Did you recently get some angelfish for your aquarium? These are amazing fish that will add so much aesthetic appeal to your fish tank.
There is a reason why angelfish are some of the most popular pet fish. They look great, and they’re fairly easy to care for even if you’re a beginner.
As a beginner, there’s a good chance that you don’t know a lot about angelfish yet, though. You might be wondering some things so that you will know what to expect from these new additions to your fish tank.
How much does an angelfish weigh? How big can you expect a mature angelfish to get?
Keep reading to get the answer to these questions. You’ll come away knowing quite a bit more about angelfish.
Angelfish Weight Will Vary Depending on the Species
You might not be aware of this, but there are actually many different types of angelfish. The common angelfish that you find at the pet store might be the only type that you’re familiar with.
These angelfish come in various colors, and they have differences. However, they’re essentially the same fish, but they have been bred to have different colors.
There are also other types of angelfish out there such as the queen angelfish and the flame angelfish. All of these angelfish are unique, and they are going to weigh a different amount than the standard pet angelfish that you likely have in your tank.
Knowing this, you’re probably only worried about the weight of the common tropical angelfish that you’ll find at the aquarium store. It’ll still be interesting to learn a little bit about the weight and size of these other fish.
The Average Weight and Size of Angelfish
The average weight and size of angelfish will depend on the species. The common angelfish that you likely have in your aquarium will be fairly large, but not too large.
A freshwater angelfish can grow to be as long as ten inches, but it’ll typically be at least six inches long once it reaches maturity. These fish can weigh up to two pounds.
For standard home aquarium fish, angelfish are considered to be quite large. These fish are going to need a good amount of space if they’re going to thrive in your fish tank.
Queen angelfish are among the largest types of angelfish. These typically aren’t kept in home aquariums, but you could if you had a very large tank and the know-how to take care of them.
The queen angelfish can grow to be eighteen inches long, and it’ll weigh around three pounds. That’s quite a big fish, and you can see why these angelfish aren’t kept in too many home fish tanks.
Flame angelfish are saltwater fish, and this means that caring for them is a lot different. These fish aren’t really very close at all to the freshwater fish that you’re caring for.
They grow to be around six inches long in some cases. This is one of the most popular varieties of dwarf angelfish, but you’ll want to have experience caring for saltwater fish before buying any of these for your home.
There are many other angelfish types out there, but most of them won’t be ones that you’ll be keeping in your home. Wild angelfish of various species will weigh different amounts and be different sizes.
Keep Angelfish in a Large Tank
One good thing to know about angelfish is that they don’t like being forced into small tanks. If you’re planning on shoving angelfish in a community tank that isn’t all that large, then you should reconsider what you’re doing.
Angelfish will experience stress when they’re placed in tanks that aren’t large enough. The general rule is that angelfish need to have at least ten gallons of space per fish.
However, it’s going to be better to give the angelfish much more space than that. If you’re planning on keeping two angelfish by themselves in a tank, then it’d be wise to use at least a 30-gallon tank.
Many people recommend using a 55-gallon fish tank or larger for angelfish. If you want to have a community tank with many different types of fish, then you should go larger.
A 100-gallon tank might make a lot more sense. This will ensure that the fish have ample room to swim around and do what they need to do.
You don’t want the fish to get stressed. It’s also not good if the fish feel the need to fight over territory.
Angelfish are a semi-aggressive species, and they will fight other fish. You don’t want the other fish in your tank getting bullied or hurt.
Be Careful About Which Fish You Put in with the Angelfish
It’s also good to think about what fish you’re putting in with the angelfish. Not all fish are going to be compatible with your angels.
The aggressive nature of the angelfish will make it so that they will eat fish that are smaller than them. They’ll also bully some fish if you aren’t careful.
You can’t place large aggressive fish in the tank with the angelfish, either. This could lead to the angelfish getting bullied, and that would be bad for the health of the fish.
Take the time to research compatible tankmates for the angelfish. This will ensure that you have a relatively peaceful tank that you can enjoy.
It’s also worth noting that angelfish will sometimes fight each other. Two males that are in a small tank will fight each other.
This issue can be mitigated by placing the angelfish in a larger tank. It’s just worth remembering that having too many males in one tank could be problematic.
Final Thoughts
Now you know that angelfish can weigh different amounts depending on the species. The freshwater angelfish that you have in your tank will likely weigh up to two pounds.
These fish can grow to be as long as ten inches in some situations. You must give them enough tank space in order for them to thrive.
Do your best to buy an appropriate tank if you wish to care for these fish. Always remember that having a bit of a larger tank will be better than going too small.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.