How to breed Angelfish

     The first condition to reproduce a fish speciesis is to make sure that we have at least one pair. At about 10 months old angelfish become mature, the first sign will be red iris at eyes. From this moment we will carefully watch the aquarium to see how a pair, choosen by themself, withdraw into a corner where begins to clear a leaf, the air hose or aquarium glass. The pair will remove  through aggressive moves the other fish, defending their territory. 

     If at this time we have another tank ready (with water at the same temperature and same properties), then we can move this first pair in it to lay the eggs. Indifferent of the aquarium in which eggs were deposited, in the main tank or in an other tank where we keep only one pair of angelfish, to obtain new babies we need another tank specially prepared to receive eggs. It must have a volume of 10-15 liters, to be washed thoroughly and disinfected and to have a previously prepared water. Water must have a hardness of 3-5° dGh, pH between 6.5 and 7 (slightly acidic or neutral), a temperature of 26-28°C (equal to the water tank where eggs were deposited). In water we put a few drops of tripaflavin or blue methylene to kill fungus that attacks unfertilized eggs and then the good eggs. If we have an ultraviolet lamp, we can achieve the same effect after an exposure of 3-5 minutes.

     Suppose that we met all these conditions and moved the hatching eggs in the  small tank. Put the eggs down, not up to the light, which must be reduced if it is too strong. Now we will reduce air flow stream. Air stone will never be put right under the eggs, but somewhere far away. 

     The eggs will hatch in aprox 2 days and we will start to feed them now. Do not begin feeding until 90-95% of fry begin to swim. The first feeding will be done with Artemia hatched on the same day. Feeding the babyes will be done several times daily in small doses. After two days of feeding, clean the bottom of the tank and make the first change of water, about 20% of the aquarium. After a few days we will increase the dose of food. At first, juvenile angelfish are nothing like their parents, but after three weeks they begin to look like them. After this period, they can be moved in a greater aquarium, even planted, and we can start diversification of food.
     It may happen that everything to be ok, but after six days when the young fish would start swimming, they die all. Until now, I haven't found an explanation of this fact, but can be attributed to one of the following factors: 

     - difference of  temperature more than 2-3°C between water from the tank were eggs were deposited and water tank ready to spawn;

     - eggs ventilation too strong, they are detached from the support;  

    - temperature too high in the tank were eggs hatched (30°C or more), temperature which speeds up hatching, babyes coming too fast and weak;

    - when moving eggs support through air, the eggs are cooling because the temperature difference between water and air;

    - inadequate feeding of the pair only with tubifex;

    - rising column of water in the hatching tank more than 15 cm.