2x Angelfish Zebra - Pterophyllum scalare - DNZ

Zebra angelfish are also known as sailfin or common angelfish and are a cultivated form of Pterophyllum scalare, which even has similarities in patterning in the wild form. Already since the beginning of the 19th century they were one of the first imported aquarium fishes, which since then have established themselves in the standard repertoire of the trade. Today, especially intensive selection in breeding is to thank for many great color variations among angelfish, which now enjoy great popularity just like Poecilia reticulata. The natural habitat of the angelfish ranges from the Rio Negro to the Amazon basin, where the fish mainly inhabit the calmed river zones. They are therefore ideal for keeping in blackwater aquariums. The ladder-shaped pattern of the wild form indicates its name "angelfish".
Our Marble Angelfish are German offspring, which you receive in pairs.
 

A round physique with long and pointed extended "sail fins", as well as the  terminal mouth are typical for the Zebra Angelfish. Its fins can double the total body height; it grows up to 26 cm high and almost 15 cm long, which is why its keeping is only suitable for high aquariums. Its black stripes on a light ground color remind of a zebra, which is why this color variant got this name. Even the pelvic fins are thread-like extended in the Zebra Angelfish. With a possible age of almost 10 years it enriches the family life quite long. Zebra angelfish grow quite rapidly and reach sexual maturity at just under 6 months of age. Thereby they are almost three quarters full grown. Their complete final size they reach approx. with 2.5 years.

In the sex Zebra Angelfish can be distinguished only with difficulty, so that a group attitude with several animals is recommended. Harmonious couples find themselves after some time, until then the group lives more or less loosely, but also swims together at times, especially young animals need the group cohesion. Theoretically, the "bull's forehead" of the males could be used as a sex characteristic, but sometimes the females also develop this. Mating-ready animals indicate their ambitions by cleaning possible spawning substrates. In long rows the female lays her eggs, which are fertilized by the male. Although breeding in a community aquarium is possible, it is not very promising with appropriate by-fish. A spawning aquarium is much better suited for this purpose. Both the male and the female guard and defend the fry and also their young.

Due to their extraordinary body height, group keeping of at least 5 animals in high aquariums of 300 liters or more is recommended. Especially the aquarium height should be more important than the length when keeping sailfin. This should be at least 60 cm, preferably higher. Low aquariums lead to permanent stress and anxiety in the Zebra Angelfish, which can quickly make them ill. Occasional clarifications of the ranking order can be prevented somewhat with a good infrastructure. For this purpose, especially bog roots and rock structures are suitable, which mark territories and prevent visual contact. In the design, attention should be paid to a generous swimming space, and large-leaved plants are also an excellent choice Sword plants are excellent, as the females like to spawn on these leaves. Concerning their aquarium water angelfish can be a bit more demanding and prefer a very good water hygiene. Ideally this is soft to medium hard values with a total hardness between 3-15 °dGH and a pH-value between 6,0-7,5. It is recommended to change the water very regularly with tempered changing water, also this should be mixed with Alder cones, Sea almond tree products or liquid Humic substances to support the body's own immune defense of the animals.

In the Angelfish aquarium, by-fish such as armored catfish, ancistrus and larger tetras are particularly suitable. When selecting these, care should be taken not to put any pronounced fin nibblers such as Sumatran barbs, Red of Rio or blood tetras with the sensitive angelfish. The angelfish as a perch also likes to eat small crustaceans, which is why invertebrates are considered a snack.

A very high quality dry food in the form of flake food or granulated food optimally serves the  Zebra Angelfish aquarium fish as a carnivore. It is advisable to regularly enrich its diet with high-quality frozen food and live food, such as mosquito larvae, daphnia, water fleas or artemia.

Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic Cichfeed has a grain size of 1.5 mm and is therefore suitable for larger fish. NH Cichfeed is a soft granulate for predominantly carnivorous fish. It has the same consistency as small crustaceans and insect larvae that fish naturally eat, and the soft granules protect the fish's mouth from micro-injuries that can result from hard feed granules.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.