Pterophyllum scalare

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Angelfish

Freshwater Angelfish at the Montreal Biodome - Wild Type
Species	Pterophyllum scalare
Difficulty	Moderate
Min. Tank Size	113.562 liters 113,562.353 mL 30 US Gallons (113.6L)
Size	20.32 cm 6-8 " (15.2-20.3cm)
pH	6.5 - 7.2
Temp.	297.039 K 23.889 °C 534.67 °R 298.706 K 25.556 °C 537.67 °R75 -78 °F (23.9-25.6°C)
Water Hardness	6-9
Stocking Ratio	1:2 M:F
Availability	Very Common
Diet	Omnivore Pellet Foods Flake Foods Live Foods
Life Span	5-9 years

[edit] Alternative names

Angels, Angelfish

[edit] Sexing

Extremely difficult. Look for a slight cichlid hump on the male, although it's not always accurate. The best way to sex is to look at the breeding tubes on a pair when they are spawning. The male's breeding tube will be much smaller than the female's.

[edit] Tank compatibility

Compatible with some South American Cichlids such as the German Blue Ram or any of the Apistogramma species. Do not keep with small tetras or other small fish 1.5" and under, they will become lunch, or overly aggressive fish. Avoid known fin nippers such as Tiger Barbs or Serpae Tetras. Other territorial mid-top dwellers such as Betta splendens and Gouramis are not advisable either as they may become too curious towards the Angels.

[edit] Diet

Angels will accept most foods include live/frozen and good quality cichlid pellets.

[edit] Feeding regime

Feed once or twice a day.

[edit] Environment Specifics

This fish requires a water column at least 38cm (15") in depth.

This fish likes an area of substrate to sift through while looking for food. Care should be taken however, if the substrate consists of small pea gravel that it should accidentally choke on a piece. They also appreciate live plants, good filtration, and plenty of swimming room.

[edit] Behaviour

Angelfish are Cichlids that are good tank mates to other quiet fish. Energetic fish such as Tiger Barbs and Black Skirt Tetras are not good tank mates. Sometimes large Angelfish will become aggressive towards others, this can be genetic aggression or a result of establishing territory to breed. Using a divider is a great way to separate an aggressive Angel or breeding pair.

While Angelfish have been known to eat small fish, this can be largely prevented by adding small fish when the Angelfish is very young. It then doesn't regard these fish as food. It also appears to lessen the bullying of other Angels.

Each Angelfish needs 10 gallons of the tank dedicated to it but if more than one Angelfish is kept in a 35-40 US Gallons (132.5-151.4L) tank, even if they are a breeding pair, it is very likely that one will begin to attack the other and it will eventually sicken and die. This behaviour usually manifests after they have bred or attempted to breed one or more times.

When Angelfish reach breeding age, no matter what size the tank is, a pair will set up housekeeping and be very aggressive when protecting their eggs. They will be unlikely to successfully breed in a community tank, however.

[edit] Identification and Variations

A high-bodied laterally-depressed triangular-shaped fish. Long dorsal and anal fins, not a long fish but very tall. A very distinctive looking fish.

[edit] Colour Variations of Angelfish

[edit] Wild-Type

This is how wild Angelfish would appear. Silver in base colour with several vertical dark bands.

Wild-Type Angel

[edit] Marble Angelfish

Has a mottled colouration of black, and white. Those with yellow or orange can be classed as Gold Marble or Koi Marble.

Marble Angel

Marble

Gold Marble Veiltail

[edit] Gold Angelfish

Also referred to as Koi if black markings are evident. Usually devoid of stripes which can vary in colour from light silver yellow, to dark yellow, even showing some orange especially when mature. Some show slight marbling or dark markings when young.

Gold Angel

Koi Angel

Female Gold Veiltail

[edit] Sunset Blushing Angelfish

Similar to the Koi with no marble pattern, this strain is a gold blusher with intense orange on the crown of the head.

Sunset Blush Angel

[edit] Ghost Angelfish

These Angels have a gene that eliminates their natural stripes. The body is generally pale with no markings, occasionally there will be black spots however.

Ghost Angel

[edit] Smokey Angelfish

This Angel has a silver base colour with lightly mottled dark patches and dark fins.

Smokey Angel

[edit] Half-Black Angelfish

An unusual Angel, resembles a regular silver Angel but the back half of the fish is solid black. Other black markings may be visible on the rest of the body.

Half Black Angel

[edit] Chocolate Angelfish

Chocolate Angelfish are an uncommon colour, they are a deep mottled rich brown and will occasionally have the wild-type vertical bars.

Chocolate Angel

[edit] Pearlscale Angelfish

This can occur on any colour base, it is a recessive gene that produces a crinkled tinfoil appearance to the scales of the fish as they get older.

Pearlscale Koi Marble

Gold Pearlscale

[edit] Albino Angelfish

Not often seen. Albinos do not produce any dark pigments and therefore show a white to yellow body. Normally dark markings are replaced by markings that are lighter than the baseline body colour. As in most albinos, the eyes are red and in colour varieties that would normally have a red iris, the iris of the albino is intensely red.

Albino Angel

[edit] Videos

Angelfish spawning:

[edit] Commercial Breeders

[edit] External links

Facts about Pterophyllum scalare

Availability	Very Common
Common name	Angelfish , and Angels
Diet	Omnivore +
Difficulty	Moderate
Family	Cichlidae +
Foods	Pellet Food +, Flake Food +, and Live Food +
Maximum Size	8 in (20.32 cm) +
Maximum age	9 +
Maximum hardness	9 +
Maximum pH	7.2 +
Maximum temperature	298.706 K (25.556 °C, 78 °F, 537.67 °R) +
Minimum Tank Size	30 US Gallon (113.562 liters, 113,562.353 mL) +
Minimum hardness	6 +
Minimum pH	6.5 +
Minimum temperature	297.039 K (23.889 °C, 75 °F, 534.67 °R) +
Scientific name	Pterophyllum scalare

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