15 Best Angelfish Tank Mates for 55-Gallon Tank
If you want to set up a 55-gallon community tank, you probably thinking about how to decorate your aquarium and what fish species to choose. Angelfish are a really good choice for larger aquariums, but what other fish are compatible with them?
Generally, Angelfish are peaceful fish, and they only become territorial when breeding. This makes them a good mate in a community tank. While most tropical fish can live with angelfish, not all of them are compatible.
So, to help you set up your 55-gallon community aquarium, I’ve compiled a list of the top 15 best companions for angelfish.
1. Ram Cichlids
We start out with a fish that can be a challenge if you are a beginner. The Ram Cichlid is one of the more ideal tank mates for the Angelfish, although they are not the most straightforward to take care of. However, it is definitely worth the effort to keep some Ram Cichlids because they are beautiful.
They flourish in some of the most amazing bright colors and every specimen is unique. If you are up for a bit of a challenge, then I can only recommend you to get a Ram Cichlid for your Angelfish. Both of them are very decorative and prefer the same water conditions.
With this one, you need to change the water regularly and also to monitor the water conditions and keep them consistent.
2. Keyhole Cichlids
The Keyhole cichlid usually has a black stripe going through its eyes vertically and another black patch on its side. You are going to love this one because of its personality and the fact that it is easy to take care of. Keyhole cichlids basically have no business with Angelfish, which is the same the other way around.
Now, this is not the kind of cichlid that you can find in any fish store but definitely buy one if you get lucky. A Keyhole cichlid is essential not only as an Angelfish tank mate but for pretty much any community aquarium.
3. Kribensis Cichlids
Kribensis Cichlids are not really for beginners but they are definitely great tank mates for Angelfish. The only period when they become aggressive is when they are breeding but besides that, they are peaceful. They are often called as Rainbow Kribs among fish keepers and they are fully compatible with Angelfish when it comes to water conditions.
Both prefer softer waters and are omnivores so there is no need to change up the diet when you introduce some Kribensis cichlids to the aquarium. One of the reasons why they are good tank mates is the fact that Angelfish prefer the upper layers of the tank whereas Kribs stay at the middle or bottom.
Although Kribensis are territorial, you can fix this problem by buying a cave or a few bigger rocks.
4. Dwarf Gourami
Gouramis come from far, far away, originating from Southeast Asia. Although they live so far away from Angelfish in nature, the water conditions they live in are very similar. This makes it easy to keep Gouramis and Angelfish together in the same tank.
Now, we are talking about a species that is rather timid. Therefore, you need to ensure there are enough hiding places so that your Gouramis can get away every time they need to. If you are tempted to keep more Gouramis, then make sure they are females.
Males tend to constantly bully each other and generate a lot of tension in community tanks.
5. Bristlenose Pleco
The Bristlenose Pleco is one of the most peaceful fish you can get for your Angelfish. They spend most of their time near the substrate, looking for some algae to consume. They usually mind their own business and are probably not going to interact with your Angelfish at all.
There are plenty of bristles protruding from their mouth area, which is how this Pleco got its name. If you feed your Angelfish on a regular basis, then your Bristlenose is not going to stay hungry either. They are constantly looking for leftover foods in the tank which usually end up landing on the substrate.
6. Cory Catfish
The Cory Catfish originates from the same area as the Angelfish, which is in South America. They are basically bottom-dwellers, usually scavenging for food in the lower layers of the aquarium. Keeping them in a community aquarium is always a great idea because they are good at cleaning.
From my own experience, keeping 5 Cory Catfish together is your best bet. Moving in a group provides them with the safety they need and makes them immune to bullying. However, if you have a bigger tank, you can keep even more of them.
7. Black Phantom Tetra
Black Phantom Tetra
The Black Phantom Tetra is one of the more peaceful fish I recommend for your Angelfish. They are small schooling fish with a purple, black or silver base color and a black patch on their side. If you want the colorful ones for your community aquarium, then you should definitely get some females.
Males are the silver ones, while females can flourish in some more exciting colors. Get 8 or more Black Phantom Tetras and they are going to feel completely safe in your aquarium. As long as there is no other aggressive fish in the tank besides the Angelfish, there will be no tension between tank mates.
