Black Angelfish - Pterophyllum scalare
Black Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
The Black Angelfish is a bold, elegant ornamental strain of the freshwater angelfish, prized for its deep dark colouration and tall, graceful body shape. As a captive-bred form of Pterophyllum scalare, it offers the classic angelfish silhouette in a cleaner, more dramatic colour pattern that works especially well in planted or naturally styled aquariums. In the aquarium it makes an eye-catching centrepiece fish, but it still needs a tall, stable tropical setup with calm tankmates and enough space to grow properly.
Common Name:
Black Angelfish
Scientific Name (Latin):
Pterophyllum scalare
Maximum Size:
Up to 15 cm in body length, with a much taller overall appearance once the dorsal and anal fins are fully developed.
Water Type:
Freshwater
Origin / Natural Habitat:
This variety is captive-bred, but the species naturally comes from the Amazon basin in South America, where wild angelfish inhabit slow-moving floodplain waters, swamps and vegetated margins.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–30°C
pH Range: 6.0–7.5
Hardness: soft to moderately soft water
Temperament:
Generally peaceful to semi-aggressive. Angelfish are usually calm in a well-planned aquarium, but they can become territorial when breeding and may eat very small fish if those fish can fit in their mouth.
Diet:
Omnivorous. Offer a varied diet of quality flakes, granules or small pellets, alongside frozen or live foods such as bloodworm, brineshrimp and daphnia to maintain condition and colour.
Minimum Tank Size:
A practical long-term recommendation is a tall aquarium of at least 120 litres for a pair, with larger aquariums strongly preferred for groups or community setups.
Behaviour & Activity:
Angelfish are graceful mid-water cichlids that appreciate vertical swimming space, planted cover and open areas to move through. Once mature, they may form pairs and choose leaves, slate or other vertical surfaces as spawning sites.
Aquarium Category:
Semi-Aggressive / Specialist
Best kept with peaceful to moderately calm fish that are too large to be eaten and unlikely to nip fins. Good companions include larger tetras, peaceful rainbowfish, Corydoras and other calm community fish. Watch out for fin-nippers, very small shoaling fish and aggressive cichlids, as Black Angelfish can be stressed by persistent harassment and may see tiny fish as food. During breeding, pairs can become territorial and may drive other fish away from their chosen area.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
This fish does best in a mature, well-filtered aquarium with calm flow, warm water and plenty of vertical décor such as tall plants, wood or slate. Because of their body shape, angelfish need more height than many other community fish, and they look and behave best when not overcrowded.
Suitable for:
Beginner to Intermediate fishkeepers
Availability:
Regular in trade
All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.
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Black Angelfish - Pterophyllum scalare
Black Angelfish - Pterophyllum scalare
Black Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
The Black Angelfish is a bold, elegant ornamental strain of the freshwater angelfish, prized for its deep dark colouration and tall, graceful body shape. As a captive-bred form of Pterophyllum scalare, it offers the classic angelfish silhouette in a cleaner, more dramatic colour pattern that works especially well in planted or naturally styled aquariums. In the aquarium it makes an eye-catching centrepiece fish, but it still needs a tall, stable tropical setup with calm tankmates and enough space to grow properly.
Common Name:
Black Angelfish
Scientific Name (Latin):
Pterophyllum scalare
Maximum Size:
Up to 15 cm in body length, with a much taller overall appearance once the dorsal and anal fins are fully developed.
Water Type:
Freshwater
Origin / Natural Habitat:
This variety is captive-bred, but the species naturally comes from the Amazon basin in South America, where wild angelfish inhabit slow-moving floodplain waters, swamps and vegetated margins.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–30°C
pH Range: 6.0–7.5
Hardness: soft to moderately soft water
Temperament:
Generally peaceful to semi-aggressive. Angelfish are usually calm in a well-planned aquarium, but they can become territorial when breeding and may eat very small fish if those fish can fit in their mouth.
