Last Updated: 6/5/24

Quick Information
Description
Setup and Water Preferences
Sexing
Breeding
My Angelfish
Links and Pictures

I am new to these fish in 2023, so most of the sections below are empty until/unless I have time to fill them in.

Common names: Angelfish
Scientific/Latin name: Pterophyllum scalare
Maximum length: 6 inches
Colors: Various
Temperature preference: 75 to 86 degrees F
pH preference: 6 to 8
Hardness preference: Soft
Salinity preference: Low to medium
Compatibility: Medium
Life span: 10 years
Ease of keeping: Moderate
Ease of breeding: Moderate

Angelfish are egg depositors who lay their eggs on hard vertical surfaces. The male protects the eggs and does some cleaning (removal of dead eggs sometimes). My angelfish spawned on 8/2/23. See below.

On 4/10/23, I bought three freshwater angelfish for my 65 gallon aquarium. One is black and named Licorice. One is orange and named Honey. One is the typical angelfish gray/silver with black stripes, and his name is Jelly Bean.

I say his because when I came home on 8/2/23, Jelly Bean was guarding a clutch of eggs affixed to the Emperor 400 uplift tube! I am not sure if Honey or Licorice is the mother. Licorice seems to have an obvious ovipositor but Honey was hanging out near Jelly Bean. Jelly Bean did chase Honey a few times but Honey may be the mother. About 80% of the eggs were fertile (clear) while the others were white. I do not have the time or space for more angelfish so I am not going to do anything. It seems unlikely that any that hatch would survive all the hungry adult fish and the filter intake but I have fry survive in my other tanks so who knows. The angelfish are much younger and smaller than I would have expected them to be to spawn.

The eggs were gone the next morning. I suspect the two bristlenose plecos ate them.

On 8/22/23, when I came home, there were a lot of angelfish eggs on one of the two heaters. They were gone in the morning. They laid again on 9/15/23. Each time, the eggs are gone the next morning. It looks like 3.5 to 4 weeks apart. I wish I had the time, money, and space to raise a few of the babies.

More eggs were laid on these dates (and eaten overnight): 10/22/23.

On 11/11/23, Licorice and Jelly Bean laid eggs on the filter intake. I got to watch eggs actually come out of Licorice so she is definitely a girl! Jelly Bean kept chasing Honey to the other side of the tank, and he is presumably the father. I changed the aquarium water a few hours before lights out without bothering the eggs but the eggs were gone within 30 minutes of lights out. I did not see who ate them.

By 2024, the angelfish stopped laying eggs. Damage to their fins and sides appeared. Yet, I never saw anyone even attempt to harm them. The tank also has four congo tetras with all their fins missing. I have never seen them go after the angelfish. The two male honey gouramis have no fin damage and seem to mind their own business. The snails should not be an issue. That leaves the two plecos that were sold to me as bristlenose plecos but do not appear to be. The plecos are secretive and have plenty of algae and leftover fish food to eat. My best guess is that they are causing the damage. I previously thought the clown plecos were doing the same to the discus that I used to have but the damage did not go down after they were removed.

On 4/1/24, I found Licorice had died. She was a beautiful black angelfish who will not be laying eggs every again. I do not know if she died from the damage to her fins. I have yet to see any aggression between the fish. I certainly have not seen anybody chewing on the angelfish. Licorice was four inches long with tail.

A few weeks later, Jelly Bean suddenly died as well. I had written the details of the date and length but accidently changed the main file and not the backup. Later, I copied to backup to the main file and deleted those details. I am writing this on 5/2/24, and Honey is still hanging in despite the fact that he or she has the worst wound of all three of them.

Despite having the largest wound, Honey lasted the longest. She passed away on 6/5/24. She was 3.75 inches long with tail.

Photos of my Angelfish:

Photos are listed from newest to oldest.

I have not processed any photos as of yet.

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