Angelfish are well known tropical aquarium fish and loved for their unique shape and variety of colors. Most Angelfish are bred in captivity and are chiclids of the species Pterophyllum scalare. They are native to tropical South American rivers where they fed on other, smaller fish and invertebrates. Conditions in the wild include water temperatures of between 24C to 30C, a pH of between 6 and 8 and hardness of 5-13 dH. Their natural environment is usually swampy with dense vegetation and often silty water. In the wild Angelfish are usually striped which serves as camouflage allowing them to hide among plants. They also form breeding pairs that are monogamous, sometimes for life.
photo credit: cliff1066™
Angelfish come from tropical rivers so need a warm aquarium, kept at about 27C with slightly acidic water. They can be fed flake food but will do much better if given live food on a regular basis. As with all aquarium fish they should not be overfed. They are relatively peaceful but should not be kept with much smaller fish as they may prey on them.
Angelfish are relatively easy to breed if given live food and suitable conditions. making sure you have a breding pair of Angelfish may be a problem as it is not easy to tell whether you have males or females! As noted earlier they form monogamous pairs, often long term and it may be difficult to breed an individual if one of the pair dies. Angelfish are ready to breed when about six months old and can continue until around the age of three years. A breeding pair will lay eggs on any flat surface such as a leaf or flat decoration, laying between 100 and 1000 eggs. The pair will provide water circulation over the fertilised eggs by swimming close to them and using their pectoral fins to move water over them. The fry hatch in about a week and can be fed on brine shrimp.
Tags: angelfish, Tropical Fish Information
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