Angelfish Breeding  (Pterophylum scalare)

by: Joseph J Siegel

AquaticService@yahoo.com On Aug 2001

I have raised them for a few years. This is my experience. 
They do well in PH of 6.5 to 7.0 some times higher
is ok. They seem to adapt well to most water, Ph and hardness.
The softer the water, the more chances for them to breed.
Raising the water temp from 80 F to 86 F and doing water
changes every few days will simulate the rainy season which triggers
them to spawn.
If you are going to try breeding keep in group of
threes and 90% of the time you will have a pair.
After they have laid their eggs leave them alone the
first time. Some  will raise their young and do real well.
If your lucky, they will care for their eggs and you have it made.
If not you will have to remove the eggs and put in a
smaller tank with a sponge filter.
Add some Methylene Blue to the water, I double of what it
says on the bottle to prevent fungus.
Try to have the water at the same condition of PH
and KH as much as possible. This aids in more fry hatching.
After the fry's have hatched do partial water
changes daily. This is the tricky part ! Not to siphon them from
their home! (I have never figured out how not too.)
After they become free swimming start feeding them
baby brine shrimp.  You  may hatch your own but  I found using frozen was just
as good and easier for me.  More water changes the faster they grow.
Silvers are the hardiest from my experience but
others are fine just not as many young ones.
  That is probably why silvers are lower price in the LFS.
  Amazon plants and lots of floating plants are great
for the young ones
if there in a tank that the parents will raise their
young. Otherwise I feel they get in the way.
Use a piece of slate they will lay their eggs
on this about 80% of the time.
By using the slate you can remove and put in the eggs into the
other tank .
Water movement is needed but not too much and if too
close too the eggs either.
If you are not in the breeding that is fine just
keep them at about 84 degree water and put them in a community tank 90% of
the time they have not breed for me this way but the 10% of the time not breed for me this way
they have and then I  just separate the pair into their own tank and start
breeding or sell them as a breeding pair or trade them to the LFS for
other things get more for breeder pairs.
This has been my experience only GOOD LUCK and ENJOY
the HOBBY.