The Angelfish is a popular freshwater fish that is common in aquariums. This fish originates from South America, and it has been domesticated for over 100 years. Since this fish was introduced as a hobby in the early 20th century, the keepers of this fish have been able to create a variety of different breeds and colors. This comes in different appearances from Albino, blue, black, and so much more.
This fish has three different species of the South America Cichlids and they are pterophyllum scalare, pterophyllum Altum, and pterophyllum leopoldi. These fish originates from the freshwater river basins of Colombia and Peru, which include some of the tributaries of the Amazon River. This fish comes from the Cichlidae family, which is popular for its aggression, but this fish is a bit different since they are considered a bit more peaceful than the others.
All three species were introduced to the aquarium in 1911. They have a diamond-shaped body and trailing pectoral and caudal fins that help them gain popularity. In the 1950s, specialty breeding began, and the most popular color forms, which we now know, appeared on the market during the end of the 60s. If you want to keep the Angelfish with success, ensure that everyone has their own territory. In order to keep a small group of Angles, you need a tank that is not less than 55 gallons.
This fish also needs a tank that is fully decorated. Ensure that your tank has declarations such as driftwoods, rocks, and logs to provide some comfort and security for these rather anxious fish. You also need to include some plants in their tanks, such as Amazon swords and the floating Anacharis.
This article will, therefore, focus on the popular types of angelfish. This will give you an opportunity as a potential owner to be able to choose which variety best suits you.
ALBINO ANGELFISH
Albino Angelfish is an species that is white or silver in color. This fish also has a ring around the eyes and it is yellowish orange in color. The eyes of this fish are red. This fish can grow to a maximums length of 6 inches. This fish is semi-aggressive, but they require optimal water quality. The temperature of the water should range between 75 to 82 degrees F with an average ph. of 5.5 to 7.0. The size of the tank should be at least 3-0 gallons.
These fish is usually omnivores in nature, and this means that their diet mainly consists of plant and fresh. The fresh consist of invertebrates such as the brine shrimp, tubes worms, and bloodworms. In this species, it’s a bit hard to differentiate a male from a female. This species matures when they reach the size of 2 inches, and they are ready to spawn. The spawning can happen during the first 8 to 12 months when the fish is fed on a good diet and under good management practices. The Albino angelfish is an egg-laying species.
SILVER ANGELFISH
The Silver Angelfish is a common fish species in the aquarium world. This fish has become so popular, and this has led to cross-breeding; therefore, there are many different varieties. This fish is found in silver color in the wild, but in captivity, they can be found in different colors such as black, marble, gold, and others. This fish has a zebra-like variety that is silver-like but with extra dark vertical stripes. This fish is generally hardy and easy to take care of, and this makes them the ideal choice for beginners.
This fish is diamond-shaped with a round compressed body, with triangular dorsal and anal fins. This fish can grow to a maximum length f 6 inches. This fish can comfortably live in a 30-gallon tank as the minimum size, but if you are planning to keep more fish in the same tank, you will need a bigger space. This fish is omnivore in nature. In the wild, they mainly feed on insect larvae and other small fish, but in their natural home, they can be fed in different foods such as flakes, pellets, frozen and live foods. This fish can only be sexed during the breeding season since the males’ genital papillae are pointed while the female is blunt.
KOI ANGELFISH
Koi Angelfish is one of the popular varieties as a result of its tricolor markings. It is an incredible variant that naturally displays white, black, and gold-orange coloration. This shoaling cichlid is relatively peaceful compared to the other members of the cichlid family. This fish has thin tall than other common cichlids. This fish originates from several rivers in Northern South America.
This fish loves privacy, and that is why they thrive best in the decorated aquarium. Some of the ideal decorations include driftwoods, plants, and rocks. As long as you provide enough space in the aquarium, the Koi Angelfish will co-exist with other fish in the tank. This fish is peaceful, but during the spawning period it is a bit territorial. This fish also grows to a maximum size of six inches in captivity. When they are young, they can have a red hue below the eyes that fades with time. The intensity of the orange color that is seen in this fish varies according to the stress levels of the fish. The color will darken when the stress is high.
BLACK LACE ANGELFISH
The Black Lace Angelfish is a uniquely shaped fish that is popular in the aquarium world. This fish originated from the Amazon Rainforest in South America, but they have since spread to the rest of the world. This species is available in different varieties. This species grows to a maximum size of 6 inches in the wild. This fish has a long tail and long fins.
