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Angelfish will breed in the home aquarium as long as the conditions are right and you have both males and females. You will need a little patience though as it can take a while to get a successful spawn.
Freshwater Angelfish are egg depositors/layers. They lay their eggs on vertical surfaces including the tank glass, plant leaves, rocks, and even on filter tubes/casing. Once the female has deposited the eggs the male immediately brushes over them with his papilla (reproductive organ) to fertilize them with his milt (semen).
Whether you intend to breed your Angelfish, or you’re just happy to wait and see what happens, knowing what to look out for is a great help.
So let’s take a closer look at how Angelfish breed
How Can I Tell A Male Angelfish From A Female?
I know that this sounds like an obvious question but telling the difference between male and female Angelfish isn’t easy. But if you want your Angelfish to breed you’ll need to know that you have both sexes.
It’s easier to tell the difference once the fish are mature, have paired off and are displaying signs of mating.
Here’s a few things to look out for that can help with identifying the gender of your Angelfish
- Adult male Angelfish are a little bigger than the females
- Adult male Angelfish generally have a larger forehead that often looks like a bump
- When ready to breed the male Angelfish’s papilla (reproductive organ located between anal fins and ventral fins) gets bigger and has a pointed end
- When ready to breed the female Angelfish’s papilla gets bigger and has a blunt end
- And quite simply, the Angelfish depositing/laying the eggs is a female
The simplest option is to buy an established breeding pair from a Local Breeder or Aquatic Dealer. However, this can be an expensive option depending on your financial situation and how much you’re willing to pay.
Another way to increase your chances of having both sexes in your aquarium is to buy a group of at least 6 Angelfish. It can take quite a while for them to mature and pair off though so you will need to be patient. Also you need to bear in mind that keeping 6 Angelfish will mean that you’re going to need a seriously large tank.
Angelfish Breeding/Spawning Behaviour
It’s difficult to tell Angelfish breeding behaviour from Angelfish fighting behaviour. In both cases Angelfish flare their fins, twitch in a sideways movement and lock lips as if kissing. Because both the males and females do this you can’t tell if it’s two males competing or a female checking out the strength/suitability of a male. Probably the only sure way to tell is when you see the female depositing/laying eggs and the male following behind fertilizing them.
Angelfish prefer to lay their eggs on vertical surfaces. Which is why some Angelfish keepers add a Breeding/Spawning Cone (Amazon link) to the tank. The cone is often made from terracotta/ceramic but can be made out of other fish-safe material such as acrylic. These cones are also used for other types of fish that deposit/lay their eggs e.g. Discus. However, Angelfish will lay their eggs on semi-vertical surfaces too, such as plant leaves and tank decorations. But they do prefer vertical surfaces so don’t be surprised if your Angelfish lay their eggs on the tank glass.
What Do Angelfish Eggs Look Like?
Angelfish eggs are about the size of the head of a standard straight dressmaking pin. They are also translucent which makes them fairly easy to see with the naked eye despite their small size. Any eggs that haven’t been successfully fertilized will turn opaque/milky in colour and may fungus.
Fungused eggs can spread the fungus to the other healthy fertilized eggs. However, trying to remove the fungused eggs from a batch is difficult to do. You also run the risk of damaging some of the healthy eggs in the process. So it may be better to leave all the eggs where they have been laid. But that decision is up to you.
I came across this YouTube video made by Master Aquatics. The video gives out a lot of information and tips about how to take care of Angelfish eggs whether they are fertilized or not. I found this video interesting and helpful and I hope you do too.
How Many Eggs Do Angelfish Lay At A Time?
Angelfish can lay anywhere between 100 to several hundreds of eggs at each spawning. Although the number of eggs that Angelfish lay at a time can vary greatly. There’s no guarantee that all of the eggs will be fertilized, or that all of the fertilized ones will go on to hatch successfully. Nonetheless, you are still likely to end up with lots of tiny baby Angelfish that survive into adulthood if the conditions in your tank are right for them.
How Long Does It Take For Angelfish Eggs To Hatch?
It takes, on average, 2-3 days for Angelfish eggs to hatch. Hatching time will depend on water temperature and water quality. It can also depend on the quality and condition of the fertilized eggs.
When they have hatched these tiny Angelfish are only about 2-3 millimetres long and are called wigglers. The reason for this name is because that when Angelfish fry hatch they wiggle rather than swim. They also look like an egg with a tail rather than looking like a baby fish. During their time as wigglers they feed off their yolk sac.
Once they get to about 3-4 days old they become free-swimming and are then called fry. This is when they set off in their search for food. The fry won’t develop at the same rate so some of them will need you to feed them while some of them will still be feeding off their yolk sack. Nonetheless, you should offer your Angelfish fry food at this stage. All food offered to your Angelfish fry should be extremely tiny so that they can manage to eat it.
For more information about what to feed your Angelfish, both the adults and the fry, read my article ‘What Do Angelfish Eat?’.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Angelfish Fry Take To Grow?
Angelfish can grow at a fast rate depending on feeding and tank conditions. However, it’s generally considered that the fastest growth takes place during the first 6 months or so. After that Angelfish continue to grow in size but at a slower rate until they reach their full size of Approx. 5-6 inches (12.7-15.24 cm) in length. You need to bear in mind that Angelfish are taller than their length which can be up to Approx. 8 inches (20.32 cm) in height. Their adult size is the reason why you will need a large tank to permanently house them in.
At What Age Do Angelfish Start Breeding?
Angelfish breeding age varies between Approx. 8-12 months. As with a lot of things in the fishkeeping hobby Angelfish keepers have had different experiences when it comes to breeding age. But an adult pair of Angelfish will breed when they are ready to and, if and when, they feel the time and conditions are right.
Are Angelfish Good Parents?
Angelfish can be extremely good parents. They will clean the eggs and protect and take care of the wigglers/fry. However, it can take a few practice runs for them to get this right. Which means that you need to be patient if you have a breeding pair of Angelfish because the first few batches may be unsuccessful. But given the chance and the right environment they are likely to get their parenting skills up to speed.
How Long Do Angelfish Live For?
The average life span for freshwater Angelfish is Approx. 8-10 years depending on their tank environment and their diet. So if you want to keep Angelfish in a home aquarium you will be keeping them for the long term.