In this article, we will understand the relationship between Angelfish and Guppies. We will also know more about their requirements and explain if they can be set up together in a community tank and their joint specificities.
Angelfish and Guppies
Angelfish and Guppies are two very common fish species considered for an aquarium. Both species are amazing additions to tanks, as they have very bright colours. However, keeping Angelfish and Guppies in the same tank is not suggested for many reasons, stress, aggression, attacks, etc.
Maintaining a fish tank may seem easy. However, it is necessary to understand the fish species biology, behaviour, and requirements to make the right combinations for a community tank.
Angelfish
Angelfish can be a great addition to a freshwater aquarium due to their wonderful shape and colours. However, it is important to carefully choose which fish species to keep with Angelfish as they can get quite big and their behaviour can become an issue.
Angelfish can grow up to 6 inches in length and 10 inches in height. Which could become problematic for small companion species. Their lifespan is around 10 years in ideal tank and water conditions.
Behaviour
Angelfish are not considered schooling fish. Therefore, they prefer some conspecific companion for safety. However, they can get somehow aggressive towards other fish if threatened. Thus, they require careful attention if in community tanks.
Additionally, they can also become aggressive regarding their territory. And can stand out for a fight to protect it. Thus, they require plenty of space to live healthily.
In addition, Angelfish have quite strong predatory instincts. This means that smaller fish are usually detected as a food source and be chased and killed by Angelfish. Thus, small tankmates should be presented while the Angelfish are youngsters.
Guppies
Guppies are known to be strongly schooling fish. They are very easy to keep in a tank. Guppies are small, they can grow between 0.5 and 2.4 inches. Female guppies are bigger than males. Their lifespan is on average around 2.5 years.
Guppies are very colourful fish and can make an incredible addition to your aquarium. They require very little maintenance effort to be kept as they are very adjustable fish.
Additionally, Guppies are very easy to maintain. They are adaptable and do not require too much effort to flourish. They also breed very easily, which could overpopulate your tank. Thus, some attention is also required to avoid a crowded aquarium.
Behaviour
Guppies are very peaceful, docile tiny freshwater fish. They are perfect tankmates to many other small fish species. The exception of this peaceful behaviour is in respect of their offspring when they can become aggressive and eat their youngsters.
Due to their size and temperament, Guppies are quite vulnerable to other fish species attacks. Mainly when they face larger and more hostile ones.
Can I keep Guppies with Angelfish?
No, it is strongly not suggested to keep Guppies and Angelfish together. As docile tiny community fish, the Guppies could easily be attacked by the Angelfish, which normally show aggressive behaviours towards smaller fish.
The Angelfish aggressive behaviours could lead to many other issues in this relationship with Guppies.
Guppies stress level
Predatory larger fish, as the Angelfish, can be responsible for increasing the Guppies stress level. The Angelfish will probably chase and bully the Guppies. Thus, the Guppies would be hiding most of the time and this would affect directly their well-being. Additionally, stress can provoke many biological effects, such as infertility, reduced growth rate, and even death.
Angelfish size and feeding habits
The Angelfish can get quite large in comparison to the Guppies. Angelfish can grow 3 times more than Guppies in length. Thus, the Angelfish can detect the Guppies as food and begin to chase to devour them.
Additionally, Guppies are very fertile and reproduce very fast rate. If you do not pay attention, you can end up with an overcrowded tank and lots of Guppy fries. And thus, the Angelfish will probably start feeding on them.
Would a bigger tank solve these issues?
No, the Angelfish attacks will probably reduce, but not cease. There will be no guarantee that the Guppies are safe. If you love both species and decide to give them a try, it is important to consider at least a 55-gallon tank and/or use a tank divider.
The exception
There is a way it is possible to keep Angelfish and Guppies together. But again, there is not a guarantee that it will work forever.
When introducing the Guppies to the Angelfish, they need to have similar sizes. Thus, young Angelfish and adult Guppies could become good tankmates. However, it is possible that at some point the Angelfish start to understand the small Guppies as food. Thus, paying attention to the tank dynamics will be very important.
Top 5 tankmates
If you already keep an Angelfish in your tank and you are planning to turn your single species tank into a community tank, it is very important to get some middle to large fish species as inhabitants. Angelfish will tend to become aggressive towards smaller fish species and will most likely eat them.
Angelfish best mates
– Corydoras Catfish;
– Plecos;
– Platy Fish;
– Loaches;
– Molly Fish.
Guppy best mates
– Platy Fish;
– Molly Fish;
– Harlequin Rasboras;
– Tetras;
– Swordtails.
Conclusion
In this article, we understood the relationship between Angelfish and Guppies. We also discussed their requirements and explained if they can be set up together in a community tank and their specificities.
If you have any doubts, feel free to drop us in a comment below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Angelfish and Guppies
Can Guppies go with Angelfish?
No, it is not suggested to keep these two species together. However, there is a manner to reduce the chasing and devouring issues. If you plan to keep both, it will be necessary to introduce a young Angelfish to adult Guppies. With similar sizes, the Angelfish will most likely not see the Guppies as food. At least not at the beginning.
What fish cannot be kept with Angelfish?
It is not recommended to keep Angelfish with fin nippers. This is because they can hurt the Angelfish and cause infections due to the injuries. Thus, avoiding some barbs and some tetras would be a safety call for Angelfish tank mates. Additionally, avoiding small species that can be seen as food by the Angelfish is also important.
What fish will eat my Guppies?
As tiny fish, the Guppies can be eaten by any middle to large-sized species, such as big Cichlids and Acaras. Also, Goldfish and Angelfish are very likely to begin feeding on the Guppies.
Can Angelfish live with guppies and mollies?
It is not suggested to keep small-sized fish species with Angelfish. They can become aggressive and start chasing the smaller ones. However, many species can become good tankmates for your Angelfish, such as Corydoras, Plecos and Platies. Although, Mollies can become nice Angelfish tankmates if well introduced.
What do Angelfish like in their tank?
Angelfish enjoy having plenty of space to establish their territory and also swim freely around. They also enjoy well-planted tanks with at least one conspecific. A 55-gallon tank would fit perfectly an Angelfish. Hiding spots are also nice to have in your Angelfish tank, they enjoy having a fine sandy substrate that resembles their natural environment.
What do Guppies like in their tank?
Guppies enjoy being in groups with enough space to swim around without being chased. They also enjoy having plenty of hiding spots, as plants and décor pieces.
References
Can You Keep Guppies And Angelfish Together? https://helpusfish.com/1/10/can-you-keep-guppies-and-angelfish-together.html
Can Guppies and Angelfish Live Together? https://aquamovement.com/guppies-and-angelfish/
Guppy Fish and Angelfish – Are They Good Tank Mates? https://drguppy.com/guppy-fish-and-angelfish/
Can Guppies Live With Angelfish? (Crucial Facts + Compatibility Issues). https://jaljeev.com/can-guppies-live-with-angelfish/
Guppy Fish and Angelfish – Can You Keep Them in Same Aquarium? https://guppyexpert.com/guppies-angelfish/
Can Guppies And Angelfish Live Together? (Is It A Bad Idea?). https://www.bettacarefishguide.com/can-guppies-and-angelfish-live-together/
