Angelfish
Pterophyllum scalare · family Cichlidae
The angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) is a freshwater cichlid from the Amazon Basin in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. It grows to 5–6 inches, lives 8–12 years, and needs a tank of at least 30 gallons that is also tall, because its long fins and body need vertical room. The most important thing to know is that it is a semi-aggressive cichlid that will eat small fish and invertebrates, so tank mates need careful choosing.
Edited by Marin Hale · last reviewed October 29, 2026 · How we check facts
Tropical
What can live with a angelfish?
Verdicts against every species in our database, from our compatibility rules. How verdicts work
| Verdict | Species | Why | Tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maybe | Another angelfish | Angelfish pair off as they mature and the pair turns territorial. Keep one, a bonded pair, or a group of 5+ in a large tank. | 55 gal+ |
| Maybe | Guppy | Adult angelfish may eat small guppies. | 30 gal+ |
| Maybe | Neon tetra | Temperatures barely overlap (75–77°F), leaving no margin. | 30 gal+ |
| Maybe | Zebra nerite snail | pH ranges only just overlap (7.2–7.5), so one of them will be outside its comfort zone if your water drifts. | 30 gal+ |
| Avoid | Betta fish | Angelfish grow far larger and are territorial, both claim the upper water, and each has long fins the other may attack. | — |
| Avoid | Cherry shrimp | Angelfish will hunt and eat cherry shrimp. | — |
| Avoid | Common goldfish | Common goldfish need cool water; angelfish need tropical water. | — |
| Avoid | Ember tetra | Ember tetras are small enough for adult angelfish to eat. | — |
| Avoid | Fancy goldfish | Fancy goldfish need cool water; angelfish need tropical water. | — |
| Avoid | Pygmy corydoras | Pygmy corydoras are small enough for adult angelfish to eat. | — |
| Avoid | Tiger barb | Tiger barbs nip fins, and angelfish have long fins. | — |
Setup and care
| Heater | Yes. Set an adjustable heater to 78–86°F (26–30°C); angelfish tolerate 75–86°F, and most rooms are cooler than that. |
|---|---|
| Feeding | Not picky; frozen, freeze-dried and live foods, with variety |
| Substrate | Soft and smooth substrate to protect delicate fins |
| Males vs females | Hard to sex; males have smaller pointed genital papillae, visible mainly when spawning; males more territorial |
| Breeding | Good parents guard eggs and fry, but may eat fry; a group of six juveniles will produce a pair |
Watch out for
- Needs a tall tank of at least 50 cm (20 in) for adults
- May eat small fish
- Some aggression expected as they are cichlids
- Avoid fin nippers and fast swimmers
- Increase water changes if overcrowded
- May become territorial and need removal in groups
Care tips
- Choose a taller-than-average tank of at least 30 gallons, and give adults a height of at least 20 in (50 cm).
- Keep the water between 75–86°F, with 78–86°F ideal, a pH of 6.0–7.5, and a GH of 3–15 dGH.
- Use a soft, smooth substrate to protect their delicate fins, and add good plant cover so they feel safe.
- Do more water changes if the tank gets crowded, and watch for territorial behavior, which may mean removing a fish.
Questions
Do angelfish need a heater?
Angelfish are tropical fish that tolerate 75–86°F, with 78–86°F ideal. A heater is the usual way to hold the water steadily in that range.
What do angelfish eat?
Angelfish are omnivores and aren't picky eaters. They take frozen, freeze-dried, and live foods, and a varied diet is best.
What fish can live with angelfish?
Choose tank mates carefully. Angelfish may eat small fish, and some aggression is expected because they are cichlids. Betta fish, ember tetras, pygmy corydoras, tiger barbs, and both common and fancy goldfish are all a no. Guppies and neon tetras are risky because adults may eat them, and neon tetras only overlap with angelfish in temperature at 75–77°F. Also avoid fin nippers and fast swimmers, and don't keep them with cherry shrimp, which angelfish will hunt and eat.
Can you keep more than one angelfish together?
Yes, but angelfish pair off as they mature and the pair turns territorial. Keep one, a bonded pair, or a group of 5+ in a large tank. In groups, some fish may become territorial and need to be removed.
How do you tell male and female angelfish apart, and will they breed?
Angelfish are hard to sex. Males have smaller, pointed genital papillae, visible mainly when spawning, and they tend to be more territorial. They lay eggs on vertical surfaces and guard the eggs and fry, though they may eat the fry. A group of six juveniles will produce a pair.
Sources
Each value is cross-checked across the references below. Where they disagreed, an editor chose a value and recorded why.
