Angel Fish- Pets

 ANGEL FISH:

Scientific name: Pterophyllum

Common names: Angelfish

Distribution: Tropical South America

Size:3–4 inches

Life expectancy:10–12 years

Color: Black, silver, or gold, with vertical black bands

Diet: Omnivore

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Minimum tank size:20 gallons

Origin

Angelfish are native to tropical South America, including most of the Amazon water system in French Guiana, Brazil, Guyana, Columbia, and Peru. The fish are commonly found in slow-moving streams, floodplains, and swamps, in warm, acidic water with no salinity.

Adult Size & Lifespan

Fully-grown adult angelfish reach a body length of three or four inches and a height of six inches. Female angelfish have smaller, more rounded bodies than male angelfish.

The average lifespan of an angelfish is 10 to 12 years.

Colours, Patterns, Fins, and Sex Differences

Angelfish have wide bodies, triangular snouts, fan-shaped caudal fins, and long, flowing dorsal and pectoral fins.

Angelfish are available in several colours, and the most common angelfish colour is silver with four vertical black stripes. Juvenile angelfish have seven black stripes on their bodies, but as the fish mature, the number of stripes decreases.

In addition to silver, angelfish are found in gold, black, white, orange, and yellow. Marbled angelfish have no black stripes, but have a combination of marbled black, white, orange, yellow, gold, and silver on their bodies.

Albino angelfish have pure white bodies with red eyes, yellowy-orange heads, and red-hued tails. Platinum and gold angelfish are pure silver or pure gold, with no black bands.

Panda angelfish are a colour variation of angelfish with white bodies and black patches that resemble a panda’s markings.

The brightness of an angelfish’s colouring depends on the fish’s mood and stress levels. When angelfish are stressed or asleep, the fish appear duller in colour. Healthy, well-nourished angelfish living in ideal water conditions have vibrant colours.

Habitat and Tank Requirements

The angelfish’s natural habitat is slow-moving waters in the Amazon basin. Angelfish are used to warm, slightly acidic water with a fine substrate, plenty of plants, and lots of sunlight.

Set up your angelfish tank to mimic the conditions that the fish is used to in the wild. Angelfish require a tank size of at least 20 gallons, with an extra 10 gallons per extra fish, due to the fish’s large, tall body and territorial nature.

Tank Conditions

The ideal tank conditions for angelfish are:

Water type: Slightly acidic, slow-flowing freshwater

Tank size: Minimum 20 gallons, plus 10 gallons for every extra fish

Water temperature: 75–82°F

Substrate: Soft sand or mud

Tank setup: Plants, caves, strong lighting

Acidity: 6.8–7.0 pH

Water hardness: 4–12 dGH

Filter: Yes, to provide a slow current and keep the tank clean

Pump: Not necessary

Bubbler: No, the filter can provide sufficient aeration without the use of a bubbler

Lighting: Yes, standard aquarium lighting to keep the plants healthy and mimic the sunlight that angelfish are used to in the wild

Water heater: Yes, to maintain a tropical water temperature.