Angel fish is a type of ornamental fish that is favored by lovers of freshwater ornamental fish because of its unique appearance. Angel fish have a triangular body shape with thick lines and long fins. Tropical fish that have an elegant appearance are also easy to maintain, so they can beautify the appearance of various freshwater aquariums. This ornamental fish originating from South America and found mainly in the Amazon region can be kept in an aquarium that has been adapted to the needs of these ornamental fish. Besides having a beautiful appearance, angel fish are also relatively easy to breed in captivity. As long as they are kept in good tank conditions, those who keep angel fish can enjoy the development of these beautiful ornamental fish from hatching to growing up. Once you learn how to breed angel fish, you won't regret it.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Setting the Right Temperature for the Breeder
Step 1. Provide a freshwater aquarium large enough to breed angel fish
Choose a tank measuring at least 76 liters or ideally 110 liters. You have to provide plenty of room for pairs of angel fish to stay in shape; on the other hand, in a narrow room the angel fish will feel insecure and fail to breed.
Try to place the angel fish in tall tanks. Adult angel fish can grow up to 30 cm from the back to the back fin. This means you have to adjust to their unusual lengths
Step 2. Test the pH level of the water
In their natural habitat, freshwater angel fish live in slightly acidic water. For best results, ensure that their tank has a Ph between 4.7 to 8.7, with an average of 6.5 to 6.7. Angel fish are quite pH-tolerant and can tolerate a wide range of water conditions, but you can try other methods happy to get satisfactory breeding results.
- If your water's pH isn't ideal, then a de-ionization or Reverse Osmosis (RO) filter may help. The device is usually attached to the main water supply in your tank or aquarium. The tools that have proven to be quite effective have a price range from the cheapest to the most expensive.
- If possible, try not to use chemicals to change the pH level in the water. Chemicals can drastically change the alkalinity and acidity of the water, which is a sensitive issue for angel fish. Under these conditions, angel fish can fail to breed, or in the worst case die, if the pH changes drastically.
Step 3. Set the water temperature
Because angel fish are adaptable, they are able to adapt to a wide range of temperatures. However, they will breed well in the right temperatures ranging from 22° to 27° C, with 26° C at best.
You need to balance the different water temperatures. Warm water is good for the angel fish's immune system, while cold water is good for increasing their lifespan
Step 4. Put a good filter in your aquarium
Angelfish are ideally suited to strong currents, but be careful when using a filter with a strong current as it can tire your fish quickly. It is better to use a sponge filter, gravel filter, or both. That way, your angelfish will have the energy to mate and the smaller fish won't be sucked into the sieve when they hatch.
Change the water at least 20% every week! You can do this when doing a complete or partial cleaning
Step 5. Feed your angel fish the right way
Angelfish are usually not very picky when it comes to food, but they like fresh food and in general they have a strong appetite. Feed it two or three times a day and make sure not to overfeed your angel fish.
- Give the angel fish 3 to 5 minutes to eat the food you provide! Feed not eaten within 5 minutes should be removed from the tank to maintain the cleanliness of the water.
- If you want to give a new type of food, make sure not to feed your angel fish for a day or two! Then, give them a bite or two of a new type of feed supplemented with their usual feed. This will make your angel fish more interested in the new food.
- The usual diet can be mainly dry food supplemented with crayfish and blood worms. Apart from sea shrimp, other types of live food are not recommended to be given to your angel fish because it is feared that there will be health hazards.
Method 2 of 3: Setting the Breeding Way
Step 1. Distinguish the gender of your angel fish for the breeding process
It is almost impossible to distinguish the sex of angel fish which is smaller to a quarter of a meter, so you don't have to bother trying it. As the angel fish develop into more adults, the sexes can be distinguished just by looking at the release hole of your angel fish. In male angel fish, the size will be smaller, pointed and shaped like a triangle; while in female angel fish, the size is larger and square like an eraser on a pencil.
Step 2. Use other common characteristics to distinguish the sex of your angel fish
Paying attention to the discharge channel of the angel fish is the most reliable way to determine the sex of your angel fish. However, there are also other characteristics that can help you determine the sex of the angel fish. Make sure not to stick to one characteristic when it comes to sexing the angel fish. Enjoy this whole picture!
- Female angelfish tend to be rounder while males tend to be straighter.
- The hind fins of the female angelfish tend to be backward, while the hind fins of the male angelfish are fully erect at almost a 90-degree angle to the protrusion of the head.
- The female angel fish tends to hold the lower part of her body, while the male angel fish holds the lower part of her body more upright.
- The female angel fish has a head that is more tilted and straight, while the male angel fish has a bump on its head.
Step 3. Alternately, buy a pair of angel fish
If you are not sure about the sex of the angel fish, you can buy a pair of angel fish that are ready to breed. Make sure the angel fish you buy is younger and has been proven to produce good offspring. This may cost more, but it is also a more reliable and efficient way to rapidly breed angelfish.
