A graceful, vertically banded freshwater cichlid of the Amazon, a staple of community aquariums worldwide.
Where it lives
Wild angelfish inhabit slow, vegetated tributaries and flooded forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins. They favor warm, soft water among submerged roots, branches, and dense plants — environments where their tall body can drift between vertical stems.
How to recognise it
A laterally compressed, almost diamond-shaped body with greatly elongated dorsal and anal fins and trailing pelvic-fin filaments. Wild fish are silver with four to five dark vertical bars; captive strains include marbled, koi, golden, half-black, and veil varieties.
Diet & behavior
Stalking ambushers that take aquatic insects, small crustaceans, and small fish in the wild — but readily accept flake and frozen food in aquaria. Pairs bond and become highly protective parents, fanning eggs laid on a flat surface and shepherding fry through the tank.
Fisheries & Conservation
Globally Least Concern. Captive bred for over a century; the ornamental trade supplies countless color and finnage varieties from breeding farms in Asia and South America.