Angelfish - Pterophyllum scalare

Pterophyllum scalare

• Common name(s):

  Angelfish, Marble Angelfish, Black Angelfish, etc
• General nature:Each angel has its own personality, they can be aggressive, or passive. Have been kept in small community tanks for years without trouble, but then others will attack anything in their small space. Most often though, they will be fine with most small community fish
• Difficulty to maintain:Quite easygoing and able to survive most community aquariums
• Aquarium size:20" minimum they will grow quite large, so, if you do not want to move them, give them a tank of 24" - 36" right from the start. Juveniles are fine in 20" (10 U.S. gallon) tanks, but I would tend not to put them in anything smaller
• Preferred pH:They prefer softer acid water, but since most angels are tank bred species the requirements for strict pH control are not as required.
• Preferred hardness:The fact that angels have been mostly tank raised for so many years has allowed them to become quite tolerant of harder water, in nature they do generally prefer softer water.
• Preferred temperature:Angels require warmer temperatures to be comfortable and to breed. I would never keep an angel below 78^oF. 80^oF - 82^oF is usually better for their general welfare.
• Spawning style:Egg laying cichlids. They will lay a lot of eggs on a leaf or rock if leaves are not available.
• Spawning difficulty:Relatively easy, juveniles will stay in a school, but as they age will pair off, often for life. Once in a pair, they wil become territorial and sometimes aggressive to intruders.
• Parental behaviour:The parents will tend the eggs until they hatch then can lead them in the school to food and shelter. In many cases the parents can be left with the fry to help them grow and mature
• Preferred food:Very adaptable to flake and for the larger specimens, pelleted formulas. They do appreciate the occasional freeze dried foods such as brine shrimp and small amounts of mosquito larvae.

  Do not overfeed, these fish do have a tendency to gorge.

• Comments:Angels are a staple in the community aquarium, their regal appearance and movements lend a grace tot he aquarium.

  Juvenile angels will pair fairly early, and once they have, tend to stay with their mate for life. If is a sorry sight to see the remaining fish of a pair where the mate has died, occasionally they will take another, but rarely. They usually just hang on for a while by themselves, pining for their lost mate