Angel fish are the decoration of the sea. Interesting facts about angel fish Game Aquaworld name of fish angels

Angel fish – majestic and beautiful name fish. And the fish itself is chic and beautiful, although it always prefers to remain in the shadows, its beauty is difficult not to notice and appreciate.

It can be easily recognized by its flat body, bright color with large stripes. On average, the size of this fish ranges from 12 to 60 cm. The shape of the angel fish resembles a parallelepiped.

At the top it has a sharp spike pointing backwards. Her appearance is quite attractive, but this does not mean that she is too sociable. Angel fish prefers loneliness and solitude. If a partner is found for her, then she remains with him until the end of her days.

Features and habitat of angel fish

Tropical latitudes of all the world's seas - favorite places habitat of angel fish. The waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans most often hide this beauty. Coral reefs and blue lagoons are the most favorite places for angelfish.

They can often be found in marine aquariums. The South American Amazon River has several species of these fish. However, it is not entirely necessary to go there to see them; it is enough to visit any pet store; such fish are very popular and, accordingly, in demand.

There are hundreds of varieties of angelfish with a wide variety of colors and sizes. There are also those whose mouth reaches enormous sizes. Swimming over the corals, they open their mouths wide and suck in food.

Photo of angel fish conveys all its beauty and unsurpassedness. You can look at this miracle endlessly, both in reality and in photos. Admiring an angel fish brings human soul a feeling of peace and a fabulous mood.

Character and lifestyle of angel fish

Sometimes angel fish behave aggressively towards their relatives. They live mainly in pairs, sometimes it happens to notice that one male has two females, this is within normal limits for them.

They have clear boundaries of their ranges, which the males guard. When there is a possible threat, they make a loud clicking sound. The movement of fish is characteristic and jerky. If there is possible danger, fish may gather in schools near small caves.

If the danger persists, their irritation increases and they begin to make this clicking sound that can be heard over a long distance. As a rule, such sounds most often scare off potential enemies.

Dragonfin angelfish – bright inhabitant of tropical waters. But this is a fictional species of angelfish that can only be found in computer games. Angelfish fish sometimes confused because of its similar name with angel fish.

But if you look at angel fish picture and compare it with the angelfish, then more confusion will never arise because they are significantly different from each other. We already know what does an angel fish look like.

This is an incredible sight that lifts your spirits with all its colors. If you look at a sea angel you can forget about reality for a while, to such an extent this mollusk seems fabulous and unearthly.

Belongs to the angelfish family imperial angel fish, which amazes with its grandeur and beauty. It differs from all other fish in its bright blue-green color, with various white and black stripes. This color scheme really gives the fish imperial grandeur and chic.

Scientists around the world consider angel fish shy and unsociable. In fact, this is how it is, they keep themselves apart and are hostile to anything new and unusual in their lives.

Angel fish lives in tropical latitudes, in warm shallow waters and near coral reefs. But most of them can be seen in aquariums and pet stores. This is one of the most favorite fish among aquarists.

Aquarium fish angel It also keeps itself apart, trying to swim away from other inhabitants of the aquarium. Therefore, it is very important that the aquarium in which angel fish live is large. If they have little space, it is likely that they will attack their neighbors.

There is another one interesting view angel fish - cave angel fish. She is blind, but her advantage is that she can move around with ease, like a four-legged creature.

In the photo there is a cave angel fish

She can even climb a waterfall. The pelvis and spine of this fish are designed in such a way that, regardless of gravity, it can easily support its body weight. The habitat of the cave angel fish is the dark caves of Thailand.

Eating angel fish

Nutrition different types angel fish misc. For some species of these fish there are no restrictions on food; they are omnivores and can eat not only algae, but also small mollusks and even jellyfish. Others eat nothing but corals or sponges. Still others prefer exclusively algae.

Reproduction and lifespan of angel fish

As mentioned above, fish angels create pairs, but there are cases when there is one male for several females. If suddenly the male dies under some circumstances, then one of the females becomes a male.

