An introduction to angelfish keeping methods, and what fish are suitable for keeping with them?
The angelfish is a fish of the order Perciformes and the family Ephippidae, and it is an ornamental fish. Seen from the side it looks like a swallow flying through the air, and it looks very beautiful, so many people want to keep it. So, how do you keep angelfish? Here we introduce the keeping methods for angelfish.
I. A brief introduction to the angelfish
1. What else is the angelfish called?
The angelfish is also called the freshwater angelfish (Pterophyllum) or the angel fish. It grows 12-15 cm long, with a height reaching 15-20 cm; the body is diamond-shaped and extremely laterally compressed, the rear edge of the caudal fin is straight, the dorsal fin and anal fin rays extend backward like open sails, and the pelvic fins are extremely long and filamentous; watching it swim from the side is like a swallow soaring.
2. Where does the angelfish originate?
The angelfish originates from Guyana and Brazil in South America. In China it is mainly produced in the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, with the largest yield along the coast of Shandong. It is a warm-water pelagic and midwater fish, fond of gathering beneath floating objects on the sea surface, in small groups of more than 10 fish each, and the peak fishing season is from May to June.
II. Angelfish keeping methods
1. Choosing fish
Choose fish of medium size that actively compete for food, swim agilely, and have no wounds on the body and intact fins. Note that you must not choose fish that have just arrived, because at this time the fish has just entered a new environment and is in a stage of recovery and adaptation, and is very fragile. If the environment is changed again, it can cause the fish to die.
2. Water quality
To keep fish, first keep the water. To keep the water well, water quality is very important. Although the angelfish has no special requirements for water quality, it very much likes soft water and weakly acidic water, with a pH between 6.0—7.0; it also needs dissolved oxygen in the water, so change the water frequently, once a day is enough, changing about 1/4 to 1/5 of the water each time. If it is tap water, it must be exposed to the sun; the water temperature can allow normal survival at 24-30 degrees, but keeping it at 28 degrees is best.
3. Bait
The bait for angelfish includes fish worms, aquatic earthworms, ciliates, yellow mealworms, small live fish, pellet feed, etc. Fish 3-12 cm long are mainly fed turtle worms, supplemented with aquatic earthworms, bloodworms and yellow mealworms; fish over 12 cm long can be fed bloodworms, aquatic earthworms, yellow mealworms, small live fish, etc.; for home keeping, generally only 1-2 feedings a day are needed, and the amount fed should be eaten within 5-10 minutes. Anything not eaten should be fished out so as not to affect water quality.
III. What is the angelfish suitable for keeping with?
1. The angelfish is a fish species that likes quiet, so it is suitable for keeping with quiet fish, such as kissing gouramis, pearl gouramis, silver tip tetras, neon tetras, cardinal tetras, penguin fish, black skirt tetras, Corydoras catfish, guppies, swordtails, etc. Most of these fish are small and will not pose a threat to the angelfish.
2. The angelfish has a very gentle temperament and is not suitable for keeping with aggressive fish, such as tiger barbs of the Cyprinidae family and bettas of the Osphronemidae family. Tiger barbs like to nibble at the angelfish's anal and caudal fins, damaging the angelfish's appearance; bettas are combative and will injure the angelfish.
3. The angelfish also has a strong sense of territory and degree of aggression. When keeping it with fish that are too gentle in temperament, note that the number of mixed fish must not be too few or the body size must not be too small, otherwise they are easily bitten and injured by the angelfish.
The above is an introduction to angelfish keeping methods and fish suitable for mixed keeping. We hope it is useful to everyone.