Facts About the Arabian Angelfish

The Arabian Angelfish is considered one of the most brightly coloured fish in the world. They are very sought after, they are quite expensive and because of that they are a rare sight in a tank. So, therefore, they are truly a visual delight in any aquarium.

Description
Also known as the Asfur Angelfish or Crescent Angelfish, the Arabian Angelfish as a juvenile is colored blue with light blue and white stripes. As an adult fish it is blue/purple in it's body, with a black head, and yellow markings on its dorsal and caudal fin. They have streamer-like extensions of the soft dorsal and anal fins.They have small mouths. The adults can grow to 40cm (16 inches) in length. Their genus is Pomacanthus.

Origins
These angelfish are found on protected reefs in the Western Indian Ocean from the Red Sea to Zanzibar. Like most Red sea fish it is hardy and has a long life expectancy under ideal conditions in a tank. They live at a depth of 3-30 meters. Because of the shallowness that they can be viewed, they are a glorious site for divers.

Breeding
Arabian Angelfish are very difficult to breed in aquariums. They are hermaphrodites, so it's very hard to distinguish between the male and female. This is why they are left to breed in the wild. This is the reason why they are so expensive to buy.

Temperament
They are shy fish and like all large angelfish they have a tendency to be aggressive towards other large fish their size. The Arabian Angelfish should not be kept with other Asfur Angelfish as they will not tolerate them. They can be mixed with other smaller Angelfish successfully.

Aquarium Requirements
Smaller Angelfish require a tank of a minimum of 55 gallons. With larger Angelfish the tank should be a minimum size of 100 gallons. There should also be lots of hiding places for this fish because it is shy. They also require live grazing. The water temperature needs to be between 75 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit for them. They are not reef safe which means corals are not safe in the same tank with them.They nip at soft and stony corals (sessile invertebrates) so it would be best to keep them with small polyped stony corals. This is generally why they are found in fish only tanks.

Food
The Arabian Angelfish are omnivores (eat both plants and animals). They require a varied reef diet. Chunks of meat, vegetables, prepared angelfish sponge products, mussels, clams, krill and shrimp. In the wild they graze on algae, polyps and smaller crustaceans. Your local pet fish and aquarium supplier will have sponge products for purchase.

If you're lucky enough to find an Arabian Angelfish for your tank and you adhere to a few simple guidelines pointed out in this article, you will have many hours of viewing pleasure.

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All About the Angelfish

Angelfish are one of the most popular freshwater fish for aquarium owners. They have an elegant appearance, have a mild disposition. Other interesting information on Angelfish is that they swim up to the glass when being observed by people. They are easy to keep due to their hardiness and can withstand a wide range of water conditions and are able to feed on a range of foods.

Species and Strains

Freshwater Angelfish come from the Cichlidae family named Pterophyllum ("winged leaf"). There are three species in this family, the P. Altum, P. Leopoli and P. Scalare. The P. Scalare is the most popular and is what you will see in most aquariums. Even though it is referred to as P. Scalare, it is in fact the culmination of generations of selective breeding and cross breeding and mutations that now give us such fish as Silver, Gold, Zebra, Black Lace, Zebra Lace, Smokey, Chocolate, Halfblack, Koi, Leopard, Blue Blushing, Silver Gold Marble, Ghost and more.

History

Talked about in 1824 by Lichtenstein, then later bred in captivity in the 1920s and 1930s in the United States. They originate from the Amazon River, Orinoco River and Essequibo River in South America.

Description

Described as a "silver angel" the Angelfish is not like other cichlids, they have a flat body with a triangular shaped dorsal and anal fin. Angelfish in the sea will often have stripes to help camouflage it. Angelfish will grow to 4 inches in length and up to 8 inches in height.

Aquarium Requirements

Angelfish like to be kept in warm aquariums around 80F (27C). You should not put more than 8 breeding size angelfish in a 50 gallon tank. When a breeding pair has been established they can have a 20 gallon tank of their own. Angelfish should not be kept with aggressive fish because they are mild natured and tend to get their fins nipped.

Diet
Angelfish do well on a mixture of flakes, frozen and live food. Be careful to not overfeed them though because they will not stop feeding and this may cause their death. Their favorite foods are blood worms, white worms, tubifex worms and brine shrimp. They can still thrive if not given live foods.

Breeding

Angelfish like to select their own mates and because of this are unlike other chiclids. It is best to introduce around 6 juveniles into a tank and let them grow up together. Just before a year old they will force other fish away from their section of the tank. At this stage it is best to give them their own tank.

Diseases

Regularly maintaining your tank is a good way to prevent sickness with your Angelfish. The common diseases with Angelfish are bacterial and parasitic. Bacterial diseases are cotton wool disease, dropsy, bleeding or red streaks on skin and fish TB. Parasitic diseases are hexamita, ich or white spot disease and velvet disease.

With this information on Angelfish you can't go wrong when introducing these popular chiclids to your fresh water aquarium.

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