Step 4. If you keep more than two angel fish, wait for the time for the male and female angel fish to pair up
This may take 6 to 7 months, even longer for the wilder and weaker angel fish. In the large tank, you can watch a male fish and a female fish pair up and stay away from other fish if they get in the way. Wait a day or two to make sure the pair of fish are really paired.
Step 5. Separate pairs of fish that are ready to breed into separate tanks
Also make sure that the water conditions are the same as the previous tank. Angel fish feel more secure and will be in a state ready to reproduce. Place the angel fish in a tank measuring at least 76 liters that has been raised to the size of your chest or eyes. This will reduce distractions for the fish and make them more comfortable.
In the spawning tank, provide a surface to put angel fish eggs! Usually you can use a cone-shaped nest, a mop, or simply place a stone in it. Angel fish are also known to like to put their fish directly in the water filter
Method 3 of 3: Waiting for Fish Time to spawn
Step 1. Wait for the fish to spawn
Sometimes, it only takes the fish a few days to lay their eggs. However, there are also fish that take weeks to lay their eggs so a little push is needed to get them comfortable laying eggs. You can do the following things to encourage fish to breed:
- Raise the temperature when the current temperature is below 26°C!
- Change the water in the tank up to 75%! You also need to pay attention to water conditions and Ph levels that are close to the conditions that angelfish usually feel.
- Feed a little more than usual! Also give good quality dry feed.
- Provide a sense of security by adding plants, mop-shaped nesting mats, or other germicide fibers.
- Try to put the fish in a tank larger than 76 liters.
- Place another pair of angel fish near the aquarium but separately. Sometimes, the presence of other angel fish can help the process of fish breeding.
Step 2. If the above methods still fail, try to pair the angel fish with a different partner
If all your efforts are still in vain, maybe it's time for you to once again become a matchmaker. It's possible that the current pairs of fish don't match and you'll want to find another pair for each. Try to put them back into the larger tank and wait for them to pair.
Step 3. Let the angel fish lay eggs as it wishes
Angelfish are known to care about where they lay their eggs, so try not to disturb them after they lay their eggs. All forms of unexpected and undue stress can make angel fish eat their own eggs.
- Keep feeding the angel fish that are raising their eggs the same as before. You just need to pay attention to the possibility of the angel fish not being as hungry as before. Also clean up leftover food as soon as possible and make sure the water quality remains good and not contaminated.
- Occasionally you will find fish eating their own eggs. In this case, you have no other choice but to separate the eggs into another tank by ensuring the same water conditions and raising them artificially.
Step 4. If necessary, artificially raise angel fish eggs
Transfer the eggs to a clean 1 liter tank with a medium sized air bubble in the water. Also give fungicide and anti-bacterial Acriflavin into the water that has been filtered 100%. Move the fish eggs onto a rock or spawn so that they are facing the bottom of the tank and close to the air duct. You should also store the tank in a dark place to avoid the growth of harmful bacteria.
Step 5. Wait for about 60 hours at 26°C for the eggs to hatch
In this stage, the eggs that have hatched will squirm and do not require any food intake. After 5 days, they will be able to swim freely and begin to need food in the form of sea shrimp. Regular deep feeding in small amounts is best. Once the hatched eggs are able to swim freely, they can be transferred to a medium-sized 3 to 11 liter tank.
Tips
- An alternative way to buy a pair of angel fish that are ready to breed is to buy 10 to 12 small angel fish. The fish will pair up and breed. Fish that have been paired will always be together and breed to then lay eggs every few weeks.
- Because angel fish are quite sensitive to chemicals, as much as possible you are advised to try to balance the naturalness of the tank. Giving water softener into the water is safer than using chemicals. It can also help balance the water in the aquarium and neutralize harmful chlorine and iron.
- Sponge filters are the best for breeding angel fish. The filter is capable of filtering water and is easy to wash and clean when the state of the water in the tank changes. In addition, the baby angel fish that are still small will not be trapped in the filter.
- In studying the breeding of angel fish, try a different method if the fish are difficult to breed. You can raise the water temperature a few degrees, replace at least 70 percent of the water during cleaning, and try to feed both live and dry feeds.
Warning
- Do not put gravel or small stones in the tank during the breeding process of the angel fish! If the female lays eggs in a pile of gravel, the eggs can be damaged while the water tank is being cleaned or may even be swept away.
- Don't forget to clean the water tank regularly, whether it's partial or complete cleaning. Breeding fish are very sensitive to feces, even crumbs. They don't even want to breed in dirty places.
- Do not change the temperature of the water in the tank suddenly. This can surprise the angel fish. If you want to increase the temperature in the tank, try to increase it only a few degrees and do it slowly.
