Aquariumcichlid · freshwater
Angelfish: adult size, tank size & tankmates
The Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) grows to about 7.1 in (15 cm SL). It needs a tank at least 39 inches long and about 53 gallons. Keep at least 5 together, at 75–86°F.
How big it really gets
Drawn to scale against common tank lengths. Green bars meet the minimum tank length from our sources.
Needs special care. Juveniles marketed at quarter size without warning of vertical height exceeding 20 cm or active predation on small community tetras.
Will it fit your tank?
Quick facts
- Adult size
- 7.1 in (15 cm SL)
- Minimum tank
- 39 inches long and about 53 gallons
- Temperature
- 75–86°F
- pH
- 6–7.4
- Hardness
- 0–15 dGH
- Group size
- 5+
- With other fish
- semi-aggressive
- With its own kind
- semi-aggressive
- Swims
- middle of the tank
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- intermediate
- Lifespan
- not stated in sources
Watch for: long fins that nippers target · eats small fish · eats shrimp
Angelfish tankmates
Checked with the same rules as our tank builder: temperature overlap, pH and hardness, predation and mouth size, fin-nipping and temperament. Tank size is left out here; check it in the builder.
Good tankmates
- Dwarf GouramiNeeds careAdult ~4.2 in · 72–81°F
- Pearl GouramiAdult ~5.7 in · 75–86°F
- BettaNeeds careAdult ~3.3 in · 72–86°F
- Bristlenose PlecoAdult ~5.9 in · 70–79°F
- SwordtailNeeds careAdult ~6.6 in · 61–82°F
- Boesemani RainbowfishAdult ~5.2 in · 81–86°F
- Three-spot GouramiNeeds careAdult ~7.1 in · 75–86°F
- Firemouth CichlidAdult ~5.7 in · 68–90°F
- Japanese Trapdoor SnailAdult ~2.6 in · 68–85°F
- Moonlight GouramiAdult ~7.1 in · 77–86°F
Use caution
- Cardinal TetraAngelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Cardinal Tetra.
- Harlequin RasboraAngelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Harlequin Rasbora.
- Cherry BarbAngelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Cherry Barb.
- Rummy-nose TetraAngelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Rummy-nose Tetra.
- Black Neon TetraAngelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Black Neon Tetra.
- Glowlight TetraAngelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Glowlight Tetra.
- Lemon TetraAngelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Lemon Tetra.
- GuppyAngelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Guppy.
Avoid
- Neon TetraAngelfish eats small fish, and Neon Tetra only grows to about 1.4 in.
- Ember TetraAngelfish eats small fish, and Ember Tetra only grows to about 0.9 in.
- Chili RasboraAngelfish eats small fish, and Chili Rasbora only grows to about 0.9 in.
- Celestial Pearl DanioAngelfish eats small fish, and Celestial Pearl Danio only grows to about 1 in.
- Endler's LivebearerNeeds careAngelfish eats small fish, and Endler's Livebearer only grows to about 1.2 in.
- Pygmy CoryAngelfish eats small fish, and Pygmy Cory only grows to about 1.4 in.
- Cherry ShrimpAngelfish will eat Cherry Shrimp.
- Amano ShrimpAngelfish will eat Amano Shrimp.
All 105 species we checked against the Angelfish
| Species | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bala Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Betta | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Blood Parrot Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Boesemani Rainbowfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bristlenose Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Chinese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Denison Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Discus | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Dwarf Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Electric Blue Acara | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Firemouth Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Iridescent Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Japanese Trapdoor Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kissing Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Malaysian Trumpet Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Moonlight Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Oscar | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pearl Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pictus Catfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rainbow Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Ramshorn Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Red-Tail Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Scissortail Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Siamese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Swordtail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Three-spot Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tinfoil Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Assassin Snail | Caution | Angelfish (pH 6–7.4) and Assassin Snail (pH 7.5–8) prefer different pH. |
| Black Neon Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Black Neon Tetra. |
| Black Skirt Tetra | Caution | Black Skirt Tetra nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Bleeding Heart Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Bleeding Heart Tetra. |
| Bolivian Ram | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Bolivian Ram. |
| Bronze Cory | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Bronze Cory. |
| Buenos Aires Tetra | Caution | Buenos Aires Tetra nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Bumblebee Goby | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Bumblebee Goby. |
| Cardinal Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Cardinal Tetra. |
| Cherry Barb | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Cherry Barb. |
| Clown Pleco | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Clown Pleco. |
| Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid. |
| Common / Comet Goldfish | Caution | Angelfish and Common / Comet Goldfish only share 75–75°F. That's a tight window. |
| Congo Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Congo Tetra. |
| Convict Cichlid | Caution | Convict Cichlid nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Diamond Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Diamond Tetra.; Diamond Tetra nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish. |
| Electric Yellow Lab | Caution | Electric Yellow Lab nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins.; Angelfish (pH 6–7.4) and Electric Yellow Lab (pH 7.7–8.6) prefer different pH. |
| Forktail Blue-eye | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Forktail Blue-eye. |
| German Blue Ram | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful German Blue Ram. |
| Giant Danio | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Giant Danio. |
| Glass Catfish | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Glass Catfish. |
| Glowlight Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Glowlight Tetra. |
| Gold Barb | Caution | Angelfish and Gold Barb only share 75–75°F. That's a tight window.; Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Gold Barb. |
