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Variety of Angelfish

Blushing angelfish

Pterophyllum scalare

One of 9 varieties of Pterophyllum scalare · See all varieties →

FreshwaterFish

Blushing angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)

Varieties · Pterophyllum scalare

See all 9 →

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–86°F
24–30°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Substrate spawner
Rarity
Very common
Family
Cichlidae

Overview

The blushing angelfish is largely clear silver white, with a pink patch behind each eye. Adults also pick up scattered silvery guanine patches on the body, which is normal for the form rather than a flaw. It is an easy, mostly peaceful fish for a tall community tank.

Did you know

The blushing angelfish's pink blush is not pigment at all. It is freshly oxygenated blood in the gills, seen through a gill cover that stays translucent. The pink retreats as the gill plate turns opaque with age, so an adult sold as Blushing may no longer blush.

Caring for the blushing angelfish

Give blushing angelfish a tall tank of at least 53 gal (200 L), since they grow noticeably taller than they are long. Driftwood and broad-leaved plants suit their tall bodies, and they spend most of their time in the middle of the tank.

They need warm water, at 75 to 86°F (24 to 30°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed quality flakes or pellets, with frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp for variety.

Blushing angelfish are mostly peaceful and fine alone or in a group. As cichlids, they can eat tiny fish such as small tetras, so leave those out. Skip fin-nippers too.

They are substrate spawners, laying their eggs on a vertical surface such as a broad leaf or a piece of slate. Pairs often stay together for life and guard the eggs as a team, fanning them and picking off any that go bad. A bonded pair will defend its spawning site.

Good to know

The blushing angelfish carries two doses of the stripeless gene (S/S). Stripeless shows intermediate inheritance, and a single dose gives the ghost, which keeps incomplete bars. The double dose leaves the gill cover translucent, and that same transparency lets koi and other stripeless based forms show the color stored underneath. Stripeless shares a locus with zebra, so a blushing fish can never also be a zebra.

In the wild

The blushing angelfish is a hobby mutation with no wild equivalent. When and where the stripeless mutation first appeared is not recorded in the hobby literature, so its origin is uncertain.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The blushing angelfish is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

Is a blushing angelfish a different species from the angelfish?

No. A blushing angelfish is a variety of the angelfish, Pterophyllum scalare, and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.

What size tank does a blushing angelfish need?

A blushing angelfish needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What does a blushing angelfish eat?

A blushing angelfish eats quality flakes or pellets, with frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp for variety.

How big does a blushing angelfish get?

An adult blushing angelfish reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

How does a blushing angelfish breed?

Blushing angelfish are substrate spawners that lay their eggs on a vertical surface, such as a broad leaf or slate. A pair guards the eggs together, fanning them and picking off any that go bad.

Related species