This is one of the characteristics of angel fish. Their eggs float freely in the water. Most of it can be eaten predatory fish. Therefore, the angel fish tries to spawn in places more remote from everyone else. Their lifespan is about 8 years.

catch an angel fish possible in both fresh and salt water, most often near coral reefs. School of angel fish it is almost impossible to see the way they prefer to live in pairs.

Angel fish price acceptable. So any fish lover can afford to buy this beauty. Just before buying, you should take into account that a fight for territory may begin in the aquarium. This happens even among the most peaceful fish species.

Angel fish care contains some secrets. Most importantly, the aquarium should have more plant decorations that will serve as shelter for these fish.

“Living stones” are also ideal for this. Fish hide in grottoes and caves made of such stones. Should be observed temperature regime water. It should be 22-25 degrees. Also, the water should be salty.

The angel fish immediately senses any change in water quality. It is highly undesirable to release fish into a newly started aquarium. In such an environment, the indicators of sea water have not yet been completely established, but it is full of nitrates, phosphates and other representatives chemical substances, which can adversely affect the condition and well-being of the fish.

It is necessary to change 25% of the water every six months. There should be good air circulation in the aquarium, but not too much water flow. Conditions for keeping angel fish in a home aquarium must be perfect. Only in this case will it grow and reproduce well.

The bright and attractive angelfish, also known as pomacanthidae (from the Latin Pomacanthidae), represents a family of marine bony fish belonging to the order Perciformes. Previously, the angel fish was a member of the bristletooth family, but it was later discovered big number morphological differences led to the fact that this species, which has a variegated color, began to be classified as a separate family. Today there are 90 species of angelfish.

Bright appearance of the angel fish

This tropical beauty can be easily picked out from the variety and recognized by its bright coloration with wide stripes. All members of this family have a flat build with a high back. Such a flat “figure” allows you to successfully hide from predatory neighbors. Its stripes also perform a protective function; thanks to this element, the fish’s head is in the last predator’s field of view.

In addition to this characteristic difference, the angelfish family is distinguished by the presence of a rather powerful spine directed back, which has a different color from the rest of the body. It is this that distinguishes angelfish from bristletoothed fish, which are very similar to them, but do not have such a spine at all. Some can reach 60 centimeters in length, although there are dwarf species, the length of which does not exceed 6 cm.

The color of young fish is very different from the color of already matured members of the family. Juveniles can live in the habitats of more mature fish; in general, they are not persecuted, but, as a rule, they have to endure aggressive attacks from adult relatives. The coloration of young fish (the so-called juvenile angelfish) differs so radically that for some time they were mistakenly identified as a separate species.

Angelfish Habitat

The homeland of angelfish is the tropical latitudes of all oceans and seas. IN Atlantic Ocean nine species can be found, the rest “settled” in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Some species live in the South American Amazon.

However, you can look at them without a tedious journey, since many of the species living in the Amazon are present in our pet stores.

The most flexible and convenient specimens for breeding in an aquarium “come” from the Caribbean and Red Seas. Most of all, these fish like to live in warm, shallow water, closer to coral reefs.

What does it feed on

Eating methods various types Angelfish can be very different. Some of the species are omnivores and happily consume both algae and small animals, and even. In addition to algae, the diet of others includes only sponges. The genus Apolemichthys feeds only, lyretails (Genicanthus) eat zooplankton, centropygs, or dwarf angelfish, feast exclusively on algae.

Behavior

Despite all its attractiveness unusual appearance, angels are shy and unsociable. It is impossible to see a school of angelfish in nature.

Most often they live in pairs, choosing a partner for life, but there are species that live in small polygamous groups, including several females led by a male.

So, for example, the males of the Imperial Angel have up to five females, and after the death of the “head of the family,” one of the “wives” becomes a male, taking the place of its predecessor. Individuals divide reefs into habitats with clear boundaries, which they jealously protect from encroachment by rivals.