| Guppy | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Guppy. |
| Harlequin Rasbora | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Harlequin Rasbora. |
| Head-and-tail-light Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Head-and-tail-light Tetra. |
| Hillstream Loach | Caution | Angelfish and Hillstream Loach only share 75–75°F. That's a tight window.; Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Hillstream Loach. |
| Honey Gourami | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Honey Gourami. |
| Julii Cory | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Julii Cory. |
| Kribensis | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Kribensis. |
| Kuhli Loach | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Kuhli Loach. |
| Lemon Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Lemon Tetra. |
| Marbled Hatchetfish | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Marbled Hatchetfish. |
| Molly | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Molly. |
| Mystery Snail | Caution | Angelfish (pH 6–7.4) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH.; Angelfish (0–15 dGH) and Mystery Snail (unknown dGH) prefer different water hardness. |
| Nerite Snail | Caution | Angelfish (pH 6–7.4) and Nerite Snail (pH 8–8.4) prefer different pH. |
| Odessa Barb | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Odessa Barb. |
| Otocinclus | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Otocinclus. |
| Panda Cory | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Panda Cory. |
| Pearl Danio | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Pearl Danio. |
| Penguin Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Penguin Tetra.; Penguin Tetra nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Peppered Cory | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Peppered Cory. |
| Platy | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Platy. |
| Pristella Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Pristella Tetra. |
| Rosy Barb | Caution | Angelfish and Rosy Barb only share 75–75°F. That's a tight window.; Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Rosy Barb. |
| Rummy-nose Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Rummy-nose Tetra. |
| Serpae Tetra | Caution | Serpae Tetra nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Silver Hatchetfish | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Silver Hatchetfish. |
| Silver Tip Tetra | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Silver Tip Tetra.; Silver Tip Tetra nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Sparkling Gourami | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Sparkling Gourami. |
| Sterbai Cory | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Sterbai Cory. |
| Tiger Barb | Caution | Tiger Barb nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Upside-down Catfish | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Upside-down Catfish. |
| Variatus Platy | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Variatus Platy. |
| Yoyo Loach | Caution | Yoyo Loach nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Zebra Danio | Caution | Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio.; Zebra Danio nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| African Dwarf Frog | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and African Dwarf Frog only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Amano Shrimp | Avoid | Angelfish will eat Amano Shrimp. |
| Bamboo Shrimp | Avoid | Angelfish will eat Bamboo Shrimp. |
| Celestial Pearl Danio | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Celestial Pearl Danio only grows to about 1 in. |
| Cherry Shrimp | Avoid | Angelfish will eat Cherry Shrimp. |
| Chili Rasbora | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Chili Rasbora only grows to about 0.9 in. |
| Clown Killifish | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Clown Killifish only grows to about 1.6 in. |
| Crystal Red Shrimp | Avoid | Angelfish and Crystal Red Shrimp only share 75–76°F. That's a tight window.; Angelfish will eat Crystal Red Shrimp. |
| Ember Tetra | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Ember Tetra only grows to about 0.9 in. |
| Endler's Livebearer | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Endler's Livebearer only grows to about 1.2 in. |
| Fancy Goldfish | Avoid | Angelfish (75–86°F) and Fancy Goldfish (50–70°F) need different temperatures. |
| Ghost Shrimp | Avoid | Angelfish will eat Ghost Shrimp.; Ghost Shrimp nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Lambchop Rasbora | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Lambchop Rasbora only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Neon Tetra | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Neon Tetra only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Paradise Fish | Avoid | Angelfish (75–86°F) and Paradise Fish (50–72°F) need different temperatures. |
| Pea Puffer | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in.; Pea Puffer nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins. |
| Pygmy Cory | Avoid | Angelfish eats small fish, and Pygmy Cory only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Weather Loach | Avoid | Angelfish (75–86°F) and Weather Loach (64–74°F) need different temperatures. |
| White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Avoid | Angelfish (75–86°F) and White Cloud Mountain Minnow (57–72°F) need different temperatures.; Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful White Cloud Mountain Minnow. |
Care notes
Needs: Requires minimum 20-inch (50 cm) vertical aquarium depth to prevent fin deformation; established soft-to-neutral water column.
Group: Kept singly, in established bonded pairs, or in cohorts of 5 or more juveniles until a dominant pair forms.
Temperament: semi-aggressive toward other fish, semi-aggressive toward its own kind. Lives in the middle of the tank.
Common questions
How big does a Angelfish get?
About 7.1 inches (15 cm SL) as an adult, according to seriouslyfish.com.
What size tank does a Angelfish need?
At least 39 inches long and about 53 gallons. The smallest standard tank that meets that is a 55 gallon.
How many Angelfishs should be kept together?
At least 5. Kept singly, in established bonded pairs, or in cohorts of 5 or more juveniles until a dominant pair forms.
What fish can live with a Angelfish?
Species that passed every check include Dwarf Gourami, Pearl Gourami, Betta, Bristlenose Pleco, Swordtail, Boesemani Rainbowfish.
Gear for a Angelfish setup
TankSmallest standard tank that meets its minimum: 55 gallon (48 in long).Find on Amazon →HeaterAbout 300 W for 55 gallons, holding 75–86°F.Find on Amazon →FoodA quality flake or micro-pellet as a staple.Find on Amazon →Test kitCheck ammonia, nitrite and pH. Cycle the tank before adding fish.Find on Amazon →
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Related guides
Sources
Values come from these pages, in our own words. Status: verified. Last reviewed 2026-10-12.
- seriouslyfish.com /species/pterophyllum-scalare