Diet:
Omnivorous. Offer a varied diet of quality flakes, granules or small pellets, alongside frozen or live foods such as bloodworm, brineshrimp and daphnia to maintain condition and colour.
Minimum Tank Size:
A practical long-term recommendation is a tall aquarium of at least 120 litres for a pair, with larger aquariums strongly preferred for groups or community setups.
Behaviour & Activity:
Angelfish are graceful mid-water cichlids that appreciate vertical swimming space, planted cover and open areas to move through. Once mature, they may form pairs and choose leaves, slate or other vertical surfaces as spawning sites.
Aquarium Category:
Semi-Aggressive / Specialist
Best kept with peaceful to moderately calm fish that are too large to be eaten and unlikely to nip fins. Good companions include larger tetras, peaceful rainbowfish, Corydoras and other calm community fish. Watch out for fin-nippers, very small shoaling fish and aggressive cichlids, as Black Angelfish can be stressed by persistent harassment and may see tiny fish as food. During breeding, pairs can become territorial and may drive other fish away from their chosen area.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
This fish does best in a mature, well-filtered aquarium with calm flow, warm water and plenty of vertical décor such as tall plants, wood or slate. Because of their body shape, angelfish need more height than many other community fish, and they look and behave best when not overcrowded.
Suitable for:
Beginner to Intermediate fishkeepers
Availability:
Regular in trade
All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
Black Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
The Black Angelfish is a bold, elegant ornamental strain of the freshwater angelfish, prized for its deep dark colouration and tall, graceful body shape. As a captive-bred form of Pterophyllum scalare, it offers the classic angelfish silhouette in a cleaner, more dramatic colour pattern that works especially well in planted or naturally styled aquariums. In the aquarium it makes an eye-catching centrepiece fish, but it still needs a tall, stable tropical setup with calm tankmates and enough space to grow properly.
Common Name:
Black Angelfish
Scientific Name (Latin):
Pterophyllum scalare
Maximum Size:
Up to 15 cm in body length, with a much taller overall appearance once the dorsal and anal fins are fully developed.
Water Type:
Freshwater
Origin / Natural Habitat:
This variety is captive-bred, but the species naturally comes from the Amazon basin in South America, where wild angelfish inhabit slow-moving floodplain waters, swamps and vegetated margins.
Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–30°C
pH Range: 6.0–7.5
Hardness: soft to moderately soft water
Temperament:
Generally peaceful to semi-aggressive. Angelfish are usually calm in a well-planned aquarium, but they can become territorial when breeding and may eat very small fish if those fish can fit in their mouth.
Diet:
Omnivorous. Offer a varied diet of quality flakes, granules or small pellets, alongside frozen or live foods such as bloodworm, brineshrimp and daphnia to maintain condition and colour.
Minimum Tank Size:
A practical long-term recommendation is a tall aquarium of at least 120 litres for a pair, with larger aquariums strongly preferred for groups or community setups.
Behaviour & Activity:
Angelfish are graceful mid-water cichlids that appreciate vertical swimming space, planted cover and open areas to move through. Once mature, they may form pairs and choose leaves, slate or other vertical surfaces as spawning sites.
Aquarium Category:
Semi-Aggressive / Specialist
Best kept with peaceful to moderately calm fish that are too large to be eaten and unlikely to nip fins. Good companions include larger tetras, peaceful rainbowfish, Corydoras and other calm community fish. Watch out for fin-nippers, very small shoaling fish and aggressive cichlids, as Black Angelfish can be stressed by persistent harassment and may see tiny fish as food. During breeding, pairs can become territorial and may drive other fish away from their chosen area.
Special Requirements or Care Notes:
This fish does best in a mature, well-filtered aquarium with calm flow, warm water and plenty of vertical décor such as tall plants, wood or slate. Because of their body shape, angelfish need more height than many other community fish, and they look and behave best when not overcrowded.
Suitable for:
Beginner to Intermediate fishkeepers
Availability:
Regular in trade
All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.
