One of the most recognizable, spectacular fish species, the Angelfish is indeed a graceful, flowing creature of freshwaters, both wild and captive.
Interestingly they belong to the Cichlid family, which is well known for being anything but angelic!
Freshwater Angelfish (Pterophyllum Scalare) are the ones most hobbyists keep, but they are not ‘true’ angelfish like their marine counterparts, which are from the Pomacanthidae family. They are more of a lookalike, an anomaly, if you will, in the Cichlid world.
Today the freshwater variety of Angelfish is vast. There are a huge number of colors and shapes, so it’s important to do your homework on how the different types of Angelfish will work in your tank setup.
Planning is everything when it comes to setting up your community. What starts out as a manageable, covetable juvenile quickly turns into a large mature adult that can escalate into serious problems over time.
They are relaxing to watch and captivate everyone who observes them.
Found in the South American Amazon and Orinoco River Basins across a wide range of areas, the aquarium varieties are usually hybrids.
Let’s dive a little deeper into these Angelfish varieties to see what their care looks like and what makes them so special to keep.
Freshwater Angelfish Behavior
Despite the reputation Cichlids have, Angelfish are very much an exception to the rule.
This doesn’t mean they don’t have their moments in the tank, though. Considered semi-aggressive by most hobbyists, the aggression they display tends to be breeding season-related or during care of their fry.
Graceful, swoon-worthy swimming action makes them positively hypnotic to watch. Their unusual vertical shaping for freshwater fish gives them an instantly identifiable appearance that needs no introduction.
In general, they are peaceful when compared to other Cichlids. However, they can be aggressive when it comes to defending themselves in the pecking order.
These fish will school and form hierarchies with clearly defined boundaries that sometimes get blurry. They can be seen to mouth bite when there is a dispute.
They will naturally leave other species alone for the most part unless it comes to breeding season.
They prefer middle tank layers and like to show off their classic good looks, swimming gracefully amongst the vegetation available. They are not speedy simmers and prefer a more leisurely action.
Angelfish are another Cichlid that will actively parent and care for their fry, so much so that they can be seen to do so for up to two months post-hatching. Eggs will be fiercely guarded before hatching, which is where they will show off their aggression.
They can be seen to act timidly and can be spooked in the tank by loud noises and sudden motions close to the tank, causing them to hide and seek a safe space to retreat to.
Freshwater Angelfish Lifespan
Angelfish can live a long time and get larger than most people realize. On average, they can live for 12 – 15 years which is considerable and a real commitment for the hobbyist.
We will discuss more on tank requirements a little later in this article.
Freshwater Angelfish Appearance
Angelfish have a taller body than they do long and are flattened, almost disc-like.
Some say they look like winged leaves because of their slim build and fins that reach out in a flowing fashion.
Stretched, triangulated dorsal and anal fins are their hallmark. Pectoral fins resemble long, thin filament-type structures, while the caudal fin is a more classic broad shape.
These fish can grow to a maximum length of 6 inches, while their fin lengths give them an incredible height of up to 8 inches that needs consideration when choosing tank shape.
The common Angelfish is a classic silvery white body, with three vertical black stripes down the body.
The amount of varieties available to purchase is enormous. These include:
- Silver Angelfish, the common variety with three stripes and red eyes
- Zebra Angelfish, who have additional vertical black striping that can be up to six stripes
- Veil Angelfish, who possess longer fins
- Marble Angelfish, similar looking to the Veil but with shorter fins and an orange line on top
- Albino Angelfish, a mutation with red eyes and yellowy stripes on the white body
- Leopard Angelfish, who has spots instead of stripes and are harder to source
- Black Lace Angelfish, who are almost all black
- Smokey Angelfish, black and silver
- Gold Angelfish, half silver and half gold
- Blushing Angelfish, who have red gills with a golden body and look like they are blushing as the gill covers are translucent
- Koi Angelfish, ranging from gold to brilliant orange
Freshwater Angelfish Habitat And Tank Requirements
This tropical river-dwelling fish like slightly acidic conditions because of their Amazon heritage. Swampy, muddy river bottoms are what they love best with decent lighting.
Let’s take a look at the specifics for keeping your graceful Angelfish looking their heavenly self.
Tank Conditions
Another Cichlid means another fish that loves to dig. Super soft and fine sand or silt will fit the bill nicely.
Angelfish love a richly planted tank that allows them to weave within the plant life with their slim build.
Some excellent plants to include in your setup are ones that will mimic their natural swampy habitat.
These plant species might include Amazonian types such as Amazon Swords, Brazilian Waterweed, the ubiquitous Java Fern, and Java Moss, or anything that has a vertical structure that can be firmly put into place.
Avoid floating plantlike that can tangle with their fins and obscure light.
Filtration-wise, you can use something like under gravel types or anything low flow as they are not used to fast-moving currents of water. Think swampy! No additional air stones or air curtains need to be used either; it will only frighten them.
These fish are particularly sensitive to water conditions, and they must be kept in top shape and within their strict parameters.
Water changes will need to be done each week with at least 30% per change.
