Care and Compatibility of Altum Angelfish - Pterophyllum altum


Introduction

Pterophyllum altum, commonly known as the altum angelfish or Amazonian angelfish, is a species of angelfish cichlid native to South America. It is characterized by its laterally compressed body and long, elegant fins. Their coloration ranges from silver to gold and white, with dark vertical stripes and a dark band across the eye. They are popular fish in aquariums due to their beauty and elegance.

Behavior

Pterophyllum altum is a peaceful and shy fish that prefers to swim in the middle or upper part of the aquarium. They are relatively shy and can easily be startled by sudden movements or changes in their environment.

Sexual Dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism in Pterophyllum altum is not very pronounced and can be difficult to distinguish. During the breeding season, males may be slightly larger and have a more pointed anal fin.

Reproduction

Breeding Pterophyllum altum in captivity can be challenging due to their specific water and space requirements. They are free-spawning fish and may lay their eggs on a vertical surface, such as a large leaf or flat rock. Parents provide parental care to the eggs and fry.

Aquarium Conditions

To keep Pterophyllum altum in the aquarium, a tall and well-planted tank with well-oxygenated water is recommended. They prefer slightly acidic to neutral water with a temperature between 25°C and 30°C.

Feeding

Pterophyllum altum is a carnivore that primarily feeds on insects, larvae, small crustaceans, and other aquatic organisms in the wild. In the aquarium, they will accept a variety of foods, including flakes, pellets, frozen, and live foods. A varied diet is recommended to maintain their health and coloration.

Complexity

Pterophyllum altum can be challenging for aquarists due to their specific water requirements and sensitivity to stress. A well-established and carefully maintained aquarium is recommended to maintain their health and well-being.


In case you need more help, or if you want to know into any topic related to the Pterophyllum altum (Altum Angelfish) and even any other species you can use the forums to ask what you need.

To do an analysis more detailed about coexistence and behavior of Pterophyllum altum (Altum Angelfish) use the Aquarium simulation tool, if you do this you can test different ways to combine the Altum Angelfish with other fishes giving the dimensions and space on you aquarium, on this way you can known the optimal configuration for keep the fishes that you want.

You can also find out the 93 species compatible with the Pterophyllum altum (Altum Angelfish) can live together.

Note: The parameters of the water such as PH and temperature are also used to calculate the compatibility of the species.


Compatible species (93)

Compatible (29 Species)

