Freshwater angelfish are one of my favourite aquarium fish. These are extremely beautiful creature because of there shape and personality. Freshwater angelfish are laterally compressed with 2 long fins coming out from top and bottom. It is quite elegant wathcing them swimming. Sometimes they even have vertical stripes their body.
They are quite and calm by nature but sometimes get excited during feeding or spawning time. Also extra care is needed in terms of water quality. You may find them easily at your surrounding aquarium shop at cheap rate and care is easy. But don't get fooled by their size while present in aquarium shop. Dealer keep them in small size but they can grow upto size of 6 inches with long lifespan of over 10 years. If you provide good care in terms of water and food.
Size : 6 inches
Lifespan :10 years
Diet : Omnivorous
Temperature : 74 to 84 degree fareinheit
Water : pH should be 6.5 to 7.5
Breeding : egg layers
Care : Moderate
Breeding
For successful breeding you require a healthy pair of angelfish. But before breeding it is very difficult to decide which one is male and which one is female. Until you look them at the time of spawning while watching female laying eggs and male fertilizing them and noticing their size of papilla. Male's papilla is small while females papilla is wide and blunt.
For breeding you need a pair of angel fish.
The best way to do it is get 8-10 young angelfish and put them in 50 gallon fish tank. The height of fish tank should be about 18 inches. When angelfish size is of about 1.5-2 inches in diameter or at a age of 1 year, all of them will pair off themselves, and they will select a territory and chase other fish way. This is a sign that pair is formed now move this pair to separate aquarium. From a group of 10 you will get 3-4 pairs.
You will need about 20 gallon fish tank and 18 inches high as breeding aquarium. Maintain regular water changes. The water temperature of angel fish should be kept between 80 - 85 degree F( 27 to 29 degree Celsius). Give them good quality of food rich of protein like daphinia, beef heart brine shrimps, mosquito larvae etc this will encourage them for breeding.
Five minute of feeding is enough. If food is left even after 5 minute then remove it. If female become aggressive and having bulging belly then she may be carrying eggs. To angel fish grooming each other is also a sign that both are going to spawn. Before spawning both will show their papilla. Papilla is a Small pink organ present near their anal fin. Angel fish also lock their lips and twist around. When angel fish are ready they choose a site to lay eggs which may be any flat surface or broad leaves of plants and start its cleaning. You can put spawning slate so she lay eggs.
Now the female will deposit eggs on the slate or at any other place fish tank decorations such as plant's leaves,marbles in breeding aquarium. The male angelfish will fertilize them by touching eggs with its papilla. If their is no male present then other female may do the same but this will not result is fertilization.
After fertilization
If their are other fishes also in the same aquarium then they may eat the eggs during the night. However the pair of angelfish tries to protect. So you must replace other fishes from the aquarium where angelfish pair is present or you should have put pair in separate fish tank before spawning. Sometimes it is also observed that parents may eat their eggs and sometimes they protect. So you must take a note on that. You can put a spawning slate ,or piece of marble ,or smooth tile or any other fish tank decoration. This will help to move the eggs to separate aquarium. You can put a pot in aquarium then move slate or eggs to that pot without taking out them of water. Because these may not survive on air exposure. Now move that pot containing water and eggs from tank to another aquarium.
After48 hrs eggs will start showing fry tails. On third day you can see their yolk sacks. These will be still attached to the slate or leaf. If the parents are in still in the same tank they may start moving small fry. After a week you will find them swimming freely now fries will need food. You can give them crushed flake, baby brine shrimps or fry food.
They are quite intelligent, because they know their feeding time. These are omnivorous and can eat tropical flakes, daphnia or brine shrimps, plant matter or sometimes their tank mates if they are small like guppies. Also maintain the good water circulation in the fish tank by using suitable fish tank air pumps. Also don't put them with fin nipping fishes such as tetras and barbs. You can put 1 adult fish per 5 gallons or more. They are available in wide variety. Growing freshwater angel fish may need 3-4 time of food per day. Changing 25% of water per week will be good.
Size : 6 inches
Lifespan :10 years
Diet : Omnivorous
Temperature : 74 to 84 degree fareinheit
Water : pH should be 6.5 to 7.5
Breeding : egg layers
Care : Moderate
Breeding
For successful breeding you require a healthy pair of angelfish. But before breeding it is very difficult to decide which one is male and which one is female. Until you look them at the time of spawning while watching female laying eggs and male fertilizing them and noticing their size of papilla. Male's papilla is small while females papilla is wide and blunt.
For breeding you need a pair of angel fish.
The best way to do it is get 8-10 young angelfish and put them in 50 gallon fish tank. The height of fish tank should be about 18 inches. When angelfish size is of about 1.5-2 inches in diameter or at a age of 1 year, all of them will pair off themselves, and they will select a territory and chase other fish way. This is a sign that pair is formed now move this pair to separate aquarium. From a group of 10 you will get 3-4 pairs.
You will need about 20 gallon fish tank and 18 inches high as breeding aquarium. Maintain regular water changes. The water temperature of angel fish should be kept between 80 - 85 degree F( 27 to 29 degree Celsius). Give them good quality of food rich of protein like daphinia, beef heart brine shrimps, mosquito larvae etc this will encourage them for breeding.
Five minute of feeding is enough. If food is left even after 5 minute then remove it. If female become aggressive and having bulging belly then she may be carrying eggs. To angel fish grooming each other is also a sign that both are going to spawn. Before spawning both will show their papilla. Papilla is a Small pink organ present near their anal fin. Angel fish also lock their lips and twist around. When angel fish are ready they choose a site to lay eggs which may be any flat surface or broad leaves of plants and start its cleaning. You can put spawning slate so she lay eggs.
Now the female will deposit eggs on the slate or at any other place fish tank decorations such as plant's leaves,marbles in breeding aquarium. The male angelfish will fertilize them by touching eggs with its papilla. If their is no male present then other female may do the same but this will not result is fertilization.
After fertilization
If their are other fishes also in the same aquarium then they may eat the eggs during the night. However the pair of angelfish tries to protect. So you must replace other fishes from the aquarium where angelfish pair is present or you should have put pair in separate fish tank before spawning. Sometimes it is also observed that parents may eat their eggs and sometimes they protect. So you must take a note on that. You can put a spawning slate ,or piece of marble ,or smooth tile or any other fish tank decoration. This will help to move the eggs to separate aquarium. You can put a pot in aquarium then move slate or eggs to that pot without taking out them of water. Because these may not survive on air exposure. Now move that pot containing water and eggs from tank to another aquarium.
After48 hrs eggs will start showing fry tails. On third day you can see their yolk sacks. These will be still attached to the slate or leaf. If the parents are in still in the same tank they may start moving small fry. After a week you will find them swimming freely now fries will need food. You can give them crushed flake, baby brine shrimps or fry food.