How to Care for Angelfish During Breeding Time

Angelfish are a favorite freshwater aquarium fish for their unique appearance. These attractive fish can be kept as pets in aquariums that are properly set up to meet their needs. In addition to their many positive qualities, angelfish are also relatively easy to breed in captivity.

However, unlike other fish, keeping a female and a male fish together does not automatically lead to breeding. Angelfish form pairs to reproduce. When two fish among many swim together or live together, it means that they are ready to breed. How to care for angelfish during breeding time. I share what I do during my angelfish breeding to help others.

 Choose the Right Tank

Set up a water tank to prepare for breeding angelfish. Try to keep the angelfish in a long tank because the fins of mature angelfish are quite long. I keep my angelfish breeding tank 2 feet long, 1 foot wide, and 1.5 feet high to hold at least 15 to 20 gallons of water for a pair of angelfish. In cramped tanks, angelfish will not feel safe and may fail to reproduce.

Maintain Water Parameters

Maintain Water Parameters: Angelfish are very adaptable fish, tolerating a wide range of temperatures. I keep their tank water temperature between 78° and 86° Fahrenheit (22° and 27° C) because this is the temperature at which angelfish can easily reproduce.

Water pH: The pH level of the water is very important for angelfish during breeding. pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the water, and it affects the water quality, which is important for angelfish health.

The ideal pH level for angelfish is 6.5 to 7.5. If the pH level is too high (above 8) or too low (below 6), the reproductive health of the fish can be negatively affected. Changes in pH can cause respiratory problems, stress, and decreased immunity. Necessary measures must then be taken to lower the pH.

Ammonia: Ammonia is a major problem in angelfish tanks, as it is very harmful to fish, especially breeding fish and their newly hatched fry. Ammonia is a toxic compound that is produced in the tank water from fish waste, uneaten food, and decaying plant material.

High levels of ammonia damage the respiratory cells of fish, making it difficult for them to breathe. The ideal level for ammonia is zero (ppm). If it is higher than the ideal level, measures must be taken to reduce it.

Nitrite: The ideal level for nitrite is zero (ppm). It can be quite harmful if its levels are high. High levels of nitrite stress the fish, which reduces their immunity. Nitrite reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the fish’s blood, causing the fish to have respiratory problems.

Ammonia is broken down into nitrite in the nitrogen cycle. Fish waste, food scraps, and decaying plant matter produce ammonia, which is broken down by bacteria into nitrites.

Note:

• Use a water conditioner/dechlorinator to remove harmful chlorine and chloramines from tap water to make it safe for angelfish.
• Use a kit to test the water for pH, nitrates, ammonia, and nitrites.

 Add a Filter

Filters are integral to aquarium success. They play a critical role in providing crystal-clear water and removing many aquarium pollutants, including heavy metals, dyes, odors, and other impurities. Filters also remove unwanted pollutants and light-emitting organics for clean water.

Feed Angelfish Properly

Choosing the right food for angelfish during breeding is an important consideration. Ensuring proper nutrition helps support their reproductive health and fry (newborn) production.

High-protein food: High-protein food (brine mussels, mosquito larvae, daphnia, and dried or frozen dragonfly larvae) is very important for angelfish during breeding. This helps in their egg production and healthy fry growth.

Commercial breeding food: Some special commercial fish foods are made for breeding purposes, which are highly nutritious and rich in protein. These foods significantly help meet the nutritional needs of angelfish for breeding.

Vegetable combination: Vegetables, such as spinach or blanched zucchini, can help in egg production. They contain vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for the fry.

Food for fry: After the eggs hatch, feed the fry microworms or infusoria. Later, you can feed them small foods like brine shrimp.

Choose the Right Location

Place the aquarium in a quiet spot and try to make the fish feel safe. Keep the aquarium on a high stand, shelf, or in a corner of the room where there is minimal foot traffic. Angelfish don’t like noise and prefer quiet during breeding. Do not keep them with other fish, especially other angelfish, as this can cause mating problems. They usually get along more easily when they are alone.

How Do I Know the Gender of an Angelfish?

When young, males and females look similar. Generally, I have found that males are more aggressive towards each other than females when both sexes are present in the tank. If your angelfish have already started breeding, their reproductive tubes will protrude. Female angelfish have a reproductive tube that looks like a cylinder, while male angelfish have a slender and shorter reproductive tube.

Placing the Fish in the Tank

After preparing the tank for breeding, place a pair of angelfish in the aquarium. Angelfish do not reproduce just by placing a female and a male together like other fish. Instead, they form pairs to reproduce. When two fish swim together or stay together among many angelfish, it means that they are ready to breed.

Egg-Laying Arrangement

fish prefer to lay their eggs on vertically broad, strong surfaces like filter pipes or aquarium leaves. I provide soft, hard tiles (4-10 inches) leaning against the tank wall for egg-laying. Some angelfish also prefer laying eggs on Amazon sword plants. The female will lay the eggs, which the male will fertilize externally. A successful spawn can result in 900-1000 eggs.

Hatching and Raising Fry

Angelfish eggs will hatch in about 60 hours at 80°F (27°C). After hatching, the fry will continue to feed on their yolk sacs for another 5 days. Once they begin free-swimming, I start feeding them small, dry foods such as baby brine shrimp and Hikari First Bites powder.

Unfortunately, not all of them will survive to adulthood, as some juveniles may develop deformities such as twisted spines, missing pectoral fins, or deformed tails. After four weeks, I transfer the fry from their parents to a medium-sized (2.5 to 10 gallons) tank.

The End(How to Care for Angelfish During Breeding Time)