Angelfish are some of the most rewarding fish in the hobby. Their friendly personalities(and even noises!) quickly makes them a favorite of owners and others alike. Angelfish are truly amazing fish, but can be more demanding and require large tanks to survive and thrive.
They can range anywhere from relatively small to very large and need appropriate sized tanks. Their environment can influence their behavior in many ways. Being the "king" fish in the tank is often important in keeping a stress free environment. Many of these Angels, particularly Holacanthus, can be very aggressive in smaller and more crowded situations with other fish threatening their dominance. Other species can be quite peaceful in almost all settings.
It is certain that all angels will spend a majority of their day scouring the tank for any bit of food. It is for this reason that most of the listed angels aren't really reef safe. Some aquarists have success by keeping their angel(s) well fed and starting them in the reef tank when very small. It is very important to feed a high quality varied diet including both vegetarian and meaty portions, with some sponge as well.
Here is what I would call a somewhat incomplete list of "large" angels and there minimum tank sizes. Almost all of the popular and common angels are listed, but some may be missing as well as some of the rarely seen angels in the hobby.
This is a personally complied list based of both personal experience, observation, and reading of others experience. By putting a minimum tank size here, I am listing an absolute minimum size in my opinion you could keep each fish for it's entire lifespan. I am sure many people will disagree with my input in both directions, both smaller and larger. A larger tank than the minimum is always recommended and will give you a much better chance at success with a healthy, happy angel.
Common name - Scientific name - Tank size
African - Holacanthus africanus - 210 gallons
Annularis - Pomacanthus annularis - 210 gallons
Asfur - Pomacanthus asfur - 210 gallons
Bandit - Apolemichthys arcuatus - 180 gallons
Bellus - Genicanthus bellus - 100 gallons
Black/Gray - Pomacanthus arcuatus - 240 gallons
Blue - Holacanthus bermudensis - 210 gallons
Blue Face - Pomacanthus xanthometopon - 180 gallons
Blue Line - Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis - 125 gallons
Blue Spotted - Chaetodontoplus caeruleopunctatus - 125 gallons
Conspicuous - Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus - 180 gallons
Cortez - Pomacanthus zonipectus - 240 gallons
Cream - Apolemichthys xanthurus - 100 gallons
Chrysurus - Pomacanthus chrysurus - 180 gallons
Emperor - Pomacanthus imperator - 210 gallons
False Personifer - Chaetodontoplus meredithi - 180 gallons
Flagfin - Apolemichthys trimaculatus - 125 gallons
French - Pomacanthus paru - 240 gallons
Goldflake - Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus - 150 gallons
Gray Poma - Chaetodontoplus melanosoma - 100 gallons
Griffis' - Apolemichthys griffisi - 150 gallons
Koran - Pomacanthus semicirculatus - 240 gallons
Lamarck's - Genicanthus lamarck - 125 gallons
Maculosus - Pomacanthus maculosus - 240 gallons
Majestic/Blue Girdled - Euxiphipops navarchus - 150 gallons
Passer - Holacanthus passer - 210 gallons
Queen - Holacanthus ciliaris - 240 gallons
Regal - Pygoplites diacanthus - 150 gallons
Rock Beauty - Holacanthus tricolor - 100 gallons
Scribbled - Chaetodontoplus duboulayi - 180 gallons
Singapore - Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus - 100 gallons
Sixbanded - Pomacanthus sexstriatus - 240 gallons
Swallowtail - Genicanthus melanospilos - 100 gallons
True Personifer - Chaetodontoplus personifer - 180 gallons
Wantanabe's - Genicanthus watanabei - 100 gallons
Zebra - Genicanthus caudovittatus - 100 gallons
