Freshwater Angelfish
A tall, graceful cichlid that needs a deep tank — a beautiful centrepiece, but semi-aggressive and a threat to very small fish.
Also known as: Pterophyllum scalare
The freshwater angelfish is a tall, laterally compressed cichlid that makes a striking centrepiece. Its height and territorial streak mean it needs a deep, larger tank and careful tankmate choices — it will eat fish small enough to fit in its mouth.
What it is
Pterophyllum scalare is a cichlid from the slow rivers and flooded forests of the Amazon basin. Its distinctive shape — very tall body with long, trailing dorsal and anal fins — is an adaptation to manoeuvring among plant stems and submerged roots, and it is the reason angelfish need height, not just floor space.
Tank & water. Angelfish can reach around 15 cm (6 in) long and up to 20 cm (8 in) tall including fins, so a tall tank of at least 110 litres (30 US gallons) is a sensible minimum, more for a group. They prefer warm, soft-to-neutral water at 24–29 °C (75–84 °F) and pH 6.5–7.5. Tall tanks and vertical décor suit their body shape.
Temperament. They are semi-aggressive cichlids, generally peaceful when young but increasingly territorial as they mature and pair off, especially when breeding. They should not be kept with fin-nippers (which shred their fins) or with very small fish such as neon tetras, which adult angels will hunt and eat. Slower, sturdier community fish make better companions.
Diet & care. Angelfish are omnivores that take quality flake and pellets with regular frozen or live foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp to keep colour and condition. They form monogamous pairs and are attentive, protective parents that will clean a flat surface and guard their eggs and fry. Keeping a group of young angels together and letting a pair form naturally is a common approach, but be ready to separate a bonded pair from the others once they turn territorial. Because of their eventual size and attitude, angelfish are best thought of as a centrepiece fish that a tank is planned around from the start, rather than an afterthought added to an existing small community.
Worked example
A keeper wants angelfish with their neon tetras in a 60 L tank — a common mistake. The tank is too short and too small, and adult angels would eat the neons. The better plan is a tall 110 L+ tank with a pair of angels as the centrepiece, joined by larger peaceful tankmates such as corydoras and sturdier tetras. The neons stay in their own smaller community tank, avoiding a predictable loss.
Related entries
Related
- Neon Tetra Species profile A tiny, iconic schooling fish with an electric blue-and-red stripe — peaceful, soft-water and best kept in groups of six or more.
- Corydoras Catfish Species profile Peaceful, armoured bottom-dwelling catfish that forage the substrate — social, hardy and best kept in groups of six or more.
- The Stocking Rule Concept How to judge how many fish a tank can hold — and why the old "inch per gallon" guideline is only a rough, and often misleading, starting point.
Sources & further reading
- Pterophyllum scalare (Angelfish) — Seriously Fish (article)
- Angelfish — Encyclopaedia Britannica (article)