Large individuals can have a range of up to 1000 square meters. meters, dwarf ones are limited to one coral colony. In relation to their fellow competitors, angelfish act decisively and ferociously, emitting a characteristic loud clicking sound during attacks.

Classification of species

The angelfish family includes 8 genera with a total of 90 species. 8 species belong to the genus Apolemichthys, among which the Three-spotted Apolemichthys (Apolemichthys trimaculatus) is famous. The genus Centropyge includes 33 species, among them you can find the Yellow-black Centropyge, which is also called Two-colored, Two-spined Centropyge, Golden Centropyge, also known as the Blue-cheeked Centropyge.

One of the most attractive species among dwarf angels is the fire angel ( Centropyge loricula). Bright red with vertical black stripes, the fire angelfish graces the waters of the Pacific Ocean. These fish are hermaphrodites: if necessary, the female can act as a male.

In addition, there is also the genus Pomacanthus, which includes 12 species, which include the Imperial Pomacanth or Emperor Angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator), Dark Pomacanth or Small Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru), Speckled Pomacanth or Semicircular Angelfish (Pomacanthus semicirculatus ). And the genus Pygoplites, which includes the Pygoplites or king angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus), as well as the genus Paracentropyge.

On the Internet there is also a draconian (or dragon-finned) angel fish, but this representative is completely fictitious and is found only in computer game World of Warcraft. The angel cypher fish is also caught in computer games.

Angelfish are often sometimes confused with butterflyfish. And indeed, they are very similar, but unlike angels, the butterfly fish is a sea butterfly (not to be confused with freshwater variety) does not have a spine on the preopercular bone.

Note for aquarists

In an aquarium, angelfish keep to themselves, trying to swim away from other inhabitants. The volume of the aquarium in which the angel lives must be large enough, since territory is important for this family of fish, and in a small aquarium they can attack their neighbors.

It is advisable to decorate the aquarium with plants and elements that act as shelters. It’s also good to put them so that they form grottoes and caves where fish can hide. The water temperature should be between 22-25 degrees. Water salinity is 1020 - 1024.

Almost all angelfish are sensitive to changes in water quality. They should not be released into a newly started aquarium because it has not yet stabilized at the correct levels and contains excess amounts of nitrites, ammonium, phosphates and other traditional undesirables.

Every 2 weeks it is necessary to change 15% - 25% of the water. The aquarium should have good circulation, while maintaining areas with weak water flow.

The aquarium must be equipped with a high-quality system.

Angelfish live in tropical latitudes of all the world's seas. Nine species are found in the Atlantic Ocean, the rest in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. These fish prefer to live near coral reefs. If you have experience diving in warm waters, you have most likely seen these fish.

Did you know that freshwater angelfish exist?

They say that angel fish got their name because of the shape of their fins, which are very similar to the wings of an angel, and when the fish swims down, its silhouette resembles an angel. Angelfish usually live in pairs or in small harem groups consisting of one male and several females. On reefs they have clear habitats, which they defend from rivals. In relation to their fellow rivals, angelfish act energetically and aggressively. Representatives of the Pomacanth genus make loud clicking sounds.

Most angelfish that divers see while diving are silver in color. At the same time, there are brightly colored individuals, their bodies are decorated with luminous stripes. The vibrant colors and unique patterns of these large and impressive fish have prompted them to be called "royal" names, such as royal, imperial, or majestic angelfish. .

Juvenile angelfish are often colored dramatically differently than adults. The difference in coloration is so great that juveniles were previously considered separate species. Some scientists argue that the number and shape of stripes on an angelfish can indicate the status of an individual in the colony. Differences in coloration are used for camouflage and help young fish avoid aggression from adult fish. Thanks to this feature, young people live peacefully on the territory of adults. Until the fish grow up, they are not driven away.

