🐟 Freshwater Marble Angelfish – Full Details

📌 Common Name:

Marble Angelfish

🧬 Scientific Name:

Pterophyllum scalare (Marble is a color morph)

🐾 Family:

Cichlidae

🌍 Origin / Habitat:

• Native to Amazon River Basin, South America (Peru, Colombia, Brazil)

• Found in slow-moving or still freshwater rivers, swamps, and floodplains with dense vegetation

🎨 Appearance:

• Color: Varied black, white, and silver/golden marbled pattern, unique to each individual

• Shape: Tall, laterally compressed body with long, triangular dorsal and anal fins

• Fins: Gracefully elongated, giving an elegant appearance

📏 Size:

• Body Length: 4–6 inches (10–15 cm)

• Height (including fins): Up to 8 inches (20 cm)

⚧️ Gender Differences:

• Males may have a more prominent nuchal bump (forehead), especially during breeding

• Vent shape is more pointed in males, rounder in females (visible during spawning)

• Hard to differentiate outside breeding time

🌡️ Ideal Water Conditions:

🪴 Tank Setup:

• Decor: Driftwood, rocks, tall live or artificial plants (like Amazon swords or Vallisneria)

• Substrate: Sand or fine gravel

• Lighting: Moderate lighting

• Filtration: Gentle filtration with good biological capacity

• Water Movement: Low to moderate

👨👩👧👦 Behavior and Compatibility:

• Temperament: Generally peaceful, can become territorial during breeding

• Swimming Area: Middle and upper levels of the tank

• Best Tankmates:

  • Peaceful community fish: tetras (larger types), rasboras, gouramis, corydoras

  • Avoid: Fin-nippers (like tiger barbs), aggressive cichlids, and small fish (may be eaten)

🍽️ Diet:

• Type: Omnivorous

• Food Options:

  • High-quality flakes and pellets

  • Frozen/live foods: bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia

  • Occasional vegetables: blanched spinach, zucchini

• Feeding Frequency: 2–3 times daily in small amounts

🐣 Breeding:

• Type: Egg-layer (pair bonding cichlids)

• Spawning Surface: Flat vertical surfaces like filter tubes, broad leaves, tank glass

• Breeding Behavior:

  • Parents clean a site and lay up to 100–400 eggs

  • Both parents guard eggs and fry

  • Eggs hatch in 2–3 days; fry become free-swimming in 5–7 days

• Fry Care: Feed with infusoria or baby brine shrimp; keep water clean and calm

⚠️ Common Health Issues:

• Ich (White Spot Disease)

• Fin rot (due to poor water or aggression)

• Hole-in-the-head disease (due to poor nutrition or water quality)

• Fungal/bacterial infections – ensure regular water changes and good filtration

🧠 Fun Facts:

• Marble Angelfish have individual patterns – no two look exactly alike

• Known for their intelligence and grace, often responsive to their owners

• Long-lived with good care – 8 to 12 years lifespan

🏆 Summary:

IMAGES ARE FOR REPRESENTATIVE PURPOSES ONLY.