Freshwater angelfish

Identity and search names

This profile applies to Pterophyllum scalare. Confirm trade identity and preserve breeder, supplier or locality records where relevant.

Environment and housing

Tall warm aquarium with vertical wood or plants, open turning room, gentle-to-moderate flow and strong biological filtration

Feeding and nutrition

Feeding ecology: Aquatic invertebrates, insect larvae, small fish prey and varied quality cichlid foods

Feeding routine: Offer measured varied meals once or twice daily and prevent dominant adults from excluding subordinates

Breeding and reproduction

Open-substrate spawner, commonly using vertical leaves, wood, slate or glass; pairs fan and guard eggs, larvae and free-swimming fry

Parental care: Biparental care, although some domestic pairs repeatedly consume broods and may require management

System demands

Filtration: Use mature biological filtration sized for the adult stock and feeding load, with guarded intakes and a flow pattern the species can use without continual effort.

Aeration: Maintain strong gas exchange and stable dissolved oxygen, especially overnight, during warm weather, medication, crowding or any interruption to filtration.

Maintenance: Test ammonia and nitrite after changes or abnormal behaviour; remove waste from the occupied zone and perform regular water changes matched to temperature and mineral chemistry.

Detailed husbandry

Identity scope

This profile applies to Pterophyllum scalare. Confirm trade identity and preserve breeder, supplier or locality records where relevant.

Adult size and space

Body length up to about 15 cm, with adult height often exceeding 20 cm when fins are included. At least 250 L and 120 cm long with 50 cm-plus water depth for a group; an established compatible pair may be housed from about 180 L. Plan around adult dimensions, activity, group size, aggression and waste production rather than sale size.

Social structure

Raise at least 5–6 juveniles only with adult space and a plan to separate forming pairs; keep an established pair alone if aggression develops

Swimming zone

Primary zone: Middle water. Keep that zone usable for movement, feeding and refuge.

Feeding ecology

Aquatic invertebrates, insect larvae, small fish prey and varied quality cichlid foods

Feeding plan

Offer measured varied meals once or twice daily and prevent dominant adults from excluding subordinates

Water stability

Maintain 24–30 °C; pH 6.0–8.0; hardness/minerals: Soft to moderately hard; stable warm water matters more than forcing wild-type chemistry on domestic strains. Stable oxygenation and nitrogen-cycle control matter more than chasing one exact number.

Habitat structure

Tall warm aquarium with vertical wood or plants, open turning room, gentle-to-moderate flow and strong biological filtration

Compatibility plan

Use similarly sized calm fish that cannot fit in the mouth and will not nip long fins; avoid very small tetras and hyperactive fin-nippers

Breeding plan

Open-substrate spawner, commonly using vertical leaves, wood, slate or glass; pairs fan and guard eggs, larvae and free-swimming fry. Parental care: Biparental care, although some domestic pairs repeatedly consume broods and may require management.

Quarantine

Quarantine new fish in a separate cycled aquarium with dedicated equipment. Match temperature and mineral chemistry gradually, confirm feeding and normal respiration, and never add transport water to the established aquarium.

Welfare checks

Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Pterophyllum scalare should not be broadly labelled an Orinoco species, where P. altum is the key recognised angelfish. Domestic trade strains also cannot be assigned a wild locality without records.

Biosecurity and release

Never release fish, fry, eggs, aquarium water, sediment, plants or live foods into drains, dams or natural waterways. Confirm current Australian import conditions and South Australian possession, trade and movement rules before acquisition or transfer.

Main risk

Pterophyllum scalare should not be broadly labelled an Orinoco species, where P. altum is the key recognised angelfish. Domestic trade strains also cannot be assigned a wild locality without records.

Adult Projected Load

Moderate to high because tall adults, pair formation, brood defence and repeated feeding require vertical space, broad territory and reliable waste export.

Filtration

Use mature mechanical and biological filtration with protected intakes and enough turnover for the adult group while preserving species-appropriate current and refuge.

Aeration

Provide strong gas exchange and backup aeration; increase oxygen support before warm weather, heavy feeding, crowding, medication or filter interruption reduces the safety margin.

Maintenance

Remove uneaten food and bottom waste, clean prefilters before flow falls, test ammonia and nitrite after changes, and perform regular temperature- and chemistry-matched water changes.

Overridable Warnings

Adult body height, pair aggression, vertical swimming space, prey risk to tiny fish, stable warm water and quarantine cannot be overridden.

Welfare and risk

Maintain the stated adult space and social structure, verify feeding and intervene early when injury, exclusion, weight loss, abnormal respiration or altered behaviour appears. Pterophyllum scalare should not be broadly labelled an Orinoco species, where P. altum is the key recognised angelfish. Domestic trade strains also cannot be assigned a wild locality without records.

Sources

• Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes — Pterophyllum scalare — Accepted-name, synonym and taxonomic-placement cross-check
• Seriously Fish — Pterophyllum scalare — Natural range, adult form and aquarium social planning
• IUCN Red List search — Pterophyllum scalare — Conservation-status and wild-provenance cross-check
• PIRSA — South Australian noxious fish list — Current South Australian possession and trade restriction cross-check
• DAFF — importing live ornamental fish to Australia — Current Australian live-fish import pathway and permitted-species warning
• Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes current search — Pterophyllum scalare — Current accepted-name, synonym, distribution and habitat cross-check