Our Angelfish is actually a member of the cichlid family and like other cichlids found in the Amazon Basin, has a much different appearance to the hundreds of species found in Lake Malawi. They enjoy slow moving fresh water full of vegetation as this is home to plenty of smaller fish for them to feed on, but is also to dense for bigger fish to get through so offers them safety from predators.
The reason behind the name angelfish is for their long fins that give off the appearance of wings. Their body is a beautiful mixture of gold and silver with 4 distinct black vertical bands. A key feature of these fish are the two very long fins that trail through the water as they swim around the tank.
Angelfish form monogamous lifelong mating pairs and will venture off together to find the perfect spot to lay eggs. They work together to clean any algae or debris from the area to make the nesting area as clean and comfortable as possible. Female angelfish can lay over a thousand eggs and will stick them to a surface of a plant or rocks, defending the eggs with their male partner.
Type
Fish: beautifully adapted cichlid
What do they eat?
Algae and small invertebrates
Size
Max 26cm
Water Type
Fresh Water
Where are we?
Amazon and South America