You may be wondering how aggressive are freshwater angelfish? Freshwater Angelfish are some of the most beautiful and interesting aquatic animals. Regarding the Angelfish’s classification, they belong to the Cichlid family! At first, the name Cichlid may scare you off with the known quality of being aggressive. However, this Cichlid is one of the most peaceful species the family has to offer. Many freshwater Angelfish are caught in the wild. Many aquarium breeders have gotten talented in breeding them in a home aquarium.
The success in breeding these fish have made them highly in demand for freshwater fish. If you are debating about keeping these fish due to their aggression, keep reading! In general, Angelfish are community members and can be housed in a community home aquarium. However, when they grow to a massive size, the fish tends to become more aggressive. Do not house them with smaller fish such as guppies or baby fish. The Angelfish will eat about anything that they can fit in their mouth! Here is some information to help you answer how aggressive are freshwater angelfish?
Water Parameters for Angelfish
The freshwater angelfish are generally hardy. However, like any freshwater fish, they have preferences on water conditions. Some fish like their water more acidic or with salt. However, the angelfish is not that specific when it comes to water quality. Regarding the temperature of the aquarium, Angelfish like their aquarium water to be warmer compared to other aquatic species. The temperature of the water should be around 79 degrees. The general pH of the water should be ideally around 7.1 to 8.0! The hardiness of the water is another crucial aspect for the Angelfish.
The fish prefers the hardiness of the water to be six dKH. The Angelfish should always have filtration for the aquarium. These fish tend to eat a ton, which means waste is produced in the fish tank! When you conduct water changes, make sure to change about 20 percent of the water every week. The water changes will ensure your Angelfish is living in a happy home aquarium! The low maintenance for the Angelfish makes it one of the best freshwater fish for beginners.
What is the Natural Habitat for an Angelfish?
In the wild, Angelfish can be found swimming in the water in South America. The most common place to find the Angelfish is in the Amazon River! These freshwater fish can be found in the quiet streams of water with little to no movement. Regarding the lighting in the wild, these fish prefer dim areas where there is little to no lighting. The setting in the Amazon River, where they swim, consists of low hanging trees and plants. These plants provide shade and comfort for the Angelfish! The freshwater fish also seeks plants and wood that has fallen into the streams and rivers to provide shelter.
Decor and Plants for a Freshwater Angelfish
Angelfish are picky when it comes to home aquarium plants and decor. However, when it comes to the size of an aquarium, we recommend at least a 30-gallon aquarium. The freshwater Angelfish can grow to be quite large, specifically in height. That is why we recommend having an aquarium that is taller instead of being wider. The fish does not move a ton, which means they will be stationary in the aquarium. The plants in your aquarium should be large and hanging. We also recommend having floating plants at the top of your aquarium. The floating plants provide shade and comfort to reduce stress for the Angelfish. The substrate at the bottom of the aquarium should be smooth gravel or sand. The Angelfish tend to eat food at the bottom of the aquarium when they are hunting.
What do Angelfish Eat?
Angelfish are hardy and not picky when it comes to their diet. The freshwater fish will eat most flake foods with the occasional meaty diet. When feeding them, they are aggressive and will swim to eat the food around the middle and top of the home aquarium. Feed the fish a pinch of fish food at a time. Feeding the fish in small quantities will reduce the risk of increased parameters. Feed the fish what they can eat in about one minute. If all of the fish flakes are consumed in a minute, continue to feed the fish more food! To keep the fish happy, change the food you feed them every day. The change in diet will have them grow to be bigger and healthier.
Angelfish Aggression
The main question to this article is how aggressive are freshwater Angelfish? In reality, this freshwater fish is not aggressive when they are small. However, as they grow, the fish tends to become more aggressive. As mentioned above, the Angelfish is classified as a Cichlid. Cichlids are generally aggressive and should be placed with caution in a home aquarium. Do not keep excessively small fish in the same home aquarium as the Angelfish. The Angel will eat just about anything that fits in the mouth! You now understand the answer to how aggressive are freshwater angelfish?
How to Breed Angelfish?
Breeding freshwater fish can be difficult if you do not know what you are doing. Experienced aquarium hobbyists have successfully bred fish and even made a business out of the breeding concept. Adult Angelfish tend to form binary relationships with one another. The same concept goes for a human male and female breaking off and going on a date together. After being together for a while, the Angelfish will lay a ton of eggs on a flat surface. When laying the eggs, Angelfish will be territorial and not allow other fish to swim near the eggs. After breeding, we recommend not having any other fish in the aquarium. This concept will reduce aggression and improve the health of the aquarium. However, Angelfish are bred so often they lose the motive to protect their eggs. At times, some fish even eat their eggs. Keep reading to find out how aggressive are freshwater angelfish?
After being birthed, the baby Angelfish grow a ton in size. These freshwater fish should be separated into a separate fish tank while they are growing as a small fry. The separate fish tank will allow the Angelfish to from without being eaten by other fish in the aquarium.
Fish That can Live With Angelfish
When selecting fish for your freshwater aquarium, choose fish that are a similar size to the Angelfish. The large fish will make it impossible for the Angelfish to consume them. Therefore the whole aquarium will get along, and everyone will be happy! We highly recommend checking out some of these fish that are low in aggression and large in size! Conduct as much research as possible when housing freshwater fish. The choices are endless, but make sure to pick the correct ones!
Kissing Gouramis
Kissing Gouramis can entertain any aquarium hobbyist with their unique movements and abilities. When these fish are swimming in the aquarium, they often present a kissing motion! When I first saw the kissing movements, I did not think it was real. I was amazed by how unique this freshwater fish is. The Kissing Gourami is classified as an aggressive fish with a will to eat. Keep this fish well-fed, and your fish will show less aggression.
Large School of Tetras
Tetras are normally known as being a small schooling fish. However, as you know, numbers can be powerful. A group of tetras such as the Lemon Tetra will be great regarding size and abilities. I keep a school of these tetras with an Angelfish, and the results are great!
Tiger Barbs
Aquarium hobbyists have a love and hate relationship with Tiger Barbs. If kept in a community aquarium, these fish tend to be the bullies to other fish. However, if placed in an aggressive setting, the barb will be the target. However, there are freshwater fish that are just right when it comes to aggression. A large Angelfish is a perfect example of an ideal tank mate.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, freshwater Angelfish are one of the most unique and beautiful fish offered to the public. When it comes to housing them, the care can be pretty easy. As long as you keep the water parameters close to ideal, the Angelfish will thrive. However, when it comes to other fish, be cautious about what you place in the aquarium. The Angelfish will eat smaller fish that they can fit in the mouth. Keep an eye on their aggression as the fish grows in size. If you experience aggression, you may have to separate some of the fish in your aquarium. If you have any questions, please send us a message. Your local fish store is always a great resource for discovering information! You now know the answer to how aggressive are freshwater angelfish?
