Angelfish Facts

Angel of the North...R.I.P..:O((
Image by law_keven via Flickr

Angelfish,which actually got their name from the marine angelfish (but are not related to them in any way), are from South America in the Amazon region and surrounding basins. Although they are from the cichlid family, they are generally not overly aggressive and are relatively peaceful and slow moving by nature, only occasionally becoming aggressive or territorial during feeding and spawning.

Angelfish are cichlids, although their round bodies and triangular fins are quite different from many cichlids which normally have sleeker shapes. This body form serves them well however, since it permits them to be camouflaged among the tall roots and plants that makeup most of the angelfishes normal habitat .

Angelfish are omnivores and do eat live food in the wild. They are ambush predators in the wild and prey on smaller fish and micro-invertebrates.

Caring for Angelfish
Angelfish, because they come from the Amazon Region, survive best in a warm aquarium, ideally around 76-80F. In addition, because they are omnivores, they do best when fed a combination of flake, frozen and live food. Angelfish tend to be pigs when eating, consuming as much food as provided them, so the fish hobbyist must be careful not to overfeed. This can result in a buildup of excess fat (they became fat fish). Fat angelfish will become lazy and usually do not live as long as healthy fish. Well cared for angelfish often live up to 15 years.

Angelfish, again since they are from the Amazon basin, will thrive best if kept in a slightly acidic environment, with a pH below 7.0.

Although angelfish are generally more peaceful than their aggressive cousins, they are still cichlids, and they will attack smaller fish if the opportunity arises.

Fish Compatibility
Opinions are wide a varied regarding compatibility of angelfish with other fish. As a general rule angelfish are compatible with gouramis, platies, tetras, danio, loaches, plecostomus, mollies and swordtails. In addition, the total gallons of the aquarium can determine how well your fish get along. Crowded fish are stressed fish and generally are more aggressive.

Breeding
Angelfish Breeding is not overly difficult and can be a truly rewarding experience. Ones success in breeding angelfish can depend on many factors, including the fish themselves. A lot of captive angelfish have been so inbred that they have lost much of their rearing instincts. The result is often angelfish will eat their fry.

A normal angelfish spawn can produce anywhere from 400 to 1200 eggs. Fertile eggs should hatch in approximately 6 to 7 days, but the development of the eggs can be watched from about day 3 on. Young fry should be fed live brine shrimp once the yolk sack is gone.

There are a number of variables that must be considered when attempting to breed angelfish not limited to tank size, water temperature, water condition, environment and lighting. Fortunately, if one wants immediate success in angelfish breeding there are many excellent resources available to the hobbyist to ensure the success of his/her angelfish breeding.

To discover more about how to successfully Care for and Breed Angelfish, visit the following link below and you be will taken to Youtube where you can watch a quick video about successful Angelfish Breeding.

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