There is a regal grace about Angelfish, a dignity, a presence, which could hardly be associated with less than royalty, and in an aquarium angelfish are so immediately striking that even those completely unfamilar with fishes and uninterested in them will single them out and ask about them. Over the years angelfish have caught the eye and imagination of countless non-aquarists and turned them into aquarists.
The Angel (Pterophyllum scalare) is the best known member of the Cichlid family. This common and most graceful fish has a very romantic scientific name - Pterophyllum means the winged leaf; and scalare refers to the dorsal fin and means, 'like a flight of stairs'. The species originates from the Amazon and Guyana and grows to a length of five inches. The body is extremely compressed, the dorsal and anal fins very long, and the ventral fins even longer so that they look like feelers, though they do not use them as such.
Angelfish are excellent aquarium occupants and show great adaptability to a wide variety of environmental conditions. With good care they can live for many years in the aquarium and, while their requirements are not elaborate, there are certain needs and limitations which the aquarist should be aware of to keep them at their best.
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