8. Rummy Nose Tetra
When it comes to appearance, you can hardly find a species that is more interesting than the Rummy Nose Tetra. Their glass-like transparent body, red head and tail with the zebra-like pattern is absolutely stunning. Keep a school of at least 6 of them and you are going to be amazed by their beauty.
The Rummy Nose has a peaceful temperament and can adapt to a wide range of water parameters. This makes it an ideal tank mate to your Angelfish, but only if you keep a school of them because they are quite small.
9. Rosy Tetra
This little adorable fish makes a perfect Angelfish tank mate. The Rosy Tetra is full of energy and has no aggressive tendencies whatsoever. When it comes to diet, you can feed them the same foods as to your Angelfish.
There is nothing to change about the water parameters either, as they are rather similar to Angelfish in that regard as well. Keep the Rosy Tetra in a school of at least 6 individuals and they are going to be fine in your community tank.
10. Emperor Tetra
Emperor Tetra
The Emperor Tetra has a metallic silver or purple color with a thicker and thinner horizontal line on its side. They are schooling fish, just like many of the other species I mentioned on the list. Emperors are not particularly demanding, which is why people like keeping them together with their Angelfish.
These decorative little Colombian beauties are surely going to liven up your aquarium. They prefer being around a lot of plants, which also provides them with plenty of shelter when they want to hide. It is all about mimicking the Amazonian environment they came from.
11. Swordtail Fish
The Swordtail is named after its long and pointy tail that looks pretty much like a sword. They might seem aggressive based on their appearance but we are talking about a peaceful species here. There are plenty of color varieties to choose from when it comes to Swordtails that can liven up your aquarium.
They are livebearers that are going to breed no matter what you do. If you want to keep those little Swordtails, you better remove them. Otherwise, they are going to get eaten by Angelfish or their parents. This is one of those species that I can lightheartedly recommend to beginners.
12. Platy Fish
Here is another fish that has a peaceful temperament and is easy to take care of. The Platy fish comes in a variety of colors. Their body is either decorated with dark patches or there is a transition from one color to the other.
Moreover, Platies are livebearer fish, which usually means that they are hardy. If you are looking to set up an active community tank with energetic fish in it, then I can only recommend Platies. They are hyperactive especially when the lights are on.
If you keep a male and a female, they are inevitably going to breed. Just make sure to remove the fry because their parents are going to eat most of them.
13. Molly Fish
Molly Fish come straight from Central America and there are numerous varieties to choose from. You can have a colorful collection of them while keeping a few Angelfish in the tank as well. The Molly is yet another livebearer that is totally beginner-friendly.
Out in nature, they got accustomed to waters that are full of minerals but they can get used to soft water as well. Besides the fact that Mollies are hardy and flexible species, it is also easy for them to breed in the tank.
The breeding is eventually going to happen and then it is up to you to decide whether you want to remove the babies or not. If not, they are going to be eaten.
14. Zebra Danio
The Zebra Danio is a great tank mate for your Angelfish if you are looking for a fish with a zebra pattern. I frequently recommend this fish for community tanks because they are so hardy, adaptive and peaceful. Zebra Danios can thrive in a wide range of water temperatures, whether it is tropical or lower.
These are also schooling fish so make sure you keep a few of them if you want them to feel safe. The fast-swimming Zebra Danio can quickly get away from the Angelfish. They are also fast eaters so make sure everyone gets enough food in the tank.
15. Discus Fish
The Discus is most likely going to be a fish that stands out in any community aquarium because of how unique it looks. Fortunately, they are also compatible with Angelfish, and you can set up a 55-gallon tank with them for the beginning, however, in the long run, they will require a larger tank.
This is one of the more difficult fish to keep because Discus need precisely set water parameters. They thrive in warmer water than most of the fish on our list and need thorough and consistent water filtration. They might look like loners, but Discus fish actually like to move in schools of 6 or more.
Wrap Up
I tried my best to include some of the most interesting and colorful fish for this list. I hope you liked it and also that you managed to choose a couple of them for your own aquarium. Not all of them are beginner-friendly but if you are an experienced fish keeper, then you can really choose whichever you want to.
You can even set up a huge colorful aquarium with a few of these species if you want to, especially if you add a couple of schooling fish. I’m pretty sure that if you get a 55-gallon tank, you can add 4-5 of the fish from the list and end up with an exciting home aquarium.
