Angelfish are a beautiful species that are favored by aquarists for their stunning appearance and the way that they glide gracefully through the water. These incredible animals are also pretty impressive when it comes to breeding so if you are looking to start mating your pair, you could be in for a lot of eggs.
While the size of the angelfish will have an impact on how often and how many eggs will be laid, a general rule is that a pair can produce between 100 and 1000 eggs every couple of weeks. There are conditions to this, however, and angelfish need to be separated from their eggs if you want them to lay another batch.
Getting to grips with breeding this species requires a little knowledge, but once you understand, it is easy to see why these fish are so easy to come by.
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Can Female Angelfish Lay Eggs Without A Male?
If you keep female angelfish without any males in the tank and your female begins laying eggs then you may be wondering what on earth is going on. The difference between fish and humans is that human eggs need to be fertilized before leaving the body whereas fish lay their eggs first and then the male comes along and fertilizes them.
This means that females will always produce eggs and will need to lay them regardless. There may be times that the female doesn’t lay the eggs and simply reabsorbs them back into her body; this is also very normal.
If the eggs are laid then the female will usually leave them alone for a few days after which point, they may turn white. After this, there is a chance that the female may eat the eggs which is a protective instinct used in the wild to avoid predators from getting hold of the eggs.
Breeding Angelfish – All You Need To Know
Angelfish are very impressive little creatures and when it comes to breeding, they are particularly special. While they tend to reach sexual maturity at around the age of eight months, this can happen as early as five months or as late as twelve months. How quickly this happens depends largely on several factors including how much space they have. That said, if they are very poorly cared for then they may never be able to reproduce.
If you intend to start breeding angelfish then one of the first things you will need to make sure of is that you have at least one male and one female. What may surprise you greatly is that angelfish mate for life. It is very rare to ever see an adult angelfish on its own. The only time that you may see this is if its partner has died, in which case, it is rare that the remaining fish would be interested in finding another partner.
So, when you first pair your fish, you must check what gender they are but many people struggle with this. You will need to take a look at the papilla. In males, this is much larger. Unfortunately, this is really the only way to tell them apart as males and females are similar in most other ways including size and coloring. However, it can be helpful to speak to the supplier to get a better idea of what you are adopting.
When angelfish breed, the parents are usually very involved with the young. Unlike other fish, they will tend to the fry and will also bond with each other, spending copious amounts of time as a couple. But this doesn’t just apply to their parenting duties, the angelfish will also spend time as a couple when hunting and doing other activities.
Angelfish Breeding FAQ
How do I know that my angelfish is ready to lay her eggs?
If a female becomes full with eggs but does not have a partner then you may notice that she becomes very bloated and will eventually lay her infertile eggs. The female may eat the eggs as in the wild, they are prone to predators and these fish are very protective when it comes to their spawn.
In the case that the eggs are to be fertilized, you may notice a few different things going on in the tank. One of the most obvious signs that the female is ready to lay is that she and the male will become very close and will remain together for most of the time. They may select a small area of the aquarium and ‘set up home’ here, cleaning and preparing for the fry.
Once the eggs are laid, the male will go on to fertilize each one individually and you will then expect them to hatch between ten and twelve days later.
How do I care for the angelfish fry?
When they are born, angelfish fry are very delicate and helpless. If you leave them in the tank then nature will take its course. You will find that for the first five or so days the fry will depend on the parents bringing them food as they are unable to move. However, after this, they will leave the area in which they were born and begin to fend for themselves.
Sometimes, breeders will separate the eggs before the fry hatch and in this case, you will need to ensure that they are well cared for. After around four weeks, the fry will be able to eat regular fish food and be treated much the same as other aquarium life.
How long do angelfish take to grow?
Angelfish can live as long as 12 years provided that the water temperature is kept to a minimum. The warmer the water, the shorter their lifespan. However, when it comes to reaching full size, you can expect this to happen within around eight months when the fish reach sexual maturity.
Why have my angelfish eggs gone white?
If your female has laid her eggs and the male doesn’t come along to fertilize them then after a couple of days, the eggs will turn white. This is entirely normal but just means that you won’t be expecting any fry. The female will usually eat the eggs at this point.
However, it may also be the case that the eggs turn white because of a problem within the water. The most common causes of this are fungus or bacteria so it may be worth checking the quality of the water.
Conclusion
Angelfish are incredibly popular aquarium fish and if you keep a male and a female together then there is a very real chance that you may soon be the proud owner of a mini shoal of angelfish fry. While these fish can lay eggs up to every two weeks, you will find that this is rare and will only happen if the previous batch is removed from the tank. In any case, a female angelfish may lay between 100 and 1000 eggs at any one time.
