Blue Smoke Pearlscale Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) pairs a soft, smoky blue-grey body pattern with the pearlscale mutation — raised, dimpled scales that catch the light and add a sparkling texture over the smoke coloring.
Feeding & Care Tip: Sera Vipan Tropical Flakes and Hikari Micro Pellets make excellent daily staples — crush flakes for juveniles. Supplement 2–3× per week with Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Bloodworms or Hikari Vibra Bites to bring out best color and condition. Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Brine Shrimp make an excellent treat for adult fish. Feed 2–3 times daily in small amounts.
Angelfish are tall, laterally compressed fish that need aquarium height as much as length — a minimum of 18 inches of water depth is recommended, and 24 inches is ideal for adults. A planted aquarium with tall plants such as Amazon Swords, Vallisneria, or tall Cryptocorynes provides the cover and vertical structure this species naturally inhabits. Gentle filtration is important — strong currents stress angelfish. Keep with peaceful community fish of similar size; avoid known fin-nippers and do not keep with small fish such as neon tetras that may be eaten as adults.
Angelfish are devoted and fascinating parents. Pairs bond for life — presenting a flat, vertical surface such as a broad Amazon Sword leaf, a smooth slate tile, or a piece of PVC pipe triggers spawning. The female lays rows of adhesive eggs which both parents fan and guard obsessively, chasing away all other fish in the aquarium. Eggs hatch in 24–48 hours and the wriggling larvae are typically moved to a pit in the substrate by the parents. Fry become free-swimming after another 5–7 days and can be fed freshly hatched baby brine shrimp.
Angelfish with the pearlscale mutation should be watched a little more closely during handling and bagging — the raised, dimpled scale texture can make the body surface slightly more delicate than a standard smooth-scaled angelfish. Otherwise, care requirements are identical to standard angelfish.
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful — semi-aggressive when breeding |
| Typical Adult Size | 6 inches body / up to 10 inches tall including fins |
| Min. Group Size | 4–6 minimum as juveniles; pairs as adults |
| Ideal Temp | 75–86°F (24–30°C) |
| Ideal pH | 6.0–7.5 |
| Ideal GH | 3–15 dGH |
| Ideal KH | 1–8 dKH |
| Staple Food | Sera Vipan Tropical Flakes; Hikari Micro Pellets |
| Treat / Supplement | Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Bloodworms; Hikari Vibra Bites; Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Baby Brine Shrimp; Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Brine Shrimp (adults) |
| Origin | Amazon basin (captive-bred color strain) |
| Notes | Pearlscale (raised, dimpled scale) mutation combined with a smoke color pattern. Scale texture is most visible under direct light. |
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