Breeding Angelfish

Introduction to Breeding Angelfish

At one time or another almost every tropical fish hobbyist makes an attempt at breeding angelfish. It is easy to understand why, since angelfish are one of our most beautiful tropical fish, are relatively easy to care for, make a great show piece, come in many varieties and even fetches a good price at pet shops. With this much going for it, it is no wonder the angelfish attracts so many would-be angelfish breeders. These hopeful aquarists can have a good experience in their attempt to raise and breed angelfish or they can face constant frustration until they eventually give up and go on to something else.

It is our hope that after reading this, you too can experience the joys of raising and breeding angelfish. Once you get the procedure down, you should be able to raise at least 90% of the eggs laid, into sellable juveniles. Keep in mind that this procedure will vary, depending on your circumstances. Some people are simply dealing with worse conditions and much more care has to go into the spawn to raise it.

Angelfish Water Requirements

Angelfish are endemic to the Amazon basin. In nature, they are found in soft, acid water that is very warm most of the year, usually around 80°(F). Don't worry if you can't match these conditions in your aquariums. The domestic angelfish, most of which are many generations removed from wild stock, are a very adaptable animal.

We have experienced little or no problem raising angelfish in water between 4.7 and 8.7 pH, and from very soft all the way up to very hard water. If your water doesn't naturally fall into this range and is extremely hard or alkaline, the use of a de-ionization filter or reverse osmosis (R.O.) filter can bring it into an acceptable range for you. R.O. filters are usually hooked into your main water supply and produce the equivalent of distilled water from the tap. The cost of a unit can range from less than a hundred dollars to over $5000, depending on the size and quality of the filter needed.

Another means of altering pH is with easily obtained chemicals. This is one method that we prefer to stay away from, because with the chemical method, pH is prone to radical jumps if the water isn't properly buffered. In addition, the fish simply do not like these chemicals. Try to remember that it can be very time consuming to buffer the water, alter the pH, or adjust the hardness of your water supply. If it isn't stable after altering, the swings in pH are more stressful, than simply keeping the angelfish in less than ideal water. As we said before, most angelfish varieties will do well in a large range of water types, so avoid altering the water if you can.

If you have very hard water and a well-conditioned female angelfish that won't or can't seem to lay eggs, a little experimentation may be needed. To facilitate breeding with these hard-to-do females, you may have to resort to adding water from a Reverse Osmosis filter or a De-ionizer. This problem is rare for us and usually only occurs when dealing with angelfish that have a large amount of wild blood in them. If you have very poor water parameters or other contaminants in your water, then this extra step may be needed. Before taking any extreme steps, you should try a quality water conditioner. This product not only removes chlorine and balances osmotic processes, but it bonds with heavy metals which can be a big problem in many water supplies.

Your aquarium water temperature should probably be between 80° & 84°(F). We've had angelfish spawn in the upper 60's as well as in the lower 90's, but we feel the extremes should be avoided. Low temperatures usually mean infrequent spawns and a tendency to be more disease prone. High temperatures reduce the oxygen carrying capacity of the water, encourage bacteria growth and prematurely age the angelfish.

next>>
Breeding: 1 2 3 4 5 6