Angel Fish

Angelfish are easily recognizable by their elongated, triangular dorsal and anal fins and colorful, striped body. Freshwater angelfish, named after the unrelated marine angelfish, are a popular cichlid species originally from the Amazon region of South America and are relatively calm and slow-moving, only occasionally getting excited or territorial during feeding and spawning. Angelfish care requires some specific considerations unique to angelfish including aquarium conditions, water temperature, pH, and feeding. These aspects of Angelfish care are easy to learn and will make for a happier, healthier angelfish.

Aquarium Size

When considering aquarium size for angelfish care, it is best to factor in the ratio of angelfish to gallons of water. The following guide should be used as a rule of thumb -

gallon of water per nickel-sized angelfish
gallons of water per quarter-sized angelfish
gallons of water per silver dollar-sized angelfish
gallons of water per full grown angelfish

Aquarium Filter

Good biological filtration can be easily obtained a number of ways. Angelfish body shapes are not designed for efficient swimming, therefore gentle aquarium filtration is preferred. Lots of water movement will stress them somewhat and cause slower growth due to the increased energy expended to swim against a current. Angels Plus Sponge filters are ideal for fish hatchery situations, where expense is a concern. In show tanks, undergravel filters works well. In a densely populated tank, a whole-tank filter is a very effective option. A very effective secondary filter that will not clog is a fluidized bed filter. In general, the limiting factor for angelfish carrying capacity is not biological filtration. It is dissolved organics and high bacterial loads that develop from keeping too many fish in a tank, overfeeding or changing too little water. Large, frequent water changes are the easiest way to lower these dissolved organic and bacterial levels. Sophisticated systems will sometimes incorporate the use of ozone, foam fractionation and U.V. filters to accomplish the lowering of these organic and bacterial loads, but most of us will rely upon water changes to accomplish this important facet of angelfish care.

Aquarium Temperature

Angelfish have a tolerance to a wide range of aquarium temperatures, but immune system response is best at higher temperatures. Therefore, if your fish husbandry is less than ideal, you will have more problems at lower temperatures. 80° F is a good start for a hatchery situation. Mid to upper seventies is fine for show tanks. As a cold blooded animal, angelfish will live longer at lower temps. Higher temperatures will promote faster growth, more frequent breeding, better immune system response and shorter life spans.

Feeding Angelfish

Feeding is more of an art, than a science. No one can tell you exactly how much food to put in an aquarium. The ideal amount will change everyday as the angelfish grow, and will be different with varying temperature, pH, maintenance schedules and frequency of feedings. Good observation is the key. Overfeeding angelfish is worse than underfeeding. Feed a variety of high quality foods and observe the aquarium and the angelfish closely when feeding. If you want to feed a superior fish food, try making your own paste fish food. We have a great fish paste food recipe.

Breeding

This species is notoriously difficult to sex – the physical differences which can be used to distinguish the sexes are often only visible during spawning. Male angelfish, for example, have smaller, more pointed genital papillae than females but they may not be visible except during mating periods. Males of the species may also exhibit more aggression or territorial behavior. Angelfish tend to breed in pairs but since they are so difficult to sex it is best to start with a group of 6 juveniles and to wait for them to pair off naturally as they mature – to speed up the process, you may also be able to purchase an established breeding pair from a breeder or pet store. To condition your angelfish for spawning you will need to feed them a healthy diet of live and frozen foods. You may also want to separate the breeding pair into a dedicated breeding tank. Perform frequent water changes to keep the water quality in the tank high and try to maintain a stable temperature between 80 and 85F. When your angelfish are ready to spawn, the female will begin depositing eggs in very organized rows and the male will follow behind her, individually fertilizing each egg. After the spawning is complete, remove the adult angelfish from the tank because they will likely eat the eggs and newly hatched fry.

Whether you plan to breed your angelfish or just enjoy them for their beauty, these fish are a wonderful species to cultivate. If you are looking for a unique, attractive species to stock your freshwater tank with, consider the freshwater angelfish.

Types of Angel Fish

Black Angel Fish: