Blue Leopardskin Angelfish Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

Blue Leopardskin Angelfish are a cultivated form of the freshwater angelfish, Pterophyllum scalare. They combine the species' tall, laterally compressed body and elongated fins with a leopard-like pattern of dark spots and broken markings over silvery, bluish or smoky tones. The exact colour intensity varies between individuals and breeding lines, and mature fish can develop especially impressive finnage.

Pterophyllum scalare is native to the slow-moving rivers, flooded forests and tributaries of the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo basins in South America, including areas of Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Guyana and French Guiana. Blue Leopardskin is a selectively bred aquarium colour and pattern variety rather than a distinct wild population.

A group of Blue Leopardskin Angelfish needs at least 250 litres, with a tank measuring roughly 120 cm long by 45 cm wide and 50 cm high; a taller aquarium is preferable because of their body shape and extended fins. Use fine sand or smooth gravel, with driftwood, rockwork and hardy plants arranged to provide cover and visual breaks without removing open swimming space. Tall plants and broad-leaved vegetation can help the fish feel secure, while gentle to moderate circulation and reliable filtration suit their naturally calm, slow-water habitat. Keep the aquarium at approximately 24–30°C, ideally around 26–28°C, with a pH of about 6.0–7.5.

Adults can reach around 15 cm (6 in) in body length, excluding the fins. Including the extended dorsal and anal fins, large individuals may approach 25 cm (10 in) in total height. Females are usually similar in maximum size to males, although males can sometimes be slightly larger and more robust.

Blue Leopardskin Angelfish are omnivores and should receive a varied diet based on a quality cichlid pellet or flake. Supplement this with frozen or live foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia and mosquito larvae, along with occasional spirulina-based foods or other vegetable matter. Feed modest portions that are consumed promptly, particularly with young fish, which benefit from several small meals each day.

They can live with peaceful, medium-sized community fish that appreciate similar warm, soft-to-neutral water, including larger tetras, peaceful rasboras, Corydoras, peaceful plecos and some compatible South American cichlids. Avoid fin-nipping species such as tiger barbs, highly aggressive cichlids and boisterous tankmates that may harass their long fins. Adult angelfish may eat very small fish, shrimp and newly hatched fry, while breeding pairs can become territorial toward other angelfish and bottom-dwelling companions.

Blue Leopardskin Angelfish form monogamous pairs and usually choose a broad, vertical surface such as a slate, plant leaf or aquarium glass to spawn on. Condition a prospective pair with varied, protein-rich foods, then provide clean, warm, slightly acidic to neutral water. The female lays rows of adhesive eggs while the male fertilises them, and both parents may fan and guard the clutch. Eggs generally hatch in around two to three days, with free-swimming fry appearing several days later. Parents may raise the young, although separate rearing is sometimes needed if the eggs or fry are eaten.

Males and females are difficult to distinguish reliably outside breeding condition. Mature males may have a broader head, a more pronounced forehead and a larger, sometimes more angular body, whereas females often appear slightly rounder. The clearest difference is the breeding tube: the female's is broader and blunt, while the male's is narrower and more pointed.