Compatible without any restriction


Suckermouth catfish - Hypostomus plecostomus

Suckermouth catfish

Hypostomus plecostomus

Sun Catfish - Horabagrus brachysoma

Sun Catfish

Horabagrus brachysoma

Bala Shark - Balantiocheilus melanopterus

Bala Shark

Balantiocheilus melanopterus

Mije Fish - Leporinus fasciatus

Mije Fish

Leporinus fasciatus

Gray bichir - Polypterus senegalus

Gray bichir

Polypterus senegalus

Archerfish - Toxotes jaculatrix

Archerfish

Toxotes jaculatrix

Clown Loach - Chromobotia macracanthus

Clown Loach

Chromobotia macracanthus

Comet Goldfish - Carassius auratus III

Comet Goldfish

Carassius auratus III

Blue Acara - Satanoperca daemon

Blue Acara

Satanoperca daemon

Striped Raphael Catfish - Platydoras costatus

Striped Raphael Catfish

Platydoras costatus

Discus fish - Symphysodon aequifasciatus

Discus fish

Symphysodon aequifasciatus

False Discus - Heros severus

False Discus

Heros severus

Boeseman's Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia Boesemani

Boeseman's Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia Boesemani

Kissing Gourami - Helostoma temminckii

Kissing Gourami

Helostoma temminckii

Stick Catfish - Farlowella acus

Stick Catfish

Farlowella acus

Golden Royal Pleco - Sturisoma aureum

Golden Royal Pleco

Sturisoma aureum

Severum Cichlid - Heros efasciatus

Severum Cichlid

Heros efasciatus

Silver Dollar Fish - Metynnis argenteus

Silver Dollar Fish

Metynnis argenteus

Denison Barb - Puntius denisonii

Denison Barb

Puntius denisonii

Clown Pleco - Panaqolus maccus

Clown Pleco

Panaqolus maccus

Red Rainbowfish - Glossolepis incisus

Red Rainbowfish

Glossolepis incisus

Flag Cichlid - Mesonauta festivus

Flag Cichlid

Mesonauta festivus

Siamese Algae Eater - Crossocheilus Siamensis

Siamese Algae Eater

Crossocheilus Siamensis

Pearl gourami - Trichogaster leerii

Pearl gourami

Trichogaster leerii

Coolie loach - Pangio kuhlii

Coolie loach

Pangio kuhlii

Leopard Cactus Pleco - Hypancistrus Furunculus L199

Leopard Cactus Pleco

Hypancistrus Furunculus L199

Empire Gudgeon - Hypseleotris compressa

Empire Gudgeon

Hypseleotris compressa

Altum Angelfish - Pterophyllum altum

Altum Angelfish

Pterophyllum altum

Similar Sizes (34 Species)

They can coexist if they are the same size or very similar sizes, it does not work in all cases, there may be exceptions.


Royal Pleco - Panaque nigrolineatus

Royal Pleco

Panaque nigrolineatus

Glass Catfish - Kryptopterus bicirrhis

Glass Catfish

Kryptopterus bicirrhis

Pictus Catfish - Pimelodus pictus

Pictus Catfish

Pimelodus pictus

Lacustris Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia lacustris

Lacustris Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia lacustris

Swordtail fish - Xiphophorus hellerii

Swordtail fish

Xiphophorus hellerii

Molly fish - Poecilia sphenops

Molly fish

Poecilia sphenops

Upside-Down Catfish - Synodontis nigriventris

Upside-Down Catfish

Synodontis nigriventris

Spotted Dora Catfish - Agamyxus pectinifrons

Spotted Dora Catfish

Agamyxus pectinifrons

Yoyo Loach - Botia almorhae

Yoyo Loach

Botia almorhae

Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid - Nannacara anomala

Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid

Nannacara anomala

Tiger Barb - Puntius tetrazona

Tiger Barb

Puntius tetrazona

German Blue Ram - Microgeophagus ramirezi

German Blue Ram

Microgeophagus ramirezi

Bleeding Heart Tetra - Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma

Bleeding Heart Tetra

Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma

Dwarf marbled catfish - Microglanis poecilus

Dwarf marbled catfish

Microglanis poecilus

Hatchet Fish - Thoracocharax stellatus

Hatchet Fish

Thoracocharax stellatus

Glassy Perchlet - Parambassis ranga

Glassy Perchlet

Parambassis ranga

Semifasciolatus Barb - Puntius semifasciolatus

Semifasciolatus Barb

Puntius semifasciolatus

Female Siamese Fighting Fish - Betta Splendens Female

Female Siamese Fighting Fish

Betta Splendens Female

Platy Fish - Xiphophorus maculatus

Platy Fish

Xiphophorus maculatus

Red-eyed Tetra - Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae

Red-eyed Tetra

Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae

Apple Snail - Pomacea bridgesii

Apple Snail

Pomacea bridgesii

Moenkhausia Pittieri - Moenkhausia pittieri

Moenkhausia Pittieri

Moenkhausia pittieri

Dwarf Gourami - Colisa lalia

Dwarf Gourami

Colisa lalia

Zebrafish - Danio rerio

Zebrafish

Danio rerio

Black Skirt Tetra - Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

Black Skirt Tetra

Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

Harlequin Rasbora - Trigonostigma Heteromorpha

Harlequin Rasbora

Trigonostigma Heteromorpha

Emperor Tetra - Nematobrycon Palmeri

Emperor Tetra

Nematobrycon Palmeri

Three lined Pencilfish - Nannostomus Trifasciatus

Three lined Pencilfish

Nannostomus Trifasciatus

Bamboo Shrimp - Atyopsis moluccensis

Bamboo Shrimp

Atyopsis moluccensis

Black Phantom Tetra - Hyphessobrycon Megalopterus

Black Phantom Tetra

Hyphessobrycon Megalopterus

Forktail Blue-Eye - Pseudomugil furcatus

Forktail Blue-Eye

Pseudomugil furcatus

Blue-Eyed Pseudomugil - Pseudomugil paskai

Blue-Eyed Pseudomugil

Pseudomugil paskai

Dwarf Tetra - Hasemania nana

Dwarf Tetra

Hasemania nana

Espei Rasbora - Trigonostigma espei

Espei Rasbora

Trigonostigma espei

Considerable size difference (28 Species)

They can coexist while they are similar in size or the size difference is not very abysmal, since as the fish grows it increases the chances of eating its partner that did not grow much.


