“How do you breed angelfish?”, “How can you determine their gender?”, “How many fries will be born?”, “What should the breeding aquarium look like?” These are some intimidating questions but don’t worry. You will find all the answers you need to successfully breed these beautiful tropical aquarium fish right below in this article.
Angelfish are a popular choice for many hobbyists for some obvious reasons: they are affordability, ease to maintain, and there’s a wide variety of types available. However, while some find breeding angelfish a straightforward process, others struggle and give up in the end. That’s why we’ve put together some useful information about breeding angelfish, so you can increase your chances of success.
Water Conditions for Angelfish Breeding
The natural habitat of angelfish is the Amazon basin. The Amazon water is soft, acidic, and warm; the temperature varies between 78.8-80.6 degrees Fahrenheit during the year. Do not worry immediately if you have difficulty meeting these conditions in the aquarium. Angelfish that have been raised in aquariums for generations have no difficulty in adapting to different water values. As a result, it is possible to produce very soft and hard waters with a pH value between 5.7 and 8.5. If the water you use is harder than this, you can use distilled water, a deionized filter, or a reverse osmosis filter to reduce water hardness. Another solution is to use pH-lowering chemicals. However, chemicals should be used as the last choice and should be used consciously. Otherwise, there may be sudden changes in pH value, and sudden pH changes cause stress to your fish.
Angelfish can be bred between 68 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. However, rather than approaching such extreme values, it would be better to choose a temperature of 78.8-80.6 degrees Fahrenheit as it is in their natural environment. Female fish spawn less often at low temperatures, and their appetite is also reduced. At high temperatures, the amount of oxygen dissolved in water decreases, and bacteria increase. This reduces the chances of breeding. The ideal water temperature for breeding is between 73.4 and 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Angelfish Breeding Aquarium
Angelfish need to be kept in deep aquariums due to their body structure. Also, deep aquariums should be preferred for breeding. In a small aquarium, they will feel insecure and experience stress. To prevent this from happening, a deep aquarium of at least 75-80 liters should be acquired. As in the natural environment, the water should be relatively still. In addition, hiding areas should be created with tree roots and tall plants. There is no need to use gravel on the aquarium floor; even if used, it is recommended to be dark. In this way, a dimmer environment is created. It is also conceivable to cover the aquarium or turn off the lighting. Because the dim environment makes the fish feel safer.
Ammonia and nitrite should not be present in the water. A good filter will help remove these toxins. It is recommended to use a sponge filter as it will not generate current. The nitrogen cycle is also supported by the active sponge filter. More than one filter can be used according to the need to remove biological pollution. Even using and cleaning two filters will keep the aquarium water clean. The filter should be gently cleaned in the water drained from the aquarium or chlorine-free water so that the nitrogen cycle is not interrupted. Because chlorinated water kills most of the beneficial bacteria in the filter.
Frequent partial water changes should be made to reduce toxins and dissolved organic matter that accumulates over time. Large amounts of water changes are required to mimic the conditions in their natural habitat and for the success of reproduction. 40% water change can be done daily. It is difficult to be successful in breeding without at least 30% water change per week.
Food for Angelfish Breeding
Angelfish is a typical cichlid fish. Angelfish should be fed quality fish food at least twice a day. As long as the water temperature is not too low, they are fond of food and are famous for their appetite. However, a good balance must be struck between eating well and not overeating. Care should be taken to avoid water pollution due to excessive feed.
Overfeeding will not be good for angelfish that are sensitive to water pollution. Any leftover food that cannot be eaten within 3-4 minutes should be removed from the aquarium. For this to be easy, it is useful to leave the bare bottom.
Choosing Angelfish for Breeding
Generally, two different methods are applied. According to one of them, angelfish can be obtained in pairs. According to the other, a dozen baby angelfish can be purchased and expected to grow. If adult fish are taken separately, adaptation problems may occur. Another possibility is the wrong determination of the sexes and the removal of two males or two females. Additionally, the fish may be old enough to lose their breeding abilities.
