Angelfish and guppies aren’t compatible and shouldn’t be kept in the same tank. Guppies are small and peaceful creatures that only grow up to 2 inches in length. The angelfish, on the other hand, is semi-aggressive and quite larger than the guppy. Angelfish can and will chase guppies around the tank and may even eat some of the smaller ones.
Angelfish and guppies both have a fascinating appearance. They’re also easy to care for, which is a trait to look for when searching for new fish friends, especially if you’re new to having fish as pets.
It may be tempting to keep both species in the same tank because of their exotic looks, but can angelfish live with guppies? Read on for much-needed insights!
Can Angelfish Live With Guppies?
The answer is no. Angelfish and guppies shouldn’t be kept in the same tank.
On the one hand, guppies are small and peaceful. On the other hand, angelfish, which belong to the cichlid family, are large and aggressive.
Angelfish can grow to be 6 inches long, which is more than double the size of guppies. In turn, a guppy will be viewed as easy prey by angelfish.
Jeff Kubina [CC-BY-SA-2.0]What Happens If You Keep Angelfish With Guppies?
Seeing as angelfish and guppies aren’t compatible when it comes to size or temperament, a lot of problems can arise if you attempt to put both fish together.
Here are some of the reasons why keeping both fish species in the same aquarium isn’t a good idea:
Smaller Guppies Will Be Eaten
As you may know, in the food chain, bigger fish eat smaller fish that are 1/4 to 1/3 their size. In general, if a fish can fit another fish’s mouth, it’ll be its meal.
Because an angelfish is more than twice the size of a guppy, it’ll almost certainly feed on smaller guppies.
Induced Territorial Behavior
In addition to being hostile, angelfish like to mark their territory. Their fast and agile swimming style gives them an advantage that guppies can’t match.
As a result, your guppies’ movements will become severely restricted because they’ll be afraid of being hunted down by angelfish after crossing their territory.
Distressed Guppies
Guppies won’t thrive as long as there are angelfish in the tank. Angelfish will continue to chase and bully guppies, causing them a great deal of stress.
Because guppies are a non-confrontational species, they’ll always try to hide, and this way of life will be harmful to their health.
Guppies’ immune systems can weaken as a result of stress, raising the risk of disease and, eventually, death.
Breeding Difficulties
If you want guppies to breed, forget it if you have angelfish in the same tank. Guppies are unlikely to mate in the presence of an aggressive fish. They spend the majority of their time being chased or stressed out.
However, if they do mate, the fry will be consumed by angelfish. Even if you add more decorative plants for the fry to hide in, angelfish will eventually find them and eat them.
From another perspective, this could have a negative impact on angelfish as well. Assuming there are a lot of guppies in the tank, if angelfish start eating all offspring, they may become overfed.
You won’t be able to tell the amount of fry they ate, so you’ll keep adding their regular food portions. When angelfish are overfed, they can become constipated and develop fatal diseases.
A Large Tank Is Required
If you want to keep angelfish alongside guppies, you’ll need a pretty large tank. We use the “1 inch per gallon” rule to determine how many fish should be in a tank.
Because angelfish can grow to be six inches long, each angelfish will require 6 gallons of water. But with angelfish, it doesn’t stop there, as they’re very active and particular about their territory.
This means that six gallons won’t be sufficient, so it’s recommended that you leave up to ten gallons for each one. If you don’t know, angelfish are best kept in groups, so you start with a pair and work your way up to six angelfish in one tank.
By now, you can see how they can take up a lot of space in the tank. So, if you’re going to keep guppies with them, you should get a large tank to reduce the chances of them bumping into each other.
This is not to say that purchasing a large tank will solve all of the above issues; it will only reduce the likelihood of their clashes.
What Kind of Fish Can Coexist With Angelfish?
When looking for tank partners for angelfish, there are some things to look for and avoid. We’ll highlight both aspects.
What to Look For
To begin, you must select a species that is compatible in size. Remember that if it fits their jaw, they’ll eat it, so choose fish that are similar in size.
Second, because angelfish prefer to occupy the tank’s top, start looking for bottom feeders. This reduces, if not eliminates, the possibility of both species clashing.
Finally, find species that match their energy. In other words, those that can withstand angelfish aggression. They don’t have to be as aggressive as angelfish, but they should be able to defend themselves in a fight.
Here are a few examples of suitable tank partners:
- Keyhole cichlids
- Kuhli loach
- Bristlenose pleco
- Swordtails
What to Avoid
You should avoid adding small species so that angelfish don’t mistake them for food. As an example:
- Guppies
- Small tetras
At the same time, you shouldn’t mix angelfish with much larger and more aggressive fish species. That will only make matters worse. Some of the species to avoid are:
- Oscars
- Barbs
- Big Cichlids
What Kind of Fish Can Coexist With Guppies?
Here, we’ll also highlight things to look for and avoid when choosing a partner for guppies.
What to Look For
The first thing to look for, just like with the angelfish, is a fish of a similar size. That way, you’ll ensure that it won’t eat your guppies overnight.
Following size is temperament. Because guppies are quite peaceful, and so you’d want to get a species with a similar attitude.
There are numerous species that pair well with guppies, including:
- Mollies
- Platies
- Cory catfish
- Harlequin rasboras
What to Avoid
Guppies pair well with nearly all types of fish. Basically, you’d want to avoid introducing any species that is way bigger than guppies and has aggressive tendencies.
In Conclusion
Can angelfish live with guppies? The answer is no. Both species are far from compatible when it comes to size and temperament.
If you’re looking to introduce some new tank mates to your angelfish, consider bristlenose pleco, kuhli loach, keyhole cichlids, and swordtails. They’re much more compatible with angelfish than guppies.