The Black Lace Angelfish are not active swimmers, and therefore, they prefer a relaxed lifestyle. This fish is not such an aggressive bit during the spawning period, they become very aggressive, and they will attack any fish that comes closer to their territory. They are also compatible with other fish that are of the same size. You can feed them on flakes and pellets, and they will thrive in captivity. This fish is not so sensitive to water but ensure that you provide high-quality water in the aquarium.
The ideal size of the tank should at least be 40 gallons when they are young, but as they grow, they will need a bigger space. The fish also need a substrate in the tank and some decoration also. You can add some plants and some gravel for the substrate.
VEIL ANGELFISH
The Veil Angelfish I one of the most beautiful types of Angelfish that are found in aquariums. They have long fins, but these fish might get trimmed a bit if you put them in the same tank as the aggressive fish. This fish can comfortably be compatible with other fish in the tank. The Veil Angelfish are sensitive to changes in temperature, and therefore, you should pay close attention to the water temperatures.
The average size of these fish when they are grown is between 6 to 12 inches. The water temperature should be maintained between 72 to 82 degrees F. This should be followed strictly. The water should also be soft. This fish needs ample space to swim and relax, and therefore, the average size of the tank should be 30 gallons, but you can provide more if possible. The average lifespan of this fish is between 10 to 12 year.
This fish also thrives in a decorated tank. You can provide some decorations such as driftwoods, rocks, and some plants in the tank, and they will also act as hiding spots whenever they need privacy. It is difficult to sex those species until during the spawning since the female becomes larger in size.
MARBLE ANGELFISH
The Marble Angelfish is similar to the Veil Angelfish but with short fins. This fish has a silver base with a black pattern, and in some instances, they may have an orange line on the top of the fish. This fish is hardy and also resistant to diseases, and does do not need special conditions. The name of this species comes from the fact that it has black, white and yellow colors in a marbled pattern. The marble, just like the zebra, likes to live in warm water conditions. Since this fish loves living in slightly acidic water, it is ideal for maintaining the tank somewhat acidic.
Just like the rest of the Angelfish, this fish grows to a maximum length of 6 inches, and this can comfortably b housed in a 30 gallons tank. This will give them enough space to rest and swim. The average lifespan of this fish is approximately ten years. These fish need some privacy or some hiding sot whenever they feel threatened. It is, therefore, important to provide these spots, and this can be achieved by adding some decorations to the tank. You can use the rocks, driftwoods and some plants.
LEOPARD ANGELFISH
The Leopard Angelfish is bred from the variety of the Angelfish that are found in the Amazon River with similar markings to those of the Leopard Angelfish. The overall appearance and colors of this fish resemble those of the natural leopard, and that is where the name is derived from. This fish is not so common compared to others, but it is a great fish to have in your aquarium. Instead of stripes, this fish has spots. When these fish becomes adults, you must expose them to a precise amount of light in order to retain this pattern.
If you do not provide proper lighting, the pigment will later, and the spots will disappear. It is important to maintain the critical conditions of the tank because of the lighting. This fish grows to a maximums size of 6 inches, and this fish can comfortably live in a 40 gallons tank. The water should be soft. On average, this fish lives for up to 10 years. This fish also loves privacy, and therefore, you can provide decorations that act as hiding spots whenever they feel threatened. Some of the appropriate decorations include rocks, driftwoods, and plants.
It is easy to feed this fish. You can feed them on high-quality live foods, dry and frozen foods. This will ensure they maintain optimal health.
GHOST ANGELFISH
The Ghost Angelfish is more of a category rather than a breed. However, there is one common ghost that is available, and that is the grey Ghost, Angelfish. The only difference between this species and the others is the color. This fish has no pigmentation, and therefore, the entire body is silver. Some of the fish may spawn some stripes as they grow older, but it is not always the case.
The average size of this fish is 6 to 8 inches, and they can choose comfortable live in a 30 gallons tank. The average water temperature should be between 72 to 82 degrees with a ph. of between 6.0 to 6.5. The tank water should be soft. The average lifespan of this fish is ten years.
SMOKEY ANGELFISH
Just as the name suggests, this fish is not the most colorful. However, it appears to be magnificent. Due to the deeper coloration, this species has a design across its body. These designs are, however, not symmetrical. They can range from absolute black to grey in intensity. As the fish grows and gets older, the black coloration on the body will increase, but they may even darken as time goes on.