Don’t expect your newly purchased angelfish pair to breed right away. They need to get used to the new aquarium for a few weeks. The aquarium should be placed in a quiet part of the house so that they feel safe and at peace. In order to ensure breeding, attention should be paid to water quality, and should be fed with quality feed.
If you take a dozen juvenile angelfish and take care of them, they will begin to mate when they are 6-7 months old. Of course, it may take a little longer for weak species and individuals who still have wild genes. An aquarium of at least 200 liters is recommended for breeding. If you see a pair of fish standing sideways and hiding from other angelfish, you can understand that they are ready for breeding. Continuing this behavior for a few days indicates that the fish are about to breed. Keep feeding them good quality food and maintaining water quality by placing them in a separate breeding aquarium. They can start breeeding immediately, or you may have to wait a few weeks. Ready to breed, the stomach of the female grows a little because of the eggs she carries.
If your fish show these symptoms but breeding is not occurring, increase the water temperature by a few degrees and make major water changes. You can change the water by up to 50%. Use live or freeze-dried baits. Having other angelfish aquariums near the breeding aquarium can also trigger breeding. If one of the angelfish is aggressive, divide the aquarium in half by generation. Do not remove the support until the breeding tube is visible. If breeding still does not occur despite your best efforts, take your fish back to your home aquarium and let them find a new mate.
Keep your fish under observation for the first few days after returning them to the aquarium. Because they can fight other angelfish to gain territory. They will adapt without much fighting in a large aquarium with hiding places.
Angelfish Eggs
Angelfish can lay their eggs on almost anything. Transparent or light-colored decorations should be avoided as they can cause bacteria and fungus to grow and make eggs difficult to see. It will be useful to buy special equipment for production and put it in the aquarium. After the eggs are stuck in the funnel, the rate of hatching will be higher if the funnel is inverted and aerated.
If you want to watch how angelfish raise their young, you can leave the adult fish in the breeding aquarium. However, you should know that the loss of the offspring will be higher. Few fish hatch from hundreds of eggs. Because adults eat most of the eggs. To minimize the loss of the fry, a peaceful environment should be created, and the aquarium setup should mimic the natural environment and feed frequently. Of course, some angelfish do not want to take care of their young no matter what is done. In this case, the adult fish should be taken out of the aquarium, and the fry should be kept separately.
Much attention should be paid to ventilation and water cleaning in order for the eggs to hatch artificially. Some manufacturers prefer to use a fungicide such as methylene blue, while others keep the eggs in the dark. There are those who use both methods and say they are successful. Attention should be paid to water cleanliness in order not to infect the fry. Large water changes should be made daily to prevent bacteria from growing.
The eggs hatch in about 60 hours at 78.8-80.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The offspring stays in the egg for another 5 days. At this stage, the fry will provide food from the egg. The feed should not be given until it begins to swim freely in the water. If the water is too hard, the amount of water entering the eggs with osmotic pressure decreases. In this case, the eggs harden and do not hatch.
Angelfish Fry Care
If you’ve done angelfish breeding, it’s fairly easy to feed angelfish fry. It can be fed with newly hatched artemia or micro maggots. The feed should be given often in small portions. The aim is to keep the stomach of the fry full but not to feed enough to cause water pollution. Making large water changes benefits maintaining water quality.
When young fishes are 3-4 weeks old, crumbled adult feed can be started. As the amount of ready meals grows, it can be increased gradually. Freeze-dried or live food should also be given to complete the diet after a few weeks. Well-groomed angelfish fry reaches one centimeter after 5-6 weeks. Ready meals can be started after the sixth week.
Conclusion
We have come to the end of our article about angel fish breeding and juvenile fish care. As you can see, although angelfish farming is a little difficult for beginners, very good results can be obtained by paying attention to some issues. A deep aquarium will greatly increase your chances of success.