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Variety of Angelfish

Silver zebra angelfish

Pterophyllum scalare

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

FreshwaterFish

Silver zebra angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

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 silver zebra angelfish is a silver with extra body bars, and its striping carries on into the dorsal and anal fins. It is a mostly peaceful fish and easy to keep in a tall tank.

Did you know

Zebra and stripeless, the gene behind blushing and koi fish, are two versions of the same gene. A fish has room for at most two of them between the pair. That makes some advertised combinations genuinely impossible: there is no such thing as a zebra blushing angelfish.

Caring for the silver zebra angelfish

Silver zebra angelfish need height, so pick a tall tank of at least 53 gal (200 L). Their bodies grow taller than they are long, and driftwood and broad-leaved plants suit that shape. They spend most of their time in the middle of the tank.

Warm water at 75 to 86°F (24 to 30°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5 suits them. Give them quality flakes or pellets, with frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp for variety.

Silver zebra angelfish are mostly peaceful and do fine alone or in a group. They are still cichlids, so leave out tiny fish such as small tetras. Fin-nippers are a bad fit as well.

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 both fish fan the eggs with their fins to keep water moving.

Count bars when you buy. A zebra shows more bars than a silver of the same age. Look for three to five on the body, on top of the one through the eye. Stock varies, because single dose and double dose fish are both sold as Zebra.

Good to know

The silver zebra angelfish carries a dominant gene, so a single dose (Z/+) already shows the extra barring. Crossed to a silver, it passes to about half the fry. Single and double dose fish are hard to separate by eye, though Norton reports the double dose slows growth and throws more runts. Zebra also stacks onto other genes rather than replacing them, which is where named combinations such as zebra lace come from.

In the wild

The silver zebra angelfish is a hobby mutation of the ordinary silver and does not occur in wild angelfish. Joanne Norton worked out how zebra combines with other genes. She published Combinations of Zebra and Dark with Other Genes in FAMA in August 1982.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The silver zebra 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 silver zebra angelfish a different species from the angelfish?

No. A silver zebra 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 silver zebra angelfish need?

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

What does a silver zebra angelfish eat?

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

How big does a silver zebra angelfish get?

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

How does a silver zebra angelfish breed?

Silver zebra 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 fans the eggs to keep water moving.

Related species