Angelfish are among aquarium lovers’ favorites for their unique appearance. With triangular bodies, well-marked stripes, and long fins, this elegant and easy-to-hold tropical fish will embellish any freshwater aquarium. Originally from South America and mainly found in the Amazon River, these attractive fish have adapted well to being kept as pets in aquariums prepared in the right way to meet their needs. In addition to the many positives, angelfish are also relatively easy to breed in captivity. With the right conditions in the aquarium, those who like to keep angelfish can watch them grow and become adults. Once you learn how to breed angelfish, you will be well on your way.
Angelfish can grow Up to 6 inches (15 cm) aquarium tank no smaller than 20 gallons with temperatures between 75-82 °F or around 25 °C. The water is often acidic, with little to no salinity. The pH should be anywhere from 6.8 to 7. The tank will need exposure to 8 to 12 hours of light per day.
how long do angelfish live?
Angelfish are easy to care for and can live up to 10-12 years in captivity if they are provided with proper aquarium conditions. Because of their shape, this species prefers tall aquariums with a capacity of at least 20 gallons. However, if you want to keep several in a beautiful setup, I recommend an aquarium that is 55 gallons or larger.
How big do angelfish get?
Angelfish can grow Up to 6 inches (15 cm) long and up to 10 inches in a bigger tank. In the wild, Angelfish perform much better where it can grow up to its maximum length of 12 inches with access to its natural food. These fish should be kept in an aquarium tank no smaller than 20 gallons in capacity – the bigger, the better – 55 gallons is suitable.
Tank Size for Angelfish
Though the ideal tank size for Angelfish can depend on the size of the fish, its growth pattern, and its aggressive behavior. In most cases, more than the 20-gallon tank size is recommended for single or a pair of Angelfish.
You will have to increase the tank size if you are raising a community of fish, which includes the Angelfish. In this case, a tank size of 55 gallons, at least, is recommended.
Tank Setup
The angelfish inhabit warm waters in South America. The aquarium must be quite deep since the angelfish likes to swim vertically. These are tropical fish that thrive in warm water with temperatures between 75-82 °F or around 25 °C. The water is often acidic, with little to no salinity. In swampy conditions, angelfish live with a beautiful sandy substrate and lots of aquatic vegetation and mosses for hiding. The pH should be anywhere from 6.8 to 7. The tank will need exposure to 8 to 12 hours of light per day. Any aquarium light that can mimic the sun will do just fine.
How many angelfish in a 55-gallon tank?
Ideally, one angelfish per 10 gallons is suitable for Adult fish. The problem comes in at spawning time. About six angelfish to be the maximum for a 55 gallon. Having six will help with aggression and in-fighting. Angelfish can live for 5-6 years. There is no easy answer as they may or may not get along. Since they are cichlids, it is possible that overstocking might help with aggression.
Breeding Freshwater Angelfish
One of the reasons these fish are so popular is that they are very easy to breed. Create a breeding environment using a 20-gallon tank with a low flow filter and a vertical, slanted surface. Tiles, PVC pipes, and Anacharis all make suitable spawning surfaces.
Females choose their males based on aggressiveness and those who appear to have more reproductive experience. Those who are more aggressive are more likely to mate. The more aggressive males defend their young better. Some studies determine a more significant number of larvae that survive thanks to the fact that the male is more aggressive with the rest of the fish.
To lay the eggs, the females put them on plants or rocks, since they have the particularity of being adhesive. Before depositing the eggs after spawning, they both clean the surface of the plant or stone where they will be placed. When spawning occurs, the male uses a duct through which he expels the sperm terminated at a point and slightly leaning forward. The female has a somewhat longer, thick, and rounded oviduct, sloping backward. They can deposit between 150 and 350 eggs.
How to tell the sex of an angelfish?
Determine the sex based on the shape of the tubes. Once you’ve located the tube and can examine it adequately, look at the shape of the tube. On male angelfish, the tube will be pointy and narrow. It might look something like the tip of a sharpened pencil. With female angelfish, the tube will be rounder, wider, blunt, and have a cylindrical shape. If you happen to have another breeding pair, you can put the angelfish you want to sex in with them.
- The female’s tube is blunt and wide like an eraser and the male is thin and pointy like a pencil tip.
- The male angelfish has a pronounced bump on the forehead, while the female lacks that bulge.
- In the male Scalar fish, a crest can be found at the beginning of its dorsal fin.
- Other sources affirm that the males present a smaller difference between the ventral and anal fins than the females of the angelfish.
How often do angelfish lay eggs?
Usually, a female Angelfish can lay anywhere between 100-350 eggs in just a single laying. Each pair will spawn every two weeks or more if you immediately separate the eggs.
Angels are very very good at raising and caring for the eggs and fry
they have a higher rate of surviving if they stay with the parents,
the parents will eat the mold of the eggs
How long does it take for angelfish eggs to hatch
Angelfish eggs don’t take long to hatch, and depending on tank conditions, hatching can occur 2-3 days after spawning. The infertile eggs will grow an opaque white fungus, but fertile ones will remain translucent.
When the eggs hatch, they don’t immediately become free-swimmers. Instead, they’ll stay attached to the spawning site for another 3-4 days.
How long can angelfish go without food?
Juvenile angelfish can live for up to 3 days without food. And an adult angelfish can live up to 1 week and even more without eating anything, but install an automatic fish feeder is a better solution.
Freshwater angelfish are, by nature, omnivorous, but they generally tend to prefer a meat-based diet. In the wild, they feast on insects, larvae, crustaceans, rotifers, and even smaller fish. In the home aquarium, they will accept a wide variety of foods. Offer your angelfish a staple diet of specially formulated cichlid flakes or pellets and supplement the diet with plenty of live feeds as well as frozen and freeze-dried foods. Angelfish typically enjoy a variety of live foods, including bloodworms, brine shrimp, white worms, and other small insects and crustaceans. Because these fish are omnivorous, they will also benefit from the addition of some plant matter in their diet in the form of algae wafers or fresh vegetables.
How often should angelfish be fed?
How much you feed your angelfish depends on a variety of factors, such as the fish’s size or environment. You will have to observe your fish’s eating habits and behaviors.
- Younger angelfish will need more live foods than older ones. Younger angelfish need to eat 3 to 4 times a day.
- Adult angelfish need to eat two times a day.
Angelfish tank mates
Angelfish are peaceful nimble fish that have lots of tank mates. Let’s list some of the most ideal buddies. They include:
- Mollies
- Dwarf Gouramis
- Corydoras Catfish
- Bolivian Rams
- German Rams
- Kribensis Cichlids
- Cherry Barbs
- Kuhli Loaches
- Bristlenose Pleco
- Common Plecos
- Platies
- Mollies
- Yoyo Loach
- Tetras
- Discus
These make the most ideal buddies for the angelfish. Some thrive in groups while others prefer living alone due to their behavior.