Marbled Angelfish Care Guide

The Marbled Angelfish is a striking colour form of the freshwater angelfish, Pterophyllum scalare. Its tall, laterally compressed body is marked with irregular black patches and streaks over a silver, grey, gold or smoky background, while elongated dorsal, anal and ventral fins give it an elegant, almost sail-like profile.In the aquarium, these angelfish are generally calm and deliberate swimmers, spending much of their time in the middle of the water column. They establish a social hierarchy, and pairs may become strongly territorial when preparing to spawn, particularly toward other angelfish or fish that enter their chosen area.Wild Pterophyllum scalare come from the slow-moving rivers, flooded forests and tributary habitats of the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo basins in South America. These environments are often shaded by dense vegetation and contain submerged roots, branches and leaf litter, creating a vertically complex habitat that suits the species’ tall body.The marbled pattern is a selectively maintained aquarium colour variety rather than a separate species. Angelfish have been kept and bred in the aquarium hobby for generations, and their distinctive shape, graceful movement and parental care of eggs and fry have made them one of the best-known freshwater cichlids.