Platinum Angelfish

Platinum Angelfish Overview

Basic Info

• Scientific name: Pterophyllum scalare

• Common names: Platinum Angelfish, Silver/White Angelfish (depending on strain)

• Family: Cichlidae

• Origin: Amazon Basin (Peru, Colombia, Brazil) Platinum is a selective breeding variant, not wild-type

• Size: Up to 6 inches (15 cm) in body height; fins can reach 810 inches tall

• Lifespan: 810 years (with proper care)

Tank Requirements

• Minimum tank size: 30 gallons for a pair; 55+ gallons for a small group

• Water temperature: 2529 C (7784 F)

• pH: 6.57.5

• Hardness: 310 dGH

• Filtration: Moderate to strong, but avoid too much current (they prefer calm flow).

• Lighting: Moderate to bright brings out their metallic sheen.

• Aquascape:

  • Tall plants (Amazon swords, Vallisneria) to complement their vertical shape

  • Driftwood and rocks for structure

  • Open swimming space in the midupper levels

  • Dark substrate enhances their white-silver coloration

Diet

Platinum Angelfish are omnivorous and thrive on variety:

• High-quality flakes or slow-sinking pellets

• Frozen or live food: bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia

• Vegetable matter: blanched spinach or spirulina-based foods

Feed 23 times daily in small portions.

Behavior & Temperament

• Semi-aggressive (typical of cichlids). Peaceful when young, but territorial as they mature or pair off.

• Prefer to live in groups of 56 juveniles, then naturally form pairs afterward, remove extras if aggression arises.

• May eat small fish (like neon tetras) once large enough, so tank mates should be similar in size or larger.

• Very intelligent they recognize their owners and can be hand-fed!

Breeding Platinum Angelfish

Setup

• Breeding tank: 2030 gallons for a pair

• Temperature: 2830 C (8286 F)

• pH: ~6.87.0

• Provide a flat surface for egg-laying broad leaves, slate, or aquarium glass

& Spawning Behavior

1. A bonded pair will clean a flat surface together before laying eggs.

2. The female lays rows of eggs, and the male follows to fertilize them.

3. Both parents guard the eggs they fan them with fins to oxygenate them.

4. Eggs hatch in 23 days, and fry become free-swimming after another 57 days.

Fry Care

• Feed fry infusoria, then baby brine shrimp as they grow.

• Parents may eat the first few batches until they learn this is normal.

• Once free-swimming, you can move the fry to a separate grow-out tank.

Good Tank Mates

Peaceful Companions

• Corydoras catfish

• Plecos (bristlenose type)

• Medium tetras (black skirt, bleeding heart, lemon avoid small ones like neons)

• Rasboras (harlequin, scissortail)

• Rainbowfish

• Swordtails, mollies, platys

• Dwarf gouramis (in large tanks with hiding areas)

Avoid

• Fin-nippers (tiger barbs, serpae tetras)

• Aggressive cichlids (convicts, oscars, jack dempseys)

• Very small fish or shrimp (may be eaten)

Fun Facts

• The Platinum color is caused by a recessive genetic trait that removes all dark pigmentation, giving the fish its luminous white-metallic look.

• Their graceful, triangular fins and slow, deliberate movements make them living art pieces in aquariums.

• Despite being cichlids, they can coexist peacefully with many community fish if tank space and structure are adequate.

Please note: We don’t ship live animals. They are click and collect only!