Angelfish Tank Mates

Angelfish is semi-aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 20 freshwater species that pair well with an angelfish — plus the 64 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 7, 2026 • Full Angelfish care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for an angelfish

  • Corydoras Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Spotfin Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Peppered Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Spotted Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Burmese Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Porthole Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bristlenose Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Marbled Hoplo ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 14 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Spotted Talking Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Sterbai Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Pantanal Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Clown Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Bearded Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Spotted Rubbernose Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Striped Eel Loach ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Banjo Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Zebra Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Hard care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
With caution

Angelfish tank mates that can work with care

  • Adolf's Cory ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Angelfish may bully the smaller Adolf's Cory, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Afra Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • African Butterfly Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • African Dwarf Frog ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Watch for Angelfish picking off any african dwarf frog small enough to fit in its mouth.
  • Agassiz's Corydoras ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Angelfish may bully the smaller Agassiz's Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Angelfish and Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Altifrons Geophagus ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Angelfish and Altifrons Geophagus can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Angelfish may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.

+ 248 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with an angelfish

  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Angelfish and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Angelfish and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Angelfish and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Angelfish whole.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Angelfish and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Angelfish whole.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Angelfish and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
  • Wolf Cichlid ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Angelfish and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.

+ 56 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against an angelfish

Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against an angelfish, with the reasoning for each verdict.

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Angelfish?

We compare each fish against your angelfish on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.

  • Banjo Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Bearded Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bristlenose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Burmese Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Clown Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Corydoras Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Corydoras Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–30 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–30 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Marbled Hoplo✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Pantanal Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Pantanal Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Peppered Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Porthole Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Spotfin Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Rubbernose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Spotted Talking Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Sterbai Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Sterbai Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Striped Eel Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Zebra Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Blue Flash Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Angelfish and Blue Flash Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Calvus Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 14 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–9); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Barb⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~132 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Clown Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Denison Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
    • Angelfish and Denison Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add denison barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Denison Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Dolphin Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~208 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Electric Blue Acara⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 16 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Emperor Peacock Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Angelfish 6–7.5 vs Emperor Peacock Cichlid 7.6–8.6) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Angelfish and Emperor Peacock Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Eureka Red Peacock Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Firemouth Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–29 °C (72–84 °F)
    • Angelfish and Firemouth Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Giant Glass Catfish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Angelfish and Giant Glass Catfish are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add giant glass catfish in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Gold Zebra Loach⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 25–29 °C (77–84 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~130 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Green Phantom Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Moonlight Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Angelfish is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Moonlight Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Rainbow Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~130 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Snowball Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Yoyo Loach⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Angelfish and Yoyo Loach can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~115 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Angelfish and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
    • Angelfish is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Angelfish and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Angelfish is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory clown knifefish — it will be eaten.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Angelfish whole.
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Angelfish whole.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Angelfish and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
    • Size gap is too large (120 vs 15 cm): Redtail Catfish will treat Angelfish as food.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Angelfish and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
    • Angelfish is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Angelfish and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
    • Angelfish is bite-sized to a 300 cm predatory wels catfish — it will be eaten.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Angelfish and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Wolf Cichlid (72 cm) is big enough to swallow the 15 cm Angelfish whole.
    • Your 110 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.

Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.

Setting up an angelfish community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 110 L+ tank with a gentle filter, a reliable heater and plenty of cover — broken sight lines and hiding spots let mid-water and bottom dwellers keep out of each other's way. Cycle it fully and stock gradually.

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How to choose

How to choose the right tank mates for an angelfish

Being semi-aggressive, angelfish can nip or harass smaller, slower or long-finned fish — give it space, broken sight-lines and similarly robust companions. It mostly occupies the middle of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Angelfish grows to about 15 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 8 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 24–30 °C (75–86 °F), pH 6–7.5 and 3–10 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Angelfish doesn't need its own kind to feel secure; think twice before keeping more than one if it is territorial. Whatever you add, introduce new fish slowly, watch for bullying in the first days, and have a backup plan if temperaments clash.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can an angelfish live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 20 compatible freshwater species for angelfish. Pick calm, similarly-sized fish that share its water needs and add them to a mature, well-planted tank.

What is the best tank mate for an angelfish?

Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Corydoras Catfish, Spotfin Corydoras, Peppered Corydoras. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.

What fish should you avoid keeping with an angelfish?

Avoid Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar, Redtail Catfish and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.

How big a tank do angelfish tank mates need?

Start from Angelfish's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 110 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

← Back to the full Angelfish care guide