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AnimalsAngel Fish
Angel Fish
Common Name: Angel Fish
Scientific Name: Pterophyllum Scalare
Description
 Angelfish
are, and forever have been, one of the most accepted fish
in the diversion today. Many different colored varieties and
patterns are accessible, with new ones showing up regularly.
They are available in both standard finned and mask varieties,
oftentimes beyond 12 inches in height from the top of their
dorsal fin to the tilt of their ventral fin. Angels are accessible
in a variety to suit just about any aquarist, from normal
silvers to golds, to koi varieties to leopard-spotted to black
to half-black and just concerning all in between.
Diet
Angelfish
can endure on crumble food alone, but they will flourish and
be much more appropriate to type on a greatly varied diet.
Live foods such as Adult Brine Shrimp, Black Worms, Mosquito
larvae, finely chopped earthworms and Guppy fry are established
with enthusiasm and should be included often. If live food
is not obtainable, frozen packages of Blood Worms (Midge Fly
larvae), Brine Shrimp and others are accessible from your
favorite pet supply store and are adequate substitutions for
the live food. There are many dried foods available that will
be adequate too.
Behaviour
 Unlike
other fishes, anemonefish can maintain immunity to toxic stinging
cells in the anemone's tentacles by constantly stroking their
bodies over tentacle surfaces. Some research suggests that
the fish secrete mucus that helps protect them from the anemone's
sting. Mucus from the anemone builds up on the fish's skin
until it becomes 'anemone-like' and the anemone itself
does not distinguish between the fish and its own tentacles
or recognises the fish as potential food. The anemonefish
benefits from the partnership, gaining a protected place to
live within the anemone's stinging tentacles.
The
anemones also benefit from their partnership with the anemonefish.
Anemonefish defend their host anemones from predatory fishes
that are immune to the stinging cells. Some researchers also
report that anemonefish may 'feed' their anemones
by dropping bits of food on the anemone surface. Anemonefish
spend their entire adult lives with a single host.
Life
History
 As
a general rule anemonefish enter into permanent monogamous
pairings. Juveniles live on an anemone with a sexually mature
male and female pair. If the female dies, her male partner
develops into a female to take her place. The largest juvenile
then grows rapidly and replaces him as the dominant male.
Males
typically prepare a nest site for spawning and then attract
the egg-bearing female to the nest. The male guards the nest
from predators and other males while the female lays her eggs
in long rows, forming a solid, uniform mass of eggs in a single
layer. The eggs adhere to the substrate and clutch size varies
from 200 to 2500 eggs depending on the species. Generally
the young fish (fry) when hatched are left to look after themselves.
Habitat
These
fish live in warm tropical waters, usually at depths of 1-12
m, on sheltered inshore and offshore coral reefs and most
importantly, where one or more of 10 favoured host anemone
species are found.
Special
Features or Habits
Anemonefish
can change from male into female. They start
off male, but if the female dies the dominant male will change
into a female. A non-dominant male will then become the dominant
male.
Location
or Region Found
Western
Pacific: eastern Australia (Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea,
northern New South Wales), New Caledonia, and Loyalty Islands.
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