Altum Angel

fish description – Altum Angelfish Care Guide ($Pterophyllum\ altum$)

size – 2.5 inch

Category	Detail
Scientific Name	$Pterophyllum\ altum$
Common Name	Altum Angelfish, Deep Angelfish, Orinoco Altum
Origin	Upper Orinoco and Rio Negro basins (Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil)
Adult Size	12–15 inches (30–38 cm) in height (fin-tip to fin-tip)
Temperament	Peaceful, shy, sociable, can be territorial when breeding
Lifespan	10+ years
Care Level	Advanced (Sensitive to water quality and fluctuations)

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Appearance and Sexual Differences

 

• Short Description: This fish is characterized by its extreme vertical profile and long, flowing dorsal and anal fins, making it much taller than its length. It typically has a silver base color with distinctive dark vertical stripes.⁸ It possesses a noticeable forehead dip above the mouth.⁹

   

• Coloration: Silver base with 4–5 dark vertical bars.¹⁰ The pattern provides natural camouflage. Sexing is very difficult outside of spawning; males may develop a slight nuchal hump (forehead lump), and the breeding tubes differ slightly in shape and size.¹¹

   

• Fins: Extremely tall, flowing fins.¹²

   

• Behavior: A slow, graceful, and shy shoaling fish. They should be kept in groups to feel secure and prevent stress.¹³ They are sensitive to quick movements and changes in their environment.¹⁴

   

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Tank Requirements and Water Parameters

 

• Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons is the minimum, with a minimum height of 24 inches to accommodate their vertical profile. 120 gallons or larger is ideal for a stable, long-term group.
• Schooling: Should be kept in groups of at least 5–7 individuals to maintain social stability and reduce shyness. Pairs will form within the group.
• Temperature: High Tropical range: $82^\circ$–$86^\circ\text{F}\ (28^\circ$–$30^\circ\text{C})$. They require higher temperatures than most community fish.
• pH Level: Very soft and highly acidic water is essential: 4.5 to 6.5.¹⁵ Wild-caught specimens require pristine conditions with negligible hardness ($\text{GH}$ 0–3 $\text{dGH}$). Peat filtration and RO/DI water remineralization are highly recommended.¹⁶

   

• Aquascape: Requires a tall tank with tall, broad-leaf plants (Amazon Sword, Anubias), and tall driftwood arranged vertically to provide safe, shaded areas.¹⁷ Dim lighting (or floating plants) helps reduce stress. Filtration must be gentle but extremely efficient at maintaining biological stability. Small, frequent water changes are critical.¹⁸

   

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Diet and Feeding

 

The Altum Angelfish is a carnivorous micro-predator in the wild.

• Staple Diet: Should be fed a high-quality, sinking or slow-sinking food appropriate for cichlids. Wild-caught fish may initially require live food.¹⁹

   

• Supplementation: A varied diet is crucial.²⁰ Offer live or frozen protein-rich foods daily: Bloodworms (must be clean/quarantined), Brine Shrimp, Mysis Shrimp, and beef heart mixtures.

   

• Schedule: Feed once or twice a day. Ensure they get enough food, as they can be out-competed by faster fish.

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Compatibility

 

• Caution: Highly sensitive to poor water quality, nitrates, and sudden parameter changes.²¹ They should never be kept with small fish (e.g., Neon Tetras) as the large adults will opportunistically eat them.²² They are generally peaceful but become territorial around spawning sites.²³

   

• Good Tank Mates: Peaceful, robust, and larger characins that can handle the warm, soft, acidic water. Examples include Rummy Nose Tetras, Congo Tetras, Festivum Cichlids, and sizeable Corydoras catfish.