This fish is generally peaceful, but they can sometimes become territorial when there is inadequate space to live in. Also, they may become a bit aggressive during the breeding season as they protect their territory. The average size of the tank enough for this fish should be at least 30 gallons for a single fish or a pair.
It is important to provide some plants in the tank and the decorations since they provide some hiding spots for the fish. You can go for decorations such as rocks and driftwoods. To this fish, the water quality is also crucial, and therefore, it is important to keep monitoring the ammonia and nitrite levels in the water. This fish is not too fussy when it comes to diet, and therefore, you can feed them on variables such as flakes pellets. You can substitute it with some frozen meaty food such as bloodworms brine shrimps.
BLUSHING ANGELFISH
In color, the Blushing Angelfish is distinct from the others. The only color on the body of this fish is a pair of flushing cheeks which you can perceive. The origin of this name is the two crimsons of this fish which give it a bushing appearance. Depending on the paternity, the gill color can range from pale orange to vivid red. Apart from that, it has no pigmentation anywhere on its body. The water composition is identical to that of the previously described reeds.
This species grows to a maximum size of 6 inches, and they can comfortably live in a 30 gallons tank. The water should have a temperature range of 72 to 82 degrees F, and it should be soft. The average lifespan of the fish is ten years. This fish is diamond-shaped with a round compressed body. They also have anal and dorsal fins that are triangular in shape. The tanks should have some declarations which provide much-needed privacy and also provide hiding spots whenever the fish feels threatened. Some of the ideal decorations include rocks, driftwoods, and some plants.
The Blushing angels are omnivores in nature. They feed on small fishes and insect larvae while in the wild, but in captivity, they can be fed on pellets, flakes, live or frozen foods. The males and females cannot be distinguished until during the breeding season.
PLATINUM ANGELFISH
The Platinum Angelfish is a basic but interesting breed that belongs to every collection of the angelfish. This fish is white or grayish in color, with no distinguishing features or pattern in its body. This fish is one of the first species to be kept in captivity, and they remain among the most popular species. As a result of the high population of this species, there have been numerous cross-breeding, and this has given rise to a wide range of cultivars.
In the wild, this fish species comes in silver color with dark vertical stripes. This fish is diamond-shaped with a compressed spherical body and with triangular dorsal or anal fins. They are easy to look after. This fish grows to an average size of 6 inches, and they can comfortably live in a 30-gallon tank. However, the size will increase as you increase the number of fish in the tank.
The tank water should have an average temperature of between 72 to 82 degrees F, and it should be a soft one. The average lifespan of this fish is up to 10 years. This fish is an omnivore, and they can be fed on small invertebrates, insects, frozen and prepared foods. They are also peaceful and compatible with other fish in the tank. They only become territorial during the breeding season.
CLOWN ANGELFISH
The Clown Angelfish is a rare type of Angelfish, and finding this fish will be a bit difficult. This fish has some complicated pattern that forms spots of varying shape and size across the entire body. This fish species is more tranquil than other breeds of angelfish and is simple to keep. This fish prefers having some tall plants in the tank as decoration rather than the rocks and caves. These plants will serve as both the foliage and hiding spots. In terms of appearance, the clown Angelfish are very shocking. There is no individual that looks the same as the other.
Most of the bodies of this species are covered in various shapes that vary from one fish to the other. The fins are typically black. Depending on the heredity, they can also be blended with orange color. Just like any other angels, they grow to a maximum length of 6 inches. They need ample space in the tank to swim and move freely, and therefore, the required size of the tank should be at least 30 gallons. This, however, increases as the number of fish increases.
The average lifespan of this fish is ten years under optimal care. This fish is compatible with other fish and will live peacefully as long as they are of a small size. They, however, become a bit territorial during the spawning period. During this period, it is advisable to put them in a separate tank. This fish is easy to feed, with the ideal food being high-quality dry, frozen, and live foods.
GOLDEN MARBLE ANGELFISH
The Golden Marble Angelfish is a tropical freshwater fish that comes from the Cichlidae family. This fish originates from the Amazon River Basin in South America. This fish grows to proximately 6 inches with a body that is laterally compressed. This implies that the body is flat and thin in a vertical position. This is crucial since it helps the fish navigate among the river reeds, and grasses. This fish has a triangular dorsal fin that is black in color. It also has some black marbled stripes with gold patches.
