▷ Scalar profile and keeping in the aquarium | Pro tips and details

Data sheet scalars

German name:
Angelfish / Scalar

Origin:

Size:

15 cm

Aquarium

Length:
150 cm

Contents:
300 liters

Lighting:
Shady

Furnishings:

water values

Temperature:
24-28ºC

PH value:
6:8-7

CH:
°dKH

GH:
5 – °dGH

Behave

Number:
2

Area:
Overall

propagation:
egglayer

Lining:
omnivore

Behave:

As juveniles in schools, later territorial

Difficulty level:
Beginners with basic knowledge

Keeping conditions for scalars

Slightly acidic water is preferred.

In order for angelfish to thrive, live or frozen food should be fed as often as possible.

The aquarium length should be at least 120 centimeters. The pool should be at least 50 centimeters high.
The aquarium should preferably be planted with large-leaved plants.

Young fish can be kept in a group. Adult angelfish form territories that are vigorously defended against competitors.

Angelfish like water changes. They are sensitive to medicines. The current in the aquarium should not be too strong. Angelfish like to stand in calm water. Only if e.g. B. is fed, they also look for water regions with stronger currents.

They show a very interesting brood care behavior.

Scalar swarming (?)

If any two adults are put together, they do not automatically form a pair. It’s not even certain that it’s really a male and a female.

Therefore, as in nature, pairs from a group should be found. In nature, young fish also grow up in groups.

However, when pairs have found each other, individual territories are occupied and they are fiercely defended against conspecifics. More than one pair of adult angelfish can only be kept in really large aquariums. Otherwise the stocking regulates itself naturally, ie animals die.

Some dealers offer to take back surplus animals. But these are usually not dealers where you can get animals or accessories at bargain prices. A possible return must be agreed before the purchase.

Socialization of scalars

When angels aren’t guarding or trying to lay a clutch, they are quite peace loving. But they also scare away other fish from time to time, especially when it comes to food. Other fish should not be too small and lively. Above all, they should not pluck at long fins, such as B. Sumatran mullet. Even with larger fish, there can be short, sometimes violent arguments, e.g. B. with antennae catfish.

Keeping and socializing is ideally recommended with rather calm companion fish. Neon tetras should not be placed with scalars. This can go well for a long time, but there are always reports that the neon tetras have been eaten by the angelfish.

Red neons must be in the aquarium before angelfish. Otherwise the red neons will be mistaken for food.

They come into their own in an aquarium with sparse stock.

Age and life expectancy of scalars

It can reach an age of up to 16 years

Do the fin rays and fins grow back?

© stock.adobe.com – 108484298 – Mirko Rosenau

When the long, lower fin rays are shortened, even in altum angels, because they were eaten away or pinched off by a glass shrimp, they grow back.

However, the animals do not really feel comfortable with shortened beams.

Any culprits must be removed from the aquarium so that the fin rays are not repeatedly damaged.

Pectoral fins whose rays are severed near the base during capture or transport may become thick and whitish at the point of fracture, fall off, and grow back.

Why many angelfish have vestigial dorsal and anal fins.

Angels in the trade often have much too small dorsal and anal fins. This can be the result of improper rearing, but it can also be hereditary.

Care mistakes in the first days of life of the young fish affect the whole life of the animals. If a young fish does not get enough food in the first few hours and days or if the water parameters are unsuitable, it will always remain a runt. There may even be deformities. Such animals do not even grow into magnificent, strong specimens if they are later optimally cared for.

Due to mass breeding, as many young animals as possible are raised so that the profit is as high as possible. Because no strict selection takes place, young ones always grow up with stunted, i.e. short, fins and other defects.

In addition, many colors were bred. It was only selected for color and not for normal, long, magnificent fins. Or it was selected for particularly long fins and the unnatural, unsightly veiled fins emerged.

The hereditary traits color and fins seem to be linked, because especially golden angelfish usually have very short fins.

It is unclear whether the fins do not develop properly when angelfish are kept in tanks that are too small.