Freshwater angelfish are also interesting. Many divers do not know how they reproduce. The female lays eggs (up to 1000 at a time), which are fertilized by the male. After spawning caring parents They share responsibilities, fan their offspring with their tails, providing an influx of fresh water. If one individual in a pair dies, the second will never have offspring.

A wonderful decoration for a large home aquarium can become a beautiful and elegant angel fish. With its attractive and varied colors with the neon colors typical of tropical fish, it is a favorite among all aquarists. In addition, these fish are quite unpretentious in care, so even a novice lover of aquatic life can cope with their maintenance.

Habitat

Angelfish came to home aquariums from warm tropical seas. IN natural environment they live among colorful coral reefs at various depths. Some subspecies are found even at a depth of about 60 meters. Angelfish live in the waters of three oceans - the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian, and in all the seas of the tropical and subtropical climate zones.

Despite the fact that angel fish belongs to the perciformes family, which are overwhelmingly predators, this fish prefers a varied diet. They feed mainly on zooplankton, algae, sponges, and small invertebrates. Essentially, these angelfish are omnivores. They differ quite a lot in size, their average length 10-20 cm, but some species can grow up to 60 cm.

The angel fish acquires its bright and unusual color once it reaches a certain size. The babies have a uniform and rather inconspicuous color, which contributes to greater survival of the fish in natural conditions. The color change occurs very quickly. Almost within a few weeks, an inconspicuous fish turns into a magnificent beauty in a bright, extraordinary outfit. Despite the fact that it lives in coral reefs, angel fish form enough large groups, by nature they are loners. Groups exist only to designate and protect their habitat, within which the fish form pairs. Stronger males may have a small harem of 1-3 females, which they carefully protect.

It was the diversity and splendor of the natural coloring of the angel fish that attracted the attention of aquarists around the world to it. And watching them in their natural environment is a fascinating and beautiful adventure.

Varieties of Angelfish

There are enough varieties of angel fish, or as they are also called, pomacanth fish
many - the family consists of 7 genera and approximately 90 species:

Apolemikhty
Chaetodontopla
Centropigi
Lyrebirds
Isabelites
Pomacants
Pygoplates

Most diverse species composition- These are small-sized centropygs that reach a maximum size of 18-20 cm. But some species of Pomacanthaceae grow in adulthood to 45 and even 60 cm in length. And in a room aquarium it will be a little cramped for them.

Conditions for keeping in an aquarium

As already mentioned, angel fish is unpretentious and can easily coexist with almost any species aquarium fish. When creating conditions conducive to reproduction, she touchingly shows concern for the offspring and has a certain intelligence. If there is a sufficient amount of food, then the adults coexist quite peacefully with the young, which greatly simplifies the keeping and breeding of these fish in the aquarium.

Since fish come from warm tropical seas, the constant water temperature in around 25-28C is vital for them important indicator. In addition, the water must have a Ph between 8.1-8.4. Natural inhabitants of coral reefs, they love to hide in rocks and eat algae from them. Therefore, if you want the fish to feel comfortable, be sure to take care of this. These amazing fish live quite a long time. At good conditions With care and a well-designed feeding diet, they can delight with their beauty for up to 10-15 years. And although acclimatization in a new aquarium takes some time, after adaptation the fish feels absolutely comfortable and even makes contact.

Feeding

Angel fish is a rather voracious creature, but an omnivore. Therefore, on the one hand, it is easy to feed it, since the fish does not refuse any food. On the other hand, in unnatural conditions it needs to be provided with a varied diet, which will include algae, sponges and small invertebrates. Only then will the fish retain its bright color and feel comfortable.

In specialized stores you can often find ready-made food intended for this type of fish. Buying this food is an ideal option, since it is balanced and contains all the necessary components. If you decide to create a diet yourself, then be sure to include crushed sponges and spirulina in the menu.

