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Pterophyllum scalare (Schultze, 1823) Freshwater angelfish |
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photo by
Maceda, A. |
| Family: | Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Cichlasomatinae | |||
| Max. size: | 10.5 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 25.0 g | |||
| Environment: | benthopelagic; freshwater; pH range: 6 - 8; dH range: 5 - 13 | |||
| Distribution: | South America: Amazon River basin, in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, along the Ucayali, Solimões and Amazon rivers; rivers of Amapá (Brazil), Rio Oyapock in French Guiana; Essequibo River in Guyana. | |||
| Diagnosis: | Body compressed and disc-shaped; dorsal and anal spiny rays increasing in length from anterior to posterior part of the fin; first branched rays also very long; body height at anal fin level 1.07 to 1.29 times in SL; body color silvery with dark vertical bars (7 in juveniles, 4 in adults) (Ref. 35237). | |||
| Biology: | Inhabit swamps or flooded grounds where the aquatic and riverine vegetation are dense and the water is either clear or silty. Its color is deeper in clear water (Ref. 35237). One of the most popular of all the tropical aquarium fish. Maximum length 15 cm TL (Ref. 7020). Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; keep pairs in small tanks for breeding; minimum aquarium size 100 cm (Ref. 51539). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 November 2020 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||