Albino Angelfish

The Albino Angelfish is a strain of angelfish which does not have coloration.  Its body is pinkish white in color.  The eyes are pink.

The requirements of the Albino Angelfish are the same as that of other angelfish.  They need tanks of about 30 gallons.  The tank needs to be tall.  Angelfish are very sensitive to water quality.

Food needs to be protein based.  Brine Shrimp and frozen blood worms are recommended.  Albino Angelfish are omnivores and will also eat plant based foods.

Altum Angels–An Overview

The Altum Angel (Pterrophyllum Altum) is a species of Angelfish found in Rio Negro and the Rio Orinoco, tributaries of the Amazon in South America.

Their name comes from Altum, Latin for tall.  These fish can reach a height of 30 centimetres with a length of only 15 cms.

Their majestic and graceful appearance makes them a very sought after Aquarium fish.  They are also very expensive as they are difficult to breed.    Very few breeders have managed to successfully breed Altums in Captivity. 

The Altum Angel is a slightly difficult fish to care for.  It is also difficult to breed, although, they have been bred successfully in captivity.  It is also very rare. 

Many Altum Angels are still caught in the wild.  These fish need to be acclimatized to the aquarium gradually.  Altum Angels need to be fed live foods initially.  They can then be gradually weaned to foods such as brine shrimp and frozen bloodworms.

The pH should be between 4.5 to 6.5 .  The ideal temperature range is between 28°C- 30°C.
Altum Angels have a peaceful temperament and can be kept with other peaceful fishes.  However, they consider smaller fish their prey.  Hence, they cannot be kept with fishes such as the Neon tetras and Cardinal Tetra. 

Altums should never be kept with other Angelfish as they can interbreed and form hybrids.  

Breeding Angelfish

Angelfish are prolific breeders.  It is very easy to breed them once the necessary conditions such as temperature and pH are correctly set.

Separate the breeding pair and introduce them into a separate aquarium.  This is necessary to protect the eggs from other community fish and to provide a stress-free environment for the fish.

Angelfish form pairs during breeding.  You can introduce a male and female angelfish into the tank.  If you are not able to sex the angelfish, introduce about six angelfish.  The fish will pair off by themselves. 

The Temperature should be between 24 to 27 degrees Celsius. 

Feed your fish with lots of protein based foods such as shrimps and bloodworms.

Provide an inclined surface at an angle of about 30 degrees.  The surface can be a rock or a large leaf.

The Angelfish will start breeding with the female first laying the eggs on the surface and the male fertilizing them with his sperm.

The pair will be highly aggressive towards any other fish which strays near the eggs. 

The eggs will hatch in about 3 days. Unfertilized eggs will turn white.

Sometimes, the eggs can be attacked with fungus.  To prevent this, methylene blue can be added to the aquarium.  The fry can be fed brine shrimp for a few days.  As they grow bigger, they can be provided with