Panda Angelfish

The Panda Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) is one of the most visually arresting variants in the cichlid world: bold, irregular splashes of jet black over a clean white or silver body, with none of the traditional vertical barring of their wild ancestors. These elegant fish reach a vertical height of up to 20 cm, making them true showpieces in any aquascape, particularly against tall driftwood and broad-leaved plants that suit their natural mid-to-upper water column preference.

A pair needs at least 115–150 litres, and the taller the tank the better, given those long trailing fins. They are relatively peaceful when young, but they are cichlids; as they mature, especially once pairing off, they will hold their territory. Keep water warm and stable at a pH of 6.5–7.5 and avoid dramatic parameter swings.

Steer clear of fin-nippers like Tiger Barbs and anything small enough to be considered prey once the Angelfish grows. They are observant feeders who respond well to slow-sinking granules, frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp. If you are looking to buy Panda Angelfish in South Africa, ours are hand-selected specimens with the quality you would expect from a working hatchery.