The Care of Altum Angels

Pterophyllum altum, also known as the altum angel or the deep angel, is no common angel fish. A rare find at a local pet shop or fish retailer, since they must be imported from their native habitat in Brazil or Venezuela, these expensive angels will adorn your tank with bright, beautiful colors. Their beauty does not come without a price, however, as altum angel fish require special care and tank preparation to live long, healthy lives.

Things You'll Need

  • 55-gallon tank (cycled)
  • Aquarium sponge filter
  • Aquarium air pump
  • Filtered water
  • Smooth gravel
  • Aquatic plants
  • Tank heater and thermometer
  • Canister or power filter
  • Peat moss
  • Brine shrimp, blood worms or mosquito larvae (fresh and frozen)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set up a 55-gallon tank (or larger) with a sponge filter and air pump. If cared for properly, the altum angel can reach up to 15 inches in length, and therefore requires a large tank. For best results, the tank should already be established, or fully cycled, before adding fish.

    • 2

      Fill your tank with filtered water. Altums are highly sensitive to ammonia and nitrates in the water. Filtering your water beforehand, combined with the filter and pump in the tank, will improve water quality.

    • 3

      Line the bottom of the tank with round-edged, coarse gravel ensuring that no stones feature sharp edges. Sharp edges can cause injuries as altum angel fish are known to disturb the gravel and pick at small pieces of food or vegetation on it.

    • 4

      Add tall, broad-leaved aquatic plants to your aquarium. Plants from the Echinodorus family, or sword plants, work well. Large pieces of driftwood also benefit altum angels. The angels will eat some of the leaves, and will find shelter and territorial areas within the wood and larger leaves, mimicking their natural habitats.

    • 5

      Install a water heater and thermometer and maintain a water temperature between 82 and 86 degrees. Follow all product instructions for your chosen heater, as different products have different requirements to maintain temperature.

    • 6

      Attach a power filter or canister filter to the tank and fill the filter with peat moss. Peat moss will help to increase acidity and decrease hardness in the water. The moss may tinge the water yellow or brown; this is normal, and can even help cut down on algae growth.

    • 7

      Change at least 20 percent of the tank water once per week to keep the water fresh and the fish healthy.

    • 8

      Feed your altum angel fish every day with frozen or fresh brine shrimp, blood worms and mosquito larvae. These fish prefer live food, so creating an alternating schedule of live and frozen food will keep them satisfied.