Angelfish is one of the most popular aquarium fish, which will certainly add a lot of grace and beauty to a tank. However, they are not always the easiest fish to care for unless you know something about them and their needs.
You've probably seen many beautiful young angelfish in aquarium stores before, but how much do you really know about them? Here are some very important facts that can help you decide if these fish are the right breed for your home aquarium.
Angelfish are freshwater fish members of the cichlid family, and originate from South America. This group includes other popular fish such as Oscars, Jack Dempseys, Parrotfish and Discus.
Are Angelfish Carnivores?
Angelfish are carnivorous by nature, so they need to be fed the right foods to help them achieve optimal size and stay healthy. It is usually preferable to offer them a daily diet of flakes or a diet based on feed formulated for angel fish and then supplement the fish with live bait of freshly hatched frozen shrimp, raw worms and Daphnia grown in your cultures to avoid contaminated sources.
On average, a well-groomed angelfish will reach around six inches in height in adulthood, which is about one and a half years of age. If they are housed in large tanks and they are not overcrowded, they can reach nearly ten inches, although this would be quite rare in captivity.
Angelfish are often thought of as community fish, meaning they can live with a variety of other tropical species. While this is true when they are young, angel fish become more territorial and aggressive as they mature. For this reason, it is generally preferable to house them in a separate tub from adults.
Tank setup for Angelfish
Always keep angelfish in the largest tank you can afford, and make sure you have a good filtration system that doesn't create excessive currents in the water as angelfish are not the most agile swimmers. The right water conditions can also reduce the stress of angel fish and can make them healthier and happier.
Ideally, these fish prefer: - Temperature range of 74 F to 78 F when kept as pets - Temperature of 80 F for spawning - Average PH range of 6.5 to 6.9.
Ick (white spot) is an opportunistic parasitic condition that can strike the correct conditions in the tank at any time, and angelfish are highly sensitive to it. The parasite can spread from one fish to another and can even exist in our tank before attacking a fish. Overcrowding, poor water conditions, and improper diet can all contribute to an Ick infestation.
Angelfish Egg Deposition
The fish can in turn give birth to pups or lay eggs which are fertilized and which will hatch later. Angelfish fall into the spawning category.
The female prefers to lay her eggs in neat rows on a submerged piece of slate propped against a tank wall. The male follows the female and will use his own papilla to fertilize each egg individually.
If fertilization has been successful, you will notice that the pups start wagging their tails in about two days, even if they are still attached to the slate. Baby fish will learn to swim around the fifth day, and will start eating on their own around the seventh day once they have absorbed the nutrients from the sacs from their eggs.
How to distinguish male and female Angelfish?
Unlike some fish breeds, a male angelfish cannot usually be distinguished from a female just by looking at them unless the female is ready to breed. Both sexes have an organ called the papilla which is located between their anus and ventral fins.
When the female becomes pregnant, which means she is carrying the eggs, the papilla becomes slightly larger and has a blunt tip. When the male detects a pregnant female, the papillae widens slightly, but has a more pointed tip. This is the primary way to tell the sexes apart, but it's not foolproof.
You can always be sure that every egg-bearing angelfish is a female. Any other angelfish in the tank that do not become pregnant or do not respond to a pregnant female can be both females and males who are not interested in mating and breeding.
Varieties of Freshwater Angelfish
The original freshwater angelfish is standard silver in color. However, mutations in color did occur, and breeders capitalized on them to create many interesting and beautiful varieties. One of the newest is the blue Philippine (Cobalt Angelfish), which actually shows some blue coloring as shown in the following video of a breeding pair and their seven-day-old offspring.
Other popular varieties include, but are not limited to:
- Marble Angelfish
- Zebra striped Angelfish
- Leopard Angelfish
- Black halves Angelfish
- Veiled ones Angelfish
- Gilded Angelfish
- Marine Angelfish
There are also many species of marine angelfish in a range of colors that rival the rainbow, and each has their own care needs. If you think you are up to the challenge of maintaining a saltwater tank, you will find fascinating specimens at any aquarium store that specializes in saltwater fish.
Although angelfish can present some challenges for their keepers, they are still not as difficult to manage as some of their other cichlid relatives such as discus. Give them the largest tank you have, keep their water very clean, and feed them a carnivorous diet. If possible, you may be able to grow your young angelfish until they are incredibly large.
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