Angel fish... How big a tank?

moorea2

moorea2

Member
Hello All!
The next fish I will be stocking is an Angel. Some of the resources I use indicate what size tank the fish will perfer. The problem is different resources have different numbers. Some of the resourses indicate my 120 gallon will be fine and others suggest that it will not for the same species.... so here I am!
I want to add a large angel to the system. As stated in other posts I will be adding coral but I am waiting a while (probably a year or more) until I am more experienced and I am done stocking my fish (which I am waiting two to three months between each new addition). I have read many posts that people have been successful with Angels and corals and others that have not. If I notice there is a problem with the Angel my brother/neighbor has an established 180 gallon with only three fish and no corals. So he has a good place to go if there are any problems next year when I start adding corals. He has a very tight budget and would welcome the "gift"
I would love some recomendations on which large Angel would be happy in my system. We want him to be the "center piece" of the tank!
Here are some specs:
120 gallon DT
200 lbs live rock in DT
1 inch sand bed in DT
75 gallon sump/fuge (about 35 gallons is fuge)
4 inch sand bed in fuge w/ about 5 - 10 lbs live rock & macroalgea
EV 120 Skimmer
Tank cycled in March, since then I've only added a cleanup crew, a Yellow Tang and two clown fairy wrasse. Water levels have been great.
(probably more info then needed for question)
Thanks.
 
moorea2

moorea2

Member
I do like the ones that change from juvi to adult. Is 120 gallons to small for him though. I was looking at minimum tank sizes and it looked like that except for the Annularis all the angels that "change" needed 135 gallons or more! I know I want an angel I just cant seem to pick one!
 
moorea2

moorea2

Member
There has got to be something wrong with that. I know that large Angels need to be in a roomy environment. It says 55 for an Imperator Angel as well and they can be 10 - 15 inches! They are even suggesting that an Annularis can go into a 20???? That does not sound right to me. What I was reading is that an Imperator Angel should not be in less then 135 gallons.
 
nicetry

nicetry

Active Member
Don't pay too much attention to the tank sizes suggested on most on line site. THey are much too small to house the fish for the long haul. What are the dimensions of the 120? Like most fish, lateral swimming room is more important, so a 6 foot system is preferred. There are also some size variances between some of the "larger angels." Species like the Emperor, Blue face, Koran, etc can grow to 15 inches or better. A 4 foot tank is going to be crowded for them. OTOH, the majestic, regal (bad choice, just an example) or scribbled don't grow to such proportyions and could do well in say a 5 foot system, provided they were the alpha fish, had compatable mates and you kept the tank in good shape. I have a majestic in my 5 foot 120 and feel he will be fine for the duration. If your system is a 4 foot tank, I wouldn't consider any of the larger angels. There are however some nice medium sized fish from the genicanthus family that would work well.
 
moorea2

moorea2

Member
That is why I posted...
The scribbled Angel was actually high on my list. Although I wanted one that "changed" it did sneak in there some how.
Tank dimensions:
48 x 24 x 24
So does this mean I can not have an Angel

If so I guess I'll have to wait until my next tank. It will be 96 x 36 x 36 but it is a while down the road.
That is a shame I really wanted an angel.
 
martinc909

martinc909

Member
I just got a harlequin tusk about a week ago. They are extraordinary fish. They have a great color and are funny to watch. My HT swims upside down,on his side, on his other side, spiral motion, and when he needs to take a dump he turns upside down right next to my porc puffer and poops on his face. He is very funny. I would like to keep an angel also. my tank is a 5foot 112g.
 
murph

murph

Active Member
What ever you decide on its quite possible, even with the larger less reef safe angels, that if a year goes by and he is accustom to and fully associates you as his food source that you may be able to sneak the addition of corals right by him. Its not unheard of.
Just don't let him get to hungry :joy:
 
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