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Scientific name: Pterophyllum altum, Pterophyllum leopoldi, Pterophyllum scalare

Type: Freshwater

Size: up to 12" (30cm) tall, 6" (15cm) long

Tank Size Needed (Minimum): Tall, 29 gallons (110L)

Water pH: 6 to 7

Water Hardness: Soft (1-5 dH) for wild; soft to medium hard (4-12 dH) for domestic

Temperature: 78-82°F (25-28°C)

Origin: South America, Amazon River

Social: Does best as the only Angel or in schools of at least five. Will successfully live with Catfish, Mollies, Silver Dollars, Clown Loaches, Gouramis. Lives at any level in the aquarium.

Life span: 8-10 years

Diet: Omnivore. Prefers live food (black worms, brine shrimp, feeder fish). Will eat frozen (brine shrimp, blood worms), with flake food as a supplement.

Difficulty Rating: Intermediate

Comments: Angel fish are known for their long, graceful fins and pretty color varieties. They have an unusual shape for a cichlid fish, narrow and rounded body. While they are not particularly picky about their environment, they are not considered good beginner fish because of the large, deep aquariums required to house them. Angels can grow to the size of a dinner plate or larger, which most buyers don’t realize when they pick out their cute little coin-sized fish at the pet store. Angels can also become territorial and aggressive as they grow.

When choosing an aquarium to house angels, pick one that is tall rather than wide, to provide deeper water for the fish. While angels do well with other fish, do not include tiny fish such as neon tetras and guppies in the community tank. Angels will hunt and eat them.

Angels come in a variety of colors and patterns. While most wild angel fish are silver with darker vertical stripes, domestic breeders have developed heavily striped Zebra Angels, solid black, solid gold, marbled black or gold, Blushing Angels with red patches, marbled orange and white Koi Angels, and lace black or gold. In addition, you can find