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Variety of Angelfish

Gold angelfish

Pterophyllum scalare

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

FreshwaterFish

Gold angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
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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 gold angelfish is a plain fish, running from pale cream to a strong yellow forehead, with no bars at any age. It is mostly peaceful and an easy fish to keep, given a tall tank.

Did you know

The gold angelfish in shops today is not the gold that started the craze. Norton noted that the older Naja gold did not stay gold for its whole life. The New Gold that followed it holds the color from fry to adult.

Caring for the gold angelfish

Gold angelfish need a tall tank of at least 53 gal (200 L), because their bodies grow taller than they are long. Set it up with driftwood and broad-leaved plants for vertical structure. They swim mostly in the middle of the tank.

Keep the water at 75 to 86°F (24 to 30°C), with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Offer quality flakes or pellets, plus frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp.

Gold angelfish are mostly peaceful, alone or in a group, but they are still cichlids. Leave out tiny fish such as small tetras, which can end up eaten, and avoid fin-nippers.

They are substrate spawners that lay their eggs on a vertical surface, such as a broad leaf or a piece of slate. A bonded pair defends its spawning site, and a practiced pair will spawn again and again on the same favorite leaf or slate.

Depth of color varies between suppliers and with condition, so one tank labeled Gold can hold near white fish alongside deep yellow ones. Young fish are often paler than they will finish, so judge a batch by its largest fish.

Good to know

The gold angelfish's color comes from New Gold, a recessive gene, so two doses are needed for the look. A plain silver can carry one dose invisibly. New Gold sits at the dark locus alongside dark, marble and gold marble, and dark is dominant over it. Gold bred to gold comes true, which is why the variety stays consistent from hatchery to hatchery.

In the wild

The gold angelfish is a hobby mutation and does not occur in wild angelfish. In 1982 Joanne Norton wrote up three gold mutations in FAMA. The Naja or Wingate gold was the first on the market, in 1970. The others were the Hong Kong gold and New Gold, which was imported into the United States from Singapore in 1973. New Gold is the one modern gene lists carry. Angels Plus lists the Hong Kong gold at a locus of its own and notes it is probably lost to the hobby.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The gold 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 gold angelfish a different species from the angelfish?

No. A gold 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 gold angelfish need?

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

What does a gold angelfish eat?

A gold angelfish eats quality flakes or pellets, plus frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp.

How big does a gold angelfish get?

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

How does a gold angelfish breed?

Gold angelfish are substrate spawners that lay their eggs on a vertical surface, such as a broad leaf or slate. A bonded pair defends the site and often spawns there again and again.

Related species