish in a 125 gallon tank.

Avoid the temptation to add more angelfish just because you have a large tank – it is a good idea to give plenty of room to your fish.

It is better to have fewer but happier and healthier fish than too many stressed and unhealthy fish.

Angelfish Minimum Tank Size

Eager to set up an angelfish aquarium and wondering what minimum tank size you should get?

20 gallons is the minimum tank size for angelfish adults. You can have one pair of angelfish in a 20 gallon tank.

Make sure you give special consideration to the height of the tank, as angelfish are quite tall and need some vertical space.

While 20 gallons is the minimum, you should aim for an angelfish tank size of 30 gallons. It gives room for other fish and also gives plenty of room for angelfish to breed.

Generally, a larger tank is always advantageous for aquariums.

Even if you have a small tank, you can do the following to keep angelfish together with no issues.

·       Get a Longer Tank – Having a long tank will increase the distance available within the tank, which means your fish can avoid each other if one of them is confrontational. You can sacrifice the breadth to maintain the same volume and cost (you can’t sacrifice height as your angelfish needs it).

·       Set up plants, rocks, driftwood, etc – Aquarium décor such as plants, rocks, and driftwood gives plenty of hiding spots for fish to take refuge. Fish can’t attack what they can’t see. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

·       Use tank dividers – You can use tank dividers to split your tank into compartments, where fish will be safe from aggressors. This is not a great look for your tank, so do it only if you are left with no other choice.

Conclusion

By now you must know how many angelfish you can keep in a 55 gallon tank. A 55 gallon angelfish tank can house 4-5 of these magnificent creatures.

Even if you have a bigger tank, avoid cramming too many angelfish together – be a responsible aquarium keeper and put the wellbeing of your fish first.

Have at least 20 gallons of water before you even think about keeping angelfish. Remember that a breeding angelfish pair is highly territorial and so will need a lot of area.

Give your angels plenty of room to move about and they will be happy and healthy – remember, quality over quantity.

Thanks for reading.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterophyllum

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/angelfish-care-guide

https://www.petnannystore.com/blogs/beginner-guide-advice/how-many-angelfish-in-a-55-gallon-tank

https://www.aqueon.com/articles/the-ultimate-guide-to-angelfish

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Pet Aquariums

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