Preacox Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia preacox

Preacox Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia preacox

Stiphodon Ornatus - Stiphodon ornatus

Stiphodon Ornatus

Stiphodon ornatus

Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid - Apistogramma viejita

Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid

Apistogramma viejita

Congo Tetra - Phenacogrammus interruptus

Congo Tetra

Phenacogrammus interruptus

Otocinclus Catfish - Otocinclus Affinis

Otocinclus Catfish

Otocinclus Affinis

Ember Tetra - Hemigrammus Rhodostomus

Ember Tetra

Hemigrammus Rhodostomus

Serpae Tetra - Hyphessobrycon Eques

Serpae Tetra

Hyphessobrycon Eques

Cherry Barb - Barbus titteya

Cherry Barb

Barbus titteya

Filamented Rainbowfish - Iriatherina Werneri

Filamented Rainbowfish

Iriatherina Werneri

Horned Snail - Tyloperlamania sp

Horned Snail

Tyloperlamania sp

Amano Shrimp - Caridina multidentata

Amano Shrimp

Caridina multidentata

Lemon Tetra - Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Lemon Tetra

Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Glowlight Tetra - Hemigrammus Erythrozonus

Glowlight Tetra

Hemigrammus Erythrozonus

Black Neon Tetra - Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Black Neon Tetra

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Red-Backed Tetra - Hyphessobrycon bentosi

Red-Backed Tetra

Hyphessobrycon bentosi

Neon tetra fish - Paracheirodon innesi

Neon tetra fish

Paracheirodon innesi

Ember Tetra - Hyphessobrycon Amandae

Ember Tetra

Hyphessobrycon Amandae

Ruby Tetra - Axelrodia riesei

Ruby Tetra

Axelrodia riesei

Green Neon Tetra - Paracheirodon Simulans

Green Neon Tetra

Paracheirodon Simulans

Boraras Brigittae Fish - Boraras Brigittae

Boraras Brigittae Fish

Boraras Brigittae

Anentome Helena - Anentome helena

Anentome Helena

Anentome helena

Red Cherry - Neocaridina davidi

Red Cherry

Neocaridina davidi

Florida Dwarf Crayfish - Cambarellus diminutus

Florida Dwarf Crayfish

Cambarellus diminutus

Galaxy Rasbora - Danio margaritatus

Galaxy Rasbora

Danio margaritatus

IndoPlanorbis Exustus - Planorbis planorbis

IndoPlanorbis Exustus

Planorbis planorbis

Blue Bee Shrimp - Paracaridina sp

Blue Bee Shrimp

Paracaridina sp

Compatible if space is enough (2 Species)

They can coexist together if the aquarium they share is large and spacious enough for both species to feel good, as some fish may attack others to feel that they have little space and try to eliminate the competition.


Pez Loro - Red Parrot

Pez Loro

Red Parrot

Male siamese fighting fish - betta splendens male

Male siamese fighting fish

betta splendens male

Altum Angelfish

Pterophyllum altum

Altum Angelfish - Pterophyllum altum
  • Ph: 6 - 7
  • Temperature (c°): 25 - 30
  • Measures: 15 cm - 20cm
  • Aquarium Capacity:
    30 Liters - 8 Gallons
  • Behavior: Peaceful
  • Feeding: Carnivores
  • Habitat: American
  • Morphology: Thorns or pointed
  • Motion: Normal
  • Size: Medium
  • Swimming area: Swim in the middle of the aquarium, Swimming on aquarium surface, Vertical Swim
  • Taxonomy: Cichlids, Fish
  • Water Type: Sweet water, Tropical waters