You need to feed the fish 2-3 times a day, giving the amount of food that the inhabitants of the aquarium can eat at one time. You can also include chopped frozen mussels, shrimp, squid, and even add a little spinach to your home menu.

When feeding, pay attention to whether the food goes to younger individuals and the angels’ neighbors in the aquarium. Gluttonous fish often try to eat more food on their own, and other fish may be left without food. In a cramped aquarium, they may not allow smaller fish to feed at all.

Behavioral features

In natural conditions, when fish have at their disposal large territory, aggression of males towards each other manifests itself exclusively during the period of active reproduction, when pairs and mini-harems are formed. The rest of the time, individuals of the same sex treat each other quite neutrally.

Everything happens a little differently in the limited space of an aquarium. First of all, I would like to note that the earlier the fish gets into the aquarium, the more aggressively it will defend its rights to the territory. Some pomacants are even capable of making quite loud clicking sounds, trying to scare away rivals.

Moreover, it is the pomacanths that are the most aggressive among the angelfish and it often happens that there can only be one individual of this species in the aquarium. Each adult angelfish should require at least 200 liters of water. So before you opt for these, definitely beautiful fish, think about whether they have enough space to live comfortably.

Popular species for keeping in aquariums

For those who want to add a mysterious angel fish to their aquarium for the first time, below is a small list of the most unpretentious species in terms of keeping conditions:

These are just a few of the dozens of different species of angelfish. Each of them is unique and good in its own way, and if you take the choice of a new aquarium inhabitant responsibly and take everything into account the necessary conditions, then it will delight you for a long time with its bright colors and unique grace.

The underwater world is rich in diverse flora and fauna. The kingdom of Neptune amazes with the splendor of colors and the bizarre forms of its inhabitants. IN warm seas live near coral reefs amazing creatures nature - angel fish, amazing with their exotic beauty. Some aquarists manage to keep these unusual fish at home. This is not difficult to do if you study the characteristics of aquatic inhabitants.

Angel fish are often kept in home aquariums, since caring for them is not difficult.

Description and habitat

IN sea waters on not great depth There are over 85 species of angelfish or pomacanthids. Most of them are found in Indian and Pacific Oceans. Some individuals live in the South American Amazon. Pomacanths belong to the order Perciformes (family of marine bony fish). They can always be distinguished by a powerful spike in the lower part of the gills and the rectangular shape of the body, which is given to them by a high forehead and a short tail.

A characteristic feature of angels is fancy bright color. Due to the unique mixture of colors, angelfish look unrealistically beautiful, which is why they received such a name. They are decorated with red, blue, lemon, orange, emerald, black colors, forming patterns of various spots, winding and straight lines and stripes. Juveniles have particularly exquisite color combinations, very different from those of adults. Over time, their colors change and acquire calmer tones.

Pomacanthus are varied in both color and size. There are small fish - 12-15 cm, and some large individuals reach 60 cm.

Species of angelfish have a wide variation in size, from small to large

Adult fish love to settle in areas near coral reefs and jealously guard their personal space from the invasion of their relatives. To other inhabitants depths of the sea they are quite loyal, and the young ones boldly swim into the forbidden zone, remaining unidentified due to their camouflage color.

Sea beauties create married couples or harems of several females and one male that exist for years. The larger the individual, the large area she wins for herself, and the small ones are content with one coral colony.

Number of angelfish in wildlife reduced due to the deliciousness of their meat and beautiful appearance

Pomacanths lead a diurnal lifestyle, and at night they climb into narrow reef crevices and sleep. When meeting scuba diving enthusiasts, they are not afraid, but they also do not show much curiosity. Because of delicious meat They are often hunted, and because of their beauty they are captured for aquariums, which significantly reduces their numbers.

Popular types

The large family of angelfish includes several genera. To the most beautiful varieties sea creatures relate:

apolechmites;
chaetodontoplastans;
lyrebirds;
centropygi;
kachamas;
pygoplates;
pomakants;
paracentropyge.

