Angelfish - Pterophyllum scalare breeding
If the dream of any experienced aquarium fish breeder is to have in his/her aquariums at least 2 discuses, the dream of a beginner breeder is to have at least 2 scalars. The first aq
uarium will be populated with a big variety of fish and the scalars won`t be absent. The spreading area is between the middle Amazon areas, north area of South America, Guyana and Orinoco area. It`s a round body fish, sharp mouth, very flattened. It looks more high than long, because of its dorsal and anal fins which are very remarkable. The background is colored in shining silvery. The length is about 15 cm and the height is 25 cm (for veiled forms, these sizes are over fulfilled). The forehead is a little convex, the back and scruff are brown to olive and the abdominal area has blue iridescence. Most of the times it has 4 lateral and vertical lines colored in dark blue which are organized like this:
- the first one crosses the eye and reaches the neck
- the 2nd one starts under the first rays of the dorsal fin and reaches the anus
- the 3rd one, the widest, starts from the upper end of the dorsal fin end ends exactly near the low end of the anal fin
- the 4th one covers the base of the tail (till the start of the caudal fin rays).
In the spaces between these lines some other lines more or less colored can appear, and sometimes even the 4 main lines can be absent. The breeding temperature is about 24° C, and in the reproduction period it needs 26-28° C.
P. scalare is relatively easy to breed in the aquarium, although one of the results of generations of inbreeding is that many breeds have almost completely lost their rearing instincts resulting in the tendency of the parents to eat their young. In addition, it is very difficult to accurately identify the gender of any individual until they are nearly ready to breed.
Angelfish pairs form long-term relationships where each individual will protect the other from threats and potential suitors. Upon the death or removal of one of the mated pair, some breeders have experienced a total refusal of the other mate to pair up with any other angelfish; others have had more success with subsequent mates. Both parents care for the young.
Depending upon aquarium conditions, P. scalare reaches sexual maturity at the age of six to twelve months or more. In situations where the eggs are removed from the aquarium immediately after spawning, the pair is capable of spawning every seven to ten days. Around the age of approximately three years, spawning frequency will decrease and eventually cease.
When the pair is ready to spawn, the pair will choose an appropriate medium upon which to lay the eggs and spend one to two days picking off detritus and algae from the surface. This medium may be a broad-leaf plant in the aquarium, a flat surface such as a piece of slate placed vertically in the aquarium, a length of pipe, or even the glass sides of the aquarium. The female will deposit a line of eggs on the spawning substrate, followed by the male who will fertilize the eggs. This process will repeat itself until there are a total of 100-600 eggs. The pair will take turns maintaining a high rate of water circulation around the eggs by swimming very close to the eggs and fanning the eggs with their lateral fins. In a few days, the eggs will hatch and the fry will remain attached to the spawning substrate. During this period, the fry will not eat and will survive by consuming the remains of their yolk sacs. At one week, the fry will detach and become free-swimming. Successful parents will keep close watch on the eggs until they become free-swimming. Once they begin swimming, the parents will clean them by sucking them into their mouths and spitting them out. At the free-swimming stage, the fry can be fed newly-hatched brine shrimp ; frozen or fresh.
P. altum is notably difficult to breed in an aquarium environment.
For being able to breed this fish, we need more years aquaria experience, and theoretical knowledge that most of us don`t have. It`s not enough to have an aquarium, water, aquatic plants, a vibrator and maybe a heater in order to buy two or four discuses and claim that we are discus breeders. We can`t say we are discus breeders even if we have discuses in our aquariums 
The literature about Symphysodon discus has improved in the last 10-15 years, but most of the aquarium fish breeders don`t have access to it, same thing happening with other aquarium fish species too. In Romania there are some breeders, also in Bucharest, who reproduce this fish regularly, which used to have a methodic price before the revolution (anyone could afford buying it). But let`s get back to the requests of breeding discuses, requests that are very important to fulfill. Of course we need an aquarium (but not any kind of aquarium), water (but not any kind of water) and temperature (but not as for other aquarium fish species, discuses need a constant temperature maintained at 28-31° C using a thermostat). Why do the discuses need such a special care, different than any other species? What are the differences between discuses and other aquarium fish, even those from the same natural habit?