Angelfish

The freshwater angelfish is a cichlid native to slow-moving rivers and flooded forest habitats of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Essequibo river systems in South America. It belongs to the genus Pterophyllum, which includes a small number of closely related species, of which this one is the most widely kept. Its uniquely tall, laterally compressed body shape is adapted for maneuvering slowly through submerged roots and vegetation. Since its introduction to the aquarium hobby in the early 1900s, extensive selective breeding has produced numerous color and fin varieties, including marble, gold, black, and long-finned 'veil' forms, making it one of the most recognizable freshwater aquarium fish.

Freshwater angelfish are identified by their distinctive tall, disc-shaped profile.

• Body: strongly laterally compressed, disc-shaped, 15-25 cm including fins
• Fins: tall, pointed dorsal and anal fins forming a triangular or arrowhead outline; long, thin trailing pelvic fin filaments
• Wild coloration: silvery-gray body with 3-4 dark vertical bars, including one crossing the eye
• Bred varieties: marble, gold, black, koi, and veil-finned forms with altered color patterns and elongated fin length

Look-alike: marine angelfish (family Pomacanthidae) are unrelated reef fish with a rounder body shape and a distinct gill-cover spine.

Freshwater angelfish inhabit slow-moving blackwater and whitewater rivers, flooded forest (várzea) habitats, and quiet vegetated pools throughout the Amazon and Orinoco river basins of South America. They favor warm water, typically 24-28°C, with soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic to neutral pH, and are usually found among submerged roots, fallen branches, and aquatic vegetation that offer shelter and something to which they can attach their eggs. Their thin, tall body shape is well suited to slipping between closely spaced roots and plant stems in these structurally complex habitats, rather than open water.

Freshwater angelfish typically form monogamous breeding pairs, with both parents cooperatively guarding a chosen spawning site, often a submerged leaf, root, or flat surface where eggs are laid in an orderly row. Both parents fan the eggs to keep them oxygenated and defend them, along with the resulting fry, against intruders, showing pronounced territorial aggression during this period. Outside of spawning, angelfish are more social, often found in loose groups within a defined hierarchy. Their diet is omnivorous, including small invertebrates, insect larvae, and some plant material, taken with a slow, deliberate feeding style. Their thin profile allows unusually precise, slow-motion swimming through dense vegetation compared to more typical cichlid body shapes.