Cichlids

Additional names

Angels, Angelfish

Additional scientific names

Platax scalaris, Plataxoides dumerilii, Pterophillum eimekei, Pterophyllum dumerilii, Pterophyllum eimekei, Zeus scalaris

Origin

Found throughout the Amazon River Basin, in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, along the Ucayali, Solimões and Amazon rivers; rivers of Amapá (Brazil), Rio Oyapock in French Guiana; Essequibo River in Guyana.^[1]

Sexing

Extremely difficult. Look for a slight nuchal hump on mature males, 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.

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 3.8cm (1.5") and under, they may well 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.

Diet

Angels will accept most foods include live/frozen such as brine shrimp and good quality cichlid pellets. Keep the diet varied for optimum health.

Feeding regime

Feed once or twice a day.

Environment Specifics

This fish requires a water column at least 38cm (15") in depth as these fish grow tall rather than long.

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.

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 37.9 Litres (10 US G.) of the tank dedicated to it but if more than one Angelfish is kept in a 132.5-151.4 Litres (35-40 US G.) 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.

Identification

A high-bodied laterally-depressed triangular-shaped fish. Long dorsal and anal fins, not a long fish but very tall. A very distinctive looking and popular fish. "Veil tail" varieties are becoming more common, where the dorsal, anal and caudal fins are all dramatically elongated.

Colour variations of Angelfish

Wild-Type

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

Wild-Type Angel

Wild-Type Angel

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 Angel

Marble

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

Koi Angel

Ghost Angelfish

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

Ghost Angel

Ghost Angel

Blushing Angelfish

Similar to ghost angelfish, blushing angelfish are stripeless. The "blushing" term refers to the red color around their gills, caused by oxygenated blood showing through the translucent gill plates. They are often somewhat colorless, though some take on a silvery, gold, or bluish sheen.

Blue Blushing Angelfish

Sunset Blush Angel

Smokey Angelfish

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

Smokey Angel

Smokey Angel

Black Angelfish

The Black Angel does exactly what it says on the tin, the body and fins are black in colour.

Black Angel

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

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

Chocolate Angel

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

Gold Pearlscale

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

 

 

 

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