PETS 2016 - ANGELFISH

Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) Angelfish originates from South America, and lives in Amazon River, its tributaries and in some lakes. It was brought to Europe in the 20th century when its breeding in aquariums began. Angelfish is a monogamy fish and a pair remains together for the whole life. Because of their elegance and calmness it became one of the most often bred species in aquariums. In nature angelfish lives in soft and slightly acid water of 27 °C, but bred species got accustomed also to our harder and more alkaline water. They feed on live food, so that it is not good to put smaller fishes into aquarium because they will eat them. Angelfishes are good parents, as well as other species from the cichlid family, but for spawn they need a greater aquarium (of a volume of more than 100 L) in which a pair will choose a place to lay spawn. This is most often a bigger water plant leaf. After laying pawn, the pair guards it and defends from predators and after 36 to 48 hours the larvae hatch, under protection of both parents. Since angelfishes have been bred for long time in aquariums, with time they lose their parental instinct so that it can happen that a male chases female away from the offspring. Therefore, attention should be paid to it and the female should be put to safety it the male chases her. Small fishes eat live food, like artemia or daphnia, which we can ourselves breed or buy frozen. Also, when they get a bit older, they will be happy with ready-made food in the form of small leaves or granules. If it is not important for us to breed small fishes, the angelfishes are a nice decoration of a mixed aquarium, provided that there are no fishes from the genus Barbus inside. These fishes nibble on angelfish fins and make them nervous; and just the calmness and elegant swimming are the main features of angelfishes. Over many years of breeding numerous mutations of colours and body designs have been created. All this classifies angelfishes among the leading inhabitants of aquariums throughout the world and the number of their fans is from day to day greater. Boris Cebović Small Animal Breeder