Each genus has its own bright representatives, so angelfish are also divided by appearance .

There are many different types of angelfish that differ appearance and size

Some individuals can be classified as the highest fish class due to their dazzling beauty and independent behavior:

Lamarck's lyrebird is very beautiful with its stunning silver body, horizontal dark stripes and black speckling.
The blue Moorish angel is a dwarf little-known species.
French angelfish has a combination of dark body and yellow stripes.
Angel of Cortez - distinguished by an olive body, blue thin stripes and dark specks.
The Fire Angel gets its name from its stunning orange-red coloration, complemented by black lines on its sides and purple dots on its fins. A very popular type of centropyge.
Bluehead - has a combination of yellow, blue and light blue colors.
The Imperial Angel is one of the largest and most beautiful individuals with a rich dark blue and yellow range of original patterns.

Dwarf angels from the genus Centropygium are the most numerous and diverse (33 species). Their maximum dimensions do not exceed 12.5 cm. Among them there are stunningly beautiful individuals: two-spined, pearl, blue-yellow, red-striped, lemon, Eibla. Centropygs are very friendly and are great for keeping in an aquarium.

Most often, dwarf angels are placed in aquariums due to their small size.

The genus Pomacanthus consists of 12 species, among which there are quite large and beautiful specimens. The most famous of them are blue-lipped, blue-headed, ringed, imperial and royal angels.

There are many interesting facts about angelfish. Aquarists will be curious to know that:

If a male imperial angel dies, one of the females changes sex and takes his place.
There are very rare and expensive types For example, a Japanese collector owns a mint angel worth $30,000.
The anesthetized centropygian lives at great depths. The bright yellow angelfish with a black spot on its side is considered elusive, making it a rare, expensive species.
As a result of genetic experiments in Taiwan, glowing pink angels were bred. They emit a pleasant, gentle light thanks to implanted bioluminescence and are so beautiful that it’s hard to believe that they are natural.

Watching dazzling beauties in their natural environment brings great aesthetic pleasure. The elegant angelfish has also become a worthy decoration home and public aquariums. It is not difficult to keep it; you just need to know the habits and behavioral characteristics of this fish.

Angel fish will feel comfortable if the aquarium is equipped correctly

The necessary conditions

The unpretentious pomacanth gets along with many types of aquarium fish. If you create suitable housing and feeding conditions, he will feel great, begin to reproduce and can live 10-15 years. What does a sea creature need:

an aquarium of at least 250 liters;
constant water temperature - 25-28 °C;
the required water pH is 8.1-8.4;
the presence of a filtration, foam separation and aeration system;
a certain concentration of nitrites, nitrates and ammonia;
a combination of artificial and natural lighting;
Renewing water weekly by at least 20%.

Angel fish is sensitive to chemical composition water, so you should carefully monitor it

For comfort, angels need stones, sand, small caves, labyrinths, and a lot of aquarium plants in the pond.

Varied diet

They feed the Pomakants until four times per day in small portions. The home menu should include chopped shrimp, squid, mussels, add spirulina and sponges, a little spinach or peas. At home, you need to make sure that there is enough food for all individuals. But you shouldn’t overfeed them either. Zoological stores have ready-made balanced food containing plant and protein components. It is important to soak dry food before feeding.

Meat and live food are ideal for feeding angel fish.

Fish diseases

If the color of the sea beauties begins to fade, then it is necessary to reconsider their conditions of detention and diet. Poor care and low-quality food can cause various diseases in pets:

Lateral line erosion. The epithelium is destroyed up to and including the head, as a result of which the fish may die.
Cryptokaryonosis. White spots appear on the body, appetite disappears, and a state of lethargy occurs.
Bug-eyed. An infectious disease. The eyes become covered with a whitish film and increase in size. Sick fish go blind.

This video talks about the angel fish:

In all cases, the disease cannot be neglected and treatment should be carried out on time.