So I've had a adult majestic angel in an a 77gal tank for over a year now and I swear it has not grown AT ALL. It's only about 5", eats everything I put in there and shows no sign of any sort of health problems. He shares the tank with a pair of clowns and 3 other 3" fish so he's not overcrowded. I've read they are slow growers, but really? Is it possible he won't grow any more?
My majestic angel hasn't grown...
- Thread starter NutsoFish
- Start date
progman2000
New member
Off topic but do you have any coral in the tank? If so, how does he do with it? Would love to get one of these guys.
sandwi54
New member
majestic angels are very slow growers. they attain 12" in the wild but usually only around 8" in captivity even under the right conditions.
that being said, your tank is way too small for a majestic angel and is probably stunting its growth. it needs a minimum of 6-foot, 180 gallon tank to attain proper growth and live its whole life. i do not expect it to grow anymore in your tank, and eventually will likely die prematurely in a 77g (even though it doesn't seem like it has health problems right now).
liveaquaria is usually pretty accurate with minimum tank size rating for fish:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+18+404&pcatid=404
please also read the following two links. this is the best and most accurate article on keeping marine large angels.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/1/fish
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/3/fish (this part II of the article contains specific information and requirement on a few selected angels, including majestic, so give it a good read)
that being said, your tank is way too small for a majestic angel and is probably stunting its growth. it needs a minimum of 6-foot, 180 gallon tank to attain proper growth and live its whole life. i do not expect it to grow anymore in your tank, and eventually will likely die prematurely in a 77g (even though it doesn't seem like it has health problems right now).
liveaquaria is usually pretty accurate with minimum tank size rating for fish:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+18+404&pcatid=404
please also read the following two links. this is the best and most accurate article on keeping marine large angels.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/1/fish
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/3/fish (this part II of the article contains specific information and requirement on a few selected angels, including majestic, so give it a good read)
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How does he do with corals? He eats them. 
Well not leathers or shrooms but pretty much everything else.
Thanks for the information and site links. I swear when I bought the fish liveaquaria said 75gals, or perhaps even 100gals, b/c there's no way I would have bought him if it said 180gals. (or I'm suffering from a severe case of denial).
I had thought I had researched thoroughly before my purchase but perhaps I did not. I'll see that he goes to a bigger tank!
Well not leathers or shrooms but pretty much everything else.Thanks for the information and site links. I swear when I bought the fish liveaquaria said 75gals, or perhaps even 100gals, b/c there's no way I would have bought him if it said 180gals. (or I'm suffering from a severe case of denial).
I had thought I had researched thoroughly before my purchase but perhaps I did not. I'll see that he goes to a bigger tank!
sandwi54
New member
No problem! The tank size requirements are constantly being updated as the marine fishkeeping hobby progresses. The older literatures usually list smaller tank sizes, but as we gain more experience in this hobby we realize some fish need more room than we used to think 10 or 20 years ago.
majestic angel is one of my favorite angelfish. In fact, after keeping various angels throughout the years, i've decided to only keep french and majestic angels for my most recent tank. Here is a picture of them. This is an older picture and they have grown a bit, with the French nearing its end of color change.
majestic angel is one of my favorite angelfish. In fact, after keeping various angels throughout the years, i've decided to only keep french and majestic angels for my most recent tank. Here is a picture of them. This is an older picture and they have grown a bit, with the French nearing its end of color change.
Kahuna Tuna
Active member
+1 Way too much angel for a tank that size. I am certainly not blaming you as I have seen some vendors list ridiculously small tank recommendations for this fish that grows to nearly a foot. In four years my majestic grew two inches in his first year and another inch in his second and about an inch since then but has really slowed down and at 7 inches now probably wont grow a whole bunch more in my 180.
I totally agree that a 180 is about minimum size for this species and anything less will lead to some stunted growth and reduced lifespan. IME if a fish stops growing it is a warning sign and unless the fish is near its maximum adult size it is either sick or stunted.
My majestic is reef safe with all of the corals I keep; lobo's, sinularia, sarcaphyton, rhodactis shrooms. He really likes to eat zoo's and acinctodiscus shrooms though and I am sure he would nip at most fleshy corals.
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