Breeding the angelfish
Females lay up to about 1,000 eggs; at 28°C the first larvae hatch after about 2 days, and larvae start feeding on live food 4-5 days after hatching.
Step by step
Raise 6-8 young fish together and let pairs form. Pairs often claim a spot on their own.
A 30-55 gallon (110-200 L) tall tank, 27-29 C, soft water, with a slate, leaf or PVC pipe as spawning site.
Warm water, a water change with soft water and good food. Pairs clean a flat surface.
100-500 eggs; hatch in 2-3 days, free swim at 5-7 days.
Feed baby brine shrimp from day 5, and then crushed flake and microworms. Remove eggs for artificial hatching if parents eat them.
- Taking too long to separate a bad pair
- Water that is too hard for hatching
- Overfeeding and fouling the fry tank
Male or female
Very hard to sex; males have a smaller, pointed genital papilla, usually only visible when spawning.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Good for a first breeding project.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for open substrate spawners
- 21 days beforeLet a pair form
Grow up a group and let a pair choose each other. Give them a flat stone or broad leaf.
- Day 0Spawning
The pair cleans the stone and lays rows of eggs. Both guard them.
- Day 3Eggs hatch
Wrigglers hatch in 2–4 days and are moved to pits by the parents.
- Day 7Free swimming
Feed baby brine shrimp several times a day. Parents often herd the fry.
- Day 42Grow-out
Move fry to a grow-out tank before the parents spawn again.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Simulator: guided
Grow up a group and let a pair choose each other. Give them a flat stone or broad leaf.
Simulator: try it yourself
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.