Is An Angelfish Right For My Saltwater Tank?

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If you have a saltwater tank, one of the fish you are probably most excited about adding at some point is an angelfish. After all, the angelfish is not only one of the most popular fish among saltwater enthusiasts, but it is also one of the most beautiful saltwater fish. You will want to make sure you know a few specific things about the angelfish, however, before you go out and add one to your tank.

Housing conditions: Angelfish can grow quite large, which means that you should not keep them in a tank that is any smaller than 75 gallons. As the angelfish is quite hardy, it is usually easy to take care of once you have gotten it to adjust to its new tank; at the same time, however, many angelfish do not adjust well to a new tank.

Diet: The dietary needs of the angelfish is one of the big reasons why they sometimes have a difficult time adjusting to a new tank. Angelfish feel liberally on coral when they are in the ocean, and you probably do not have any interest in your coral getting eaten up if you have some in your tank! Know that you risk losing your coral when you add an angelfish to a tank with coral; but at the same time, you risk losing your angelfish if you add them to a tank without coral. You should be able to get your angelfish to eat flake food if you buy it when it is young - and every so often, you should also provide it with live food. Small clams or brine shrimp will do the job for live food; but also know that your angelfish might end up eating your other invertebrates as well.

Temperament: You should not try to keep more than one angelfish in your tank at a time, as the angelfish is an extremely territorial fish. As long as you do not add more than one - and as long as you give this one some good, rocky hiding spaces - your angelfish should do just fine with your other fish.

If you still feel that an angelfish might be a good fit for your tank, you should be fine to buy one - and you are sure to enjoy the beautiful color it adds to your tank!