How fast do scalars grow

The growth is relatively slow. After about 12 months they are fully grown.

Some breeds have red translucent gills.

Albinos or specimens with a high proportion of white lack pigments. Up to a certain age, the swim bladder and other internal organs can be clearly seen in such animals. The gills can also shine red through. Such animals are often called red cheeks. How much pigment is missing varies from animal to animal.

behavior of scalars

Do scalars kiss?

Angelfish sometimes seem to kiss mouth to mouth. This is a kind of showdown. Whoever can move the other scalar wins. As with other cichlids, the Ranking or division of territories fixed.

However, this behavior is also part of the process that leads to pair bonding. Animals that keep an individual distance first have to bring themselves to reduce the distance when mating.

Do scalar breathe air at the water surface?

Angelfish like to place their mouths directly on the water surface. It looks like they are breathing air or sucking in surface water. After that, they often dive and spit out air bubbles. This is an attempt at feeding. This often happens when there is scum. Black mollies and guppies behave like this too.

showing behavior

It occasionally happens that two animals stand together at a 45° angle – head up, near the water surface at a distance of about 1.5 to 2 cm. Most of the time the heads are tilted towards each other. The animals are fully colored and all fins are spread while maintaining position relative to each other. If one scalar sinks a little, swims forward, or swims slightly backwards, the other scalar follows immediately.

This is a form of showing off, with which the hierarchy is also fought out.

Occasionally, angelfish line up at the feeding station or in the filter flow. They may be fighting over food or signaling to the owner that more food is needed.

courtship behavior

During courtship, the female stretches her belly out to the male. The male tugs at the female’s belly with his mouth. It is a request to clean with which the female shows that her partner is caring for her. Similarly, threadfish can sometimes be cleaned by platies.

As a rule, scalars behave in this way during courtship when spawning is about to take place.

stocking density

How many angelfish can be kept in which aquarium size.

A floor space of 100 x 40 centimeters is just enough for a breeding pair. Others must not be in the pool.

In the rearing phase, ie with a size as sold in the trade, maybe 5 angelfish can be kept in a 150 liter tank. The fact that full-grown angelfish cannot be kept in 150 liters is already evident from their size. Angelfish grow up to 15 cm high. If you subtract 10 centimeters of substrate and 5 centimeters from the upper edge of the tank height of 40 centimetres, approx. 5 cm remain free at the top and bottom. That is far too little. Adult angels can barely stretch their fins in them. The tank should therefore be at least 50 centimeters high.

Permanently 240 liters are just sufficient for 2 scalars, but not ideal. In the long run, even 300 liters usually fit a maximum of 2.

Videos about the breeding and brood care of angelfish:

Ideal for breeding – a spawning cone:

You can see that from the fact that angelfish behave completely differently in large tanks with more than 500 liters. They are much freer there and not so shy.

Even in 560 liters there is experience that only 2 scalars could be kept in it. A third had to be pulled out. 2 pairs should only be kept in an aquarium at least 200 centimeters long. 5 angelfish caused constant stress even in a 750 liter tank, so that one animal died prematurely.

According to other experiences, 2 pairs could be kept permanently in 160 liters. There were occasional territorial disputes. But the animals didn’t fight too hard.

It may be crucial whether an even or odd number of scalars is kept. If an odd number of scalars is held, ie 3, 5 etc., the loner lacks the support of a partner. Maybe that’s why same-sex couples form again and again in scalars. The pressure from the dominant pair is so strong that the other angelfish band together to ward off the attacks of the territorial owners.

If only pairs are kept, there may be a balance of power even in smaller aquariums.

Angelfish are best kept in a group of 5 – 6 animals if the aquarium is large enough. Although angelfish are not schooling fish, they do feel very comfortable in groups. A territory is only vehemently defended during the spawning season, similar to discus fish.

In the case of smaller aquariums, however, there must at least be the possibility of catching endangered angelfish and placing them in other aquariums. Otherwise the risk for the animals is too high.

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