- Pterophyllum scalare (en.wikipedia.org)
- Pterophyllum scalare (Seriously Fish) (www.seriouslyfish.com)
- Care Guide for Freshwater Angelfish – The Feisty Angel of ... (www.aquariumcoop.com)
- Freshwater Angelfish (www.liveaquaria.com)
- Angel Fish-Pterophyllum scalare (www.fishkeeper.co.uk)
- GBIF taxonomy record
- Wikidata entry
Where each value comes from (19 facts)
| Fact | What each source says |
|---|---|
| Temperature | en.wikipedia.org: “water temperature ranging from 26 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F)” seriouslyfish.com: “Temperature: 24 – 30 °C75 – 86 °F” aquariumcoop.com: “angelfish tend to prefer warmer temperatures between 78-86°F.” fishkeeper.co.uk: “Temperature 24-30°C” |
| pH editor decision | en.wikipedia.org: “Its native waters range from a neutral pH of 7.0 down to near 6.0” seriouslyfish.com: “pH: 6.0 - 7.4” aquariumcoop.com: “can live in a wide range from 6.0 to 8.0 (although closer to the middle is always better)” fishkeeper.co.uk: “pH: 6-8, dH: 5-15 degrees.” |
| Hardness (GH) | en.wikipedia.org: “with a general water hardness (gH) range of 3 to 10 °dH” seriouslyfish.com: “Hardness: 0-15 dH” fishkeeper.co.uk: “pH: 6-8, dH: 5-15 degrees.” |
| Native to | en.wikipedia.org: “It is native to the Amazon Basin in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil.” seriouslyfish.com: “a cichlid from the Amazon, Essequibo, Oyapock and other rivers of northern South America” aquariumcoop.com: “come from freshwater rivers in South America” fishkeeper.co.uk: “South America: Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru.” |
| Water type | en.wikipedia.org: “most commonly referred to as angelfish or freshwater angelfish” aquariumcoop.com: “come from freshwater rivers in South America” |
| Eats shrimp/snails | en.wikipedia.org: “they feed on tiny fish fry and younger, juvenile fishes, young and mature shrimps, crabs, prawns, various worms” aquariumcoop.com: “don't buy any nano fish or small creatures that can be eaten by your angelfish (like microrasboras or dwarf shrimp)” |
| Feeding | en.wikipedia.org: “In captivity, these are not picky fish; They readily feed on different types of frozen, freeze-dried and live foods” seriouslyfish.com: “Will accept pellet or flake food in the aquarium. Relishes live or frozen foods.” aquariumcoop.com: “Angelfish are easy to feed and will take all sorts of fish foods, floating or sinking.” fishkeeper.co.uk: “Will accept all manner of aquarium fare: flake, slowly-sinking pellet foods, frozen foods such as mosquito larvae, brineshrimp, Mysis, daphnia etc.” |
| Adult size editor decision | seriouslyfish.com: “Max size 150mm SL6in SL” aquariumcoop.com: “The common P. scalare angelfish has a body length of up to 6 inches (15 cm)” fishkeeper.co.uk: “Maximum Size 12cm” |
| Smallest tank editor decision | seriouslyfish.com: “Volume ~200litres~53US gal” aquariumcoop.com: “For a 29-gallon community tank, keep no more than four adult angelfish with other tank mates.” |
| Temperament editor decision | seriouslyfish.com: “Generally a peaceful cichild but may squabble with it's own kind, so best kept in small groups.” |
| Long fins editor decision | seriouslyfish.com: “Angels are available in a number of colour forms including black, gold and koi strains, in addition to the standard silver.” aquariumcoop.com: “Angelfish are a very popular fish because of their long and majestic fins” fishkeeper.co.uk: “requires a taller than average aquarium, due to its potential adult height and long trailing finnage.” |
| Care level editor decision | seriouslyfish.com: “Difficulty7 of 8 measures Easy” |
| Diet | seriouslyfish.com: “Omnivorous but wild fish feed predominantly on various items of zoobenthos” |
| Breeding type | seriouslyfish.com: “Angels spawn on vertical surfaces such as slate, broad-leaved plants or even the aquarium glass.” aquariumcoop.com: “The eggs are typically laid on vertical surfaces like a stiff leaf, filter pipe, or a section of aquarium wall.” fishkeeper.co.uk: “such as broad-leaved aquatic plants and flat pieces of slate stood upright against the back glass of the aquarium.” |
| Telling males from females | seriouslyfish.com: “Quite difficult to sex. Males have smaller, pointed genital papillae but this can only usually be seen when spawning.” aquariumcoop.com: “it can be hard to spot the differences between males and females.” fishkeeper.co.uk: “Males grow faster than females and develop a more convex head profile akin to the nuchal hump seen on other cichlids.” |
| Breeding | seriouslyfish.com: “Angels make good parents and will guard the eggs and then the fry, once hatched.” aquariumcoop.com: “Angelfish readily breed and can lay hundreds of eggs every one to two weeks if the eggs are removed or eaten.” fishkeeper.co.uk: “young pairs seem to need a bit of practice before they spawn successfully, often eating their first broods” |
| Lifespan | aquariumcoop.com: “angelfish can live up to 8 to 12 years long.” |
| Group size editor decision | aquariumcoop.com: “keeping a single angelfish does not seem to adversely affect their well-being.” fishkeeper.co.uk: “To avoid young fish harassing one another, go for a minimum of four individuals of whatever colours appeal.” |
| Substrate | fishkeeper.co.uk: “The substrate should be soft and smooth, so as to protect the delicate finnage” |
Editor decisions (8)
- Seriously Fish 6.0–7.4, Wikipedia 6.0–7.0; Aquarium Co-op and Maidenhead accept 6–8 but say closer to the middle is better.
- Seriously Fish and Aquarium Co-op: up to 6 in body length; Maidenhead: 12 cm (4.7 in). Most adults reach 5–6 in.
- Aquarium Co-op: about 29 gallons; Seriously Fish: 200 L (53 gal) for a group. 30 gallons (tall) for one or a pair; groups need 55+.
- Seriously Fish calls them peaceful as a species, but adults are territorial, especially when pairing, and eat small fish.
- Aquarium Co-op and Maidenhead describe long, trailing fins; Seriously Fish's quote is about colour forms, not finnage.
- Hardy, but they need a tall tank and become territorial as they mature.
- Kept singly, as a pair, or as a group of 5+ in a large tank.
- Angelfish are predators and bullies of small fish, not fin-nippers.