The species is an omnivore that feeds on plant matter and other small invertebrates. In captivity, you can also feed them on flakes, pellets, and frozen fish foods. They take 6 to 12 months to mature, and they will be ready to reproduce. They are monogamous, and this means that after finding the ideal mating partner, they will mate for life. The female will lay about 1000 to 1200 eggs, and it will take 7 to 10 days to hatch. Both parents will participate in taking care of the young ones.
HALF-BLACK ANGELFISH
The Half Black Angelfish is a tropical fish that is popular in the fish-keeping world. This fish is found in the Western Pacific from Japan to the Great Barrier Reef, including Christmas Island. Just as the name implies, this species has its body covered with half black. The front area of this fish body is covered with pearl colored to gray scales. These scales fade into a black coloration. The anal and caudal and the rear half of the dorsal fin are outlined in a bright baby blue color, and the entire black and white pattern is accented by a yellow to yellow-orange coloring.
This fish also has an orange ring around the eyes, an orange blotch in the middle of the rear of the gill cover, and a yellowish accent on the pectoral and front half of the dorsal fins. This fish is generally peaceful and can be put in a community fish as long as there is enough space. If the place is congested, they become aggressive. In the wild, these fish feed on the algae and the small invertebrates. In captivity, you can feed them on plenty of foods such as flakes, pellets as well as leafy greens, and frozen shrimps. The young ones only feed on planktons until when they are grown to eat the adult food.
ALTUM ANGELFISH
Altum Angelfish is one of the three kinds of freshwater angels, and this is the largest representative of its kind. This fish has large dorsal and anal fins which may grow up to a length of between 35 to 40 cm. Both fins are pearl gray in color. The first rays of the abdominal fins are filamentary and very long as well. The body of this fish is disk-shaped, quite flattened on the sides, and has a snout that is sharpened.
The color of this fish varies from greening gray to olive drab with slivery glitter, and the back has a brownish olive tint. The body of this fish has four lateral lines. The body color changes according to the mood and behavior of the fish, and it can either be saturated black, black-brown, or gray. The four stripes overpass the fish eye, and the second one starts from the short dorsal rays and ends near the anal fins beginning. The third strip starts from the top of the dorsal to the anal fin top. The fort starts at the beginning of the caudal fin.
This fish is not hard to keep. They are peaceful and will co-exist with other species as long as they are of the same size. If the tank is congested, they will get aggressive. They are very active and will hardly live in poor quality water. Ensure the water is always clean.
PEARLSCALE ANGELFISH
The pearl scale, in this case, refers to the scale texture rather than the body shape. Most f the Pearl scale Angelfish are found incomplete white, but they can also be found in silver, gold, or blue pearl scale. This fish can be bandless or have any type of banded or marbled pattern. The back third of this fish is dark black color that fades into an extremely light gray towards the front. They also have a neon light blue lining to the fins, which really makes them stand out. The light gray scales have white centers which resemble the coloring of pearls, and this is where the name is derived from.
There is no significant difference between the males and females, though the males are considerably larger. This fish should be handled with a lot of caution since they have sharp spines close to their cheek gills, and they can easily harm you. They need some decoration, such as rocks and plants, which act as hiding spots. They are omnivores, and they mainly feed in algae while in the wild. In captivity, you can feed them on a wide range of frozen foods.
CHOCOLATE ANGELFISH
The Chocolate Angelfish comes from the Smokey color form. This happens when both parents carry the homozygous Smokey gene. With a regular Smokey, the brown markings appear towards the caudal fins; however, on this species, this deep brown color occurs over the whole body. The color appears in many different shades, but it is usually deep chocolate, as the name suggests. The color occurs on all the fins of this fish. This fish is rare among the aquarist.
CONCLUSION
The angelfish is generally a good fish that is worth keeping in your home tank. However, you need to decide on which specific species you are going to choose. However, the conditions are almost the same, for instance, and if you have a tank of at least 30 gallons, you can be able to keep any of the varieties. Also, ensure the tank has the decorations since they are helpful to the fish as they provide hiding spots.
It is our hope that this article has provided sufficient information about the different varieties and you can now make an informed decision according to your preferences and the ease of keeping.
