About the Mating Habits of an Angelfish

Types

• There are three popular types of angelfish. The Orinoco angel, Pterophyllum altum, is silver with brown to red striping on its body and fins. The Pterophyllum scalare, which is commonly known as the freshwater angelfish, is the most common type found in captivity. There is also the teardrop angelfish, Pterophyllum leopolodi. Unlike the other two types, the teardrop angelfish does not have a pre-dorsal notch.

Geography

• Angelfish come from the Amazon River basin region of South America. The different types can be found in different areas within this region.

Identification

• The foremost identifying feature of the angelfish is the long fins along the top and bottom of its body. They also have laterally compressed bodies, which makes them appear very thin if looking at them from the front. Their tail is vertical, just as the fins are, and is usually scoop shaped and rather narrow. Most angelfish have a striped coloration, which helps camouflage them in the wild. There is no visible difference between male and female angelfish until they are ready to mate. Then the females will become fat with eggs, and the males will gain a cone-shaped breeding tube.

  Angelfish are considered very aggressive eaters, and this couples with a curious personality to make them seem much more social then other fish. They will learn to recognize humans coming to feed them and hang out at the top of their tank whenever a person approaches.

Size

• Angelfish can grow up to a foot in height (from the tip of the top fin to the tip of the bottom fin) and have a 6-inch body diameter.

Features

• Angelfish will not pair with just any fish that a person tries to breed them with. They prefer to pick their own mates, usually out of a group of fish they have known since before becoming sexually mature. Once they have chosen a mate and paired up, they will become territorial and chase other fish away from whatever area they have picked to spawn in. Angelfish lay their eggs on flat surfaces, such as the leaves of large plants and flat rocks. Within 5 to 8 days of pairing up with her mate, the female will show signs of carrying eggs, as her belly will become enlarged. She will start to obsessively clean a surface in her territory and within 24 hours will lay her eggs. Her mate will follow behind her as she leaves eggs and fertilizes them.

  Unlike some other fish, such as koi, angelfish are usually not interested in eating their own young and can be left with the eggs and fry (baby fish). They will tend to the eggs for the 3 or 4 days it takes for them to hatch. Once the fry are free of their eggs, they will wiggle around for a few days before finally learning to swim.

Warning

• Though angelfish are not commonly known for eating their own young, sometimes fish that have come from several generations of captive inbreeding will start to eat their eggs or fry. Be sure to watch them closely after they spawn, and if they show any sign of eating their young, remove them immediately.