Platinum Angelfish

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Semi-aggressive   • Maximum Size: 6"
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons   • Water Conditions: 75-82° F, KH 1-5, pH 5.8-7.0
• Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Amazon, South America   • Family: Cichlidae
• Species: Angelfish   • Aquarium Type: Community

Help Support AquariumDomain!      

• Your support keeps AquariumDomain advertisement free, lightning fast and fully optimized for both mobile and desktop browsing.

• Visit our Patreon page to learn about the exclusive benefits our Patrons receive!

Platinum Angelfish (Pterophyllum sp.) were originally derived from wild Golden Angelfish both containing a particular recessive gene. Since the result of this was an extremely beautiful platinum Angelfish, breeders were quick to identify the suitable parent fish to begin to mass produce Platinum Angelfish for the aquarium trade. Platinum Angelfish exhibit a brilliant silver/white sheen with just the slightest hint of blue or green on their fins. Specimens available within the aquarium hobby trade will almost always be farm raised and selectively bred for the aquarium hobby.

Wild Platinum Angelfish hail from the warm temperate waters of the Amazon basin in South America, where they are found in calm waterways and flood plains. Platinum Angels are found living in areas with losts of plants or tree roots, which they use for protection against larger fish species and as a place to hunt insect larvae and other foodstuffs.

These days this species is more commonly tank bred in the United States and parts of Southern Asia, than collected from the wild. They have long been sought after in the aquarium hobby because of their brilliant coloration and long flowing fins. Their long fins mean that they should not be kept with fish species that will nip or tear their fins. In a small or medium sized aquarium the Platinum Angel is best kept in a mated pair, in larger aquariums they can be kept in groups of 6 or more individuals.

Platinum Angelfish will do well in aquariums that are 30 gallons or larger and have plenty of plants and/or driftwood. As a group freshwater Angelfish are territorial and will squabble with one another until a dominant male is established. They can be kept singularly, in mated pairs or in medium sized groups of 6 or more. Contrary to popular belief, long finned species like the Platinum Angelfish can be kept with barbs and other "fin nipping" species. The key here is that the fin nipping species be kept in proper sized groups, so that they nip at each other instead of nipping at the Angelfish or other species that are not equipped for this type of behavior.

Barbs and other fin nippers prefer to be kept in groups and their nipping at each other is normal behavior that will not hurt them at all; however, this behavior is too boisterous for many other fish species and damaging to long finned fish species. Angelfish in general require fairly constant water parameters and are less forgiving than many other freshwater community species towards fluctuations in pH or temperature. Like with most South American cichlid species, the Platinum Angelfish prefers soft, slightly acidic water with temperatures that stay between 79 and 83 degrees.

Platinum Angelfish are omnivores and should be fed a variety of foods including meaty and vegetable based foods. They have a particular love for blood worms, tubifex worms and similar food items, but will readily consume flake, pellet and frozen foods. They should be fed about twice per day the amount of food that they will consume within 5 minutes. When housed in aquariums with many faster swimming fish species, it may be necessary to increase feedings to 3 times per day to make sure that the Angel is properly fed.

Full grown Platinum Angels will prey on small fish species like small Neon Tetras, Mosquito Danios or pretty much any small species that will fit into their mouth. They generally wait until the aquarium lights are off for the night and hunt the small fish while they sleep, which makes them easy prey. Because they grow to be a fairly large fish, adult Platinum Angels are capable of eating small fish up to 1 inch in length.