Angelfish are cichlids best known for their gold and silver scales. They are a large tropical fish family that can grow up to six inches, about two to three times the size of guppies.

These fish are omnivorous and eat algae, brine shrimp, and larvae. In their spawning season, they can be particularly aggressive to smaller, peaceful fish like guppies. But, can angelfish and guppies live together?

Angelfish and guppies cannot live together due to the difference in temperament. If you put the two fish species together, angelfish will bully adult guppies and eat their fry. However, you may want to keep guppies and angelfish in a pond (not aquarium) if you want to control the guppy population.

Alternatively, add more substrates in your tank to create more hiding spaces for your guppies. Below, I’ve explained in detail why angelfish and guppies are bad tankmates and what you should do to keep them in the same tank.

Will angelfish kill guppies?

Angelfish are so aggressive that they will attack and likely kill guppies if you keep them together. The attacks will be more intense when the angelfish lay eggs in the aquarium. Your guppies will be stressed due to the bullying and can end up dying.

Angelfish will most likely eat your guppy fry if you keep them together. I’d highly recommend that you keep the two fish species together if you want to control the guppy population in your fish tank or pond. However, ensure that the tank is large enough to accommodate both angelfish and guppy fish.

Here are some tips for putting angelfish and guppies together:

Use a 55-gallon tank or larger

You should keep angelfish in pairs, and two angelfish need at least 30 gallons of water. Therefore, the minimum tank size for keeping angelfish and guppies is 55 gallons. It gives the fish adequate space to swim and make territories without aggression.

Use a tank divider

A tank divider is practical in large fish tanks. It ensures your angelfish and guppies are not in contact. At the same time, you will admire them separately in the same fish tank.

Add plants and ornaments in your fish tank

When arranging the substrate, provide hiding spaces big enough to let the guppies in and keep the angelfish out. Grow plants such as water lettuce, willow moss, and flame moss. They will curb aggression and allow the fish to live together in harmony.

Why are guppies and angelfish bad tank mates?

Angelfish and guppies are bad tank mates because angelfish will bully your guppies, eat their fry, and chase guppies away from their territories.

In the next section, you will find bad tank mates for angelfish and a list of fish that can live peacefully with your angelfish.

Here are some reasons why angelfish and guppies are bad tank mates:

1. Angelfish are bigger than guppies

Angelfish can grow up to six inches long while guppies grow to only two inches. The size difference between the two fish species is the leading cause of bullying in the aquarium. Coupled with a small tank size, the angelfish can bully your guppies to death.

Keep in mind that the minimum tank size for guppies is 5 gallons, while that for angelfish is 20 gallons. If you want to keep these two fish together, you want to try and opt for the biggest aquarium you can get.

2. Angelfish eat guppy fry

Angelfish are territorial and aggressive. They will peck and nip guppy fins if you keep them together. Guppies also reproduce rapidly, and a guppy fry is around 0.25 inches. The six-inch angelfish will not hesitate to eat the tiny guppy fry.

It is probably a good idea to move pregnant guppies into another tank to prevent their fry from being eaten as soon as they are born.

3. Guppies are shy and peaceful

Guppies do not bother other fish in the aquarium. They are usually peaceful and calm, unlike the territorial and aggressive angelfish. In addition to their small size, guppies are vulnerable to bullying and stress from angelfish.

4. Angelfish are aggressive during their breeding seasons

Like most fish, angelfish are particularly more aggressive when spawning. Even in a larger fish tank, angelfish will not want to see guppies near them. You should remove the pregnant fish and place them in a separate tank to reduce tension in your aquarium.

5. Male angelfish are territorial

Two angelfish need about 30 gallons of water to stay healthy and happy. They occupy their territories far away from each other. Any fish that comes to their territory is an enemy, which can stress your guppies. Keep them in a fish tank that is 55 gallons and above. 

List of fish that can live with angelfish

Although angelfish and guppies are incompatible tankmates, several fish species will coexist peacefully with the angelfish. However, the new tank mates should be the same size as the angelfish, be bottom-dwellers, and match your angelfish’s aggression levels.

Here are some fish that can live peacefully with angelfish in your aquarium:

Fish	Size in inches	Temperament
Corydoras catfish	1.0 – 4.0	Non-aggressive
Dwarf gourami	3.5	Partially aggressive
Bristlenose pleco	5.0	Aggressive and territorial
Rummy nose tetra	2.0 – 2.5	Peaceful
Head and tail light tetra	2.0	Peaceful
Zebra danios	1.5 – 2.5	Aggressive
Common molly	4.0 – 4.5	Mostly peaceful
Suckermouth catfish	20	Aggressive
Platy fish	2.8	Peaceful and non-violent
Kuhli loach	3.0 – 4.0	Non-aggressive
Ram cichlid	2.5	Non-aggressive
Discus fish	4.8 – 6-0	Calm but aggressive to one another
Siamese algae eater fish	6.0	Peaceful
Swordtails	5.5 – 6.3	Harmonious
Keyhole cichlid	4.9	Aggressive only after breeding
Rainbow kribs	3.0 – 4.0	Aggressive to protect their fry
Lemon tetra	2.0	Mildly aggressive
Neon tetra	1.5	Non-aggressive
Cardinal tetra	1.25	Aggressive during mating and feeding
Harlequin rasbora	2.0	Non-aggressive
Zebrafish	1.6 – 2.0	Aggressive
Siamese algae eater	6.0	Peaceful
Rosy tetra	1.6 – 2.5	Peaceful

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Bad tank mates for angelfish

Not all fish are compatible with angelfish. Some fishes are territorial and aggressive and will either attack or be attacked by the angelfish.

Here are some terrible tank mates for angelfish:

• Goldfish: They grow up to 6 inches in the aquarium. Although goldfish are beautiful and nearly the same size as angelfish, avoid keeping them together. They thrive in different environments, and one of them may not survive your water conditions.
• Betta fish: Unlike goldfish and angelfish, the recommended tank conditions for betta fish overlap those of angelfish. However, betta fish and angelfish are bad tank mates because they will fight each other to defend their territory and space within the tank. 
• Barbs: Tiger barbs are fin nippers just like goldfish and bettas. Angelfish will be more aggressive towards the barbs and might even confuse the barbs for food. 

ReferencesThe Ohio State University. (nd). Fish Basics. Pets 4 Life.