Angelfish     Pterophyllum scalare

Grows to: 6"

Hobbyist Level:  A hardy fish suitable for beginners.

How Many?  They are graceful swimmers and look good in groups of 4 or more. For best results, get a group of 6 or more angels and make them the primary fish in the tank.

Housing:   (Temperature- 75-84),  (pH 6.0-8.0)  Angelfish look best when the tank is decorated with tall plants and some shale rocks. 

Tank mates If you want to keep angels as part of a community tank here are some tank mates: gouramis, sharks, silver dollars, active tetras, swordtails, moons. Angles may outgrow smaller fish so do not mix them with guppies or neons.  If an angel gets too big it may have to be separated from smaller tank mates.   When you buy your angelfish make sure they are all the same size.

Feeding:  Feed flakes, small pellets, freeze-dried,and frozen foods..  Feed at least twice a day.  For best color and growth and color feed a variety of foods.

Natural Habitat:  Angels are members of the Cichlid family. They are native to South America. Nearly all angels offered for sale are domestically bred, and Elmer's buys most of our angels from local breeders.

Males and Females:  Angels are very difficult to sex. The best way to obtain pairs is to purchase 6 or more young ones. They will choose their own mates. Breeding often occurs in standard community tanks. Once a pair mates the same pair can be used again. They can breed as often as 5 times a year. They are open spawners and will often lay eggs on rocks or plants. If you notice eggs you can either separate the eggs or let them hatch on their own. If you separate the eggs provide a small tank with bare bottom, sponge filter, heater, airstone, and some methylene blue solution. If you decide to leave the eggs in the tank remove all other fish, and keep only the breeding pair. Eggs will hatch in 3 days. They will require live baby brine shrimp within 6 days of being laid. Refer to literature for more information.

Color Varieties:  There are many aquarium bred color forms and fin types. These include Marble Angels, Gold Angels, Half Black Angels, Black Angels, Veiltail Angels, as well as many new varieties