scalar leopold
The Leopold angelfish, scientific name Pterophyllum leopoldi, belongs to the Cichlidae family (Cichlids). Named by European explorers in honor of King Leopold III of Belgium.
Contents
Habitat
Native to South America. The natural habitat is limited to the central part of the Amazon Basin – the heart of the Amazonian rainforest, roughly coinciding with the territory of the state of Amazonas. Inhabits sections of rivers with a slow flow, the water in which has a brown color and rather high turbidity.
Description
The smallest member of the genus. Adult individuals reach a length of about 5 cm. The body shape is classic for scalars – high, strongly flattened laterally with diamond-shaped outlines and a sharp head. The caudal, dorsal and anal fins are large, resembling a triangle.
The coloration is silvery with rows of vertical dark stripes. A distinctive feature of the species is the presence of a black spot on the back under the dorsal fin.
Differences between types of angelfish
Distinctive features of the three types of angelfish on the example of the shape of the head
Behavior and Compatibility
Relatively peaceful calm look. Get along with other fish of comparable size. Smaller aquarium neighbors may be attacked. During spawning, it will protect the laying place, driving away other fish from it. They prefer to be in groups of 6-8 individuals, although pair keeping is also common.
In some cases, the Leopold angelfish itself can become a victim of overly active species, such as barbs, which will certainly damage the long, thread-like pectoral fins. All predatory species are also dangerous.
Brief information:
- The volume of the aquarium – from 150 liters.
- Temperature – 24-30°C
- Value pH — 6.5–7.2
- Water hardness – 5–15 dGH
- Substrate type – any
- Lighting – subdued
- Brackish water – no
- Water movement is weak
- The size of the fish is about 5 cm.
- Nutrition – sinking feed
- Temperament – conditionally peaceful
- Keeping in a flock of 6-8 individuals
Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium
The optimal dimensions of an aquarium for a flock of 6–8 fish start at 150 liters, while the height of the tank should not be lower than 40 cm. It is recommended to provide a vertically oriented decor in the design, reminiscent of submerged tree roots, snags, underwater plant stems. Excessively dense thickets of plants are not welcome.
A heat-loving species, the temperature should not be allowed to drop below 26 ° C, 29–30 ° C are considered comfortable. In warm water, oxygen quickly evaporates, and organic waste actively decomposes. Filtration and aeration systems must run smoothly to prevent deterioration of housing conditions, and the aquarist will be required to replace part of the water with fresh water weekly and remove accumulated waste.
For long-term maintenance and maintenance, it is important to maintain stable pH and dGH values.
Food
Angelfish have long been popular aquarium fish and have lived in the artificial environment for many generations. For this reason, dry food can be considered natural food. Feeding is simple, just choose the right product (the choice is more than enough) and follow the instructions on the package.
Breeding / breeding
The fish form a stable monogamous pair, which in the future, under favorable conditions, will regularly produce offspring. The appearance of a pair is possible only in a flock. Male and female, as they grow older, choose a partner for themselves and remain faithful to him for a long time.
In a suitable environment and a balanced diet, angelfish lay several hundred eggs, fixing them on the surface of broad leaves of plants, for example, on cryptocorynes or echinodorus. Thanks to the developed parental instincts, the laying is in relative safety under the care of adult fish. However, if spawning takes place in a common aquarium, then the eggs and fry that appear can be eaten by more active neighbors in the aquarium.
A common problem in very warm aquariums is fungus on the eggs. In order to prevent the disease and protect against predation by other fish, plants with clutch and parents should be transplanted into a separate tank. It is advisable to move long before spawning itself.
The incubation period is 2 days, for another week the fry that appear will feed on the remains of the yolk sac and only then will they begin to swim freely in search of food. Feed with specialized feed for fish fry.
