Breeding Angelfish (Pterophyllum Scalare) In The Aquarium

Location

This freshwater species lives in shallow, low current and standing reservoirs in South America.

Body description

This is very popular and beautiful aquarium species. Body of the fish is laterally compressed with height up to 25cm. The pelvic fins are transformed into thread-like appendages sensitive to touch. The dorsal and anal fins are elongated and high and they look like sails. There is a lot of multi-colour variants of this fish e.g. black, with flowing fins, gold, mottled, smoky etc. There is almost no sexual dimorphism and the sex is difficult to distinguish. Male has gently arched his forehead during the spawning season.

Temperament and behaviour

This is shoal and peaceful species. It can eat small fish. You should keep these fish with similar size, non-aggressive and slow-moving species which doesn’t nibble fins.

Aquarium decoration

This species prefers a spacious tank. This aquarium should include plants, hiding-places among decorative elements with smooth edges, space to swim. This species doesn’t damage plants. You need an effective filtration system as well as systematic partial water exchanges. You need high tank which is around 60cm.

Breeding

This is an oviparous species. You can breed these fish in the general tank. The fish may be aggressive during the spawning season. The parents sometimes don’t take care for the offspring and sometimes they can eat them. You can stimulate the fish to spawn by increasing the water temperature, bigger partial water changes and more abundant feeding. The fish group off into pairs to mate. Female lays up to 1000 eggs on the wide leaves of plants, decorative elements or aquarium glass. The eggs hatch after 3 days. The fry starts to swim and feed 5 days later.