Water conditions should be noted, tested regularly, and maintained as follows:
- pH of 6.0 – 7.5
- Water hardness 5 – 13 dGH
- Temperature between 74 – 84ºF (23 – 29ºC)
- Lighting can be LED-based, but standard intensity, on an 8 – 12 hour cycle
Tank Size
The minimum tank size needed is 20 gallons for a single Angelfish. Ideally, you would be better off at a larger starting size because they grow quickly.
For a small school, 80 gallons should be the minimum, and for every additional fish supply, another 10 gallons minimum.
The tank shape needs to not only be long enough for them to swim around and create interest, but height is a necessary consideration. If your tank isn’t deep enough, that will limit their scope to move around and create their own territory.
Choosing Tank Mates For Freshwater Angelfish
While they happily coexist with a plethora of fish in the Amazon, in closer quarters, many of those same species would end in disaster in a tank environment when there is nowhere to run and hide.
Here are some of the best species to mix in with your Angelfish:
- Dwarf Gouramis
- Plecos
- Pictus Catfish
- Bolivian Rams
- Discus
- Dwarf Cichlids
- Rainbow Fish
- Platies
- German Blue Rams
- Swordtails
- Kuhli Loach
- Rummy Nose Tetras
- Lemon Tetras
- Guppies
- Mollies
You will want to avoid any shrimp or other invertebrates like most snails, as they will often get eaten. However, the Malaysian Trumpet Snail should be well left alone by your Angelfish.
They will also prey on smaller fish, and you need to avoid fish that are prone to nipping who may tear up the fins of your Angels with abandon causing exceptional stress and illness.
One other point to mention is that you should avoid mixing Angelfish with African Cichlids as they do not tend to live harmoniously together and have completely different parameters.
Freshwater Angelfish Diet
Cichlids, in general, are not fussy eaters. In fact, they have a tendency to gobble anything in their path and can often overeat.
Angelfish are no different but are omnivores by nature, but they are unlikely to chew up your vegetation in the tank.
Your Angels will enjoy a varied diet that is high protein and preferably live in form for optimum health.
Tubifex, bloodworms, larvae, brine shrimp, water fleas, and insects all make excellent options for live feeding. The wider variety, the better.
Flake and pellet foods should be considered supplemental, and you can also include freeze-dried proteins like worms and krill.
Blanched veggies of the usual suspects like spinach, zucchini, and lettuce are popular options.
Remember to remove any uneaten matte to avoid water fouling by using a suction vacuum for substrates. The last thing you want is to add to your workload by letting food rot, creating a dirty tank ripe for illness and poor vitality.
Freshwater Angelfish Common Health Issues
Angelfish have a few health issues worth noting that you need to be wary of.
They can carry a parasitic nematode that they catch from eating their larvae. It’s highly contagious and generally fatal so ensure you are keeping your tank clean and buying high-quality food sources.
Symptoms can include weakness that worsens over time as the nematode grows inside the fish. They can develop cysts and bleed, which is an obvious sign, and at that stage, the end is likely near.
Hexamita is another parasite they are sensitive too which affects their intestines.
Symptoms include weight loss, lethargy, dullness or lack of color, and changes in color patterns.
Hexamita can be treated, but the best way to keep these fish healthy is to have a clean and tidy tank in the first place.
Unclean food sources are a major source of these types of afflictions so go for the best quality you can.
How To Breed Freshwater Angelfish
Breeding Angelfish will not require much effort once you have a breeding pair.
Angelfish are monogamous fish who are very involved in the upbringing of their fry, which is certainly not the case for many species.
Once they pair up, they can become quite formidable defending their turf to tankmates, which is where some people go wrong as they mature.
Like other Cichlids, this monogamy lends itself to regular spawning if you have a breeding pair. You will need to plan on how to deal with fry accordingly since they can spawn anywhere from 200 – 400 eggs each time. That’s a lot of fry to deal with.
In order to breed them successfully, you should set them up in a separate breeding tank of around 20 gallons. Same idea in setup with low flow filter and some vertical or slanted surfaces for egg-laying.
Once the female spawns, the male will fertilize them, and they should hatch a few days later.
In this instance, you don’t separate the parents as they will actively rear them. That is unless you frighten the fish unexpectedly, which can then result in the parents consuming the eggs from stress.
The parents will look after the fry for a time even after they are free-swimming, which is pretty unusual for many fish species. This means they will rear them for about a month before the parents need to go, and you continue to feed the fry appropriately.
Are Freshwater Angelfish A Good Choice?
These show-stopping, graceful, mostly peaceful Cichlids do take some beating when it comes to equipping your tank set up with a lavish and glamorous fish.
You will spend hours watching them glide around your tank, and they are likely to hypnotize your guests too. They could almost be considered a meditative fish watch because of how relaxing they are to observe after a long day.
If you can keep in mind that a rigorous tank cleaning schedule, high-quality live foods where possible, and keeping tank mates within our distinctive list, you will enjoy housing Angelfish for many, many years.
That sounds just like heaven.
