Egg Stages of Angel Fish

Angelfish are graceful fish species, and having them in your aquarium is worth everything. They have magnificent fins and beautiful colors making them a favorite of every aquarist. They don’t demand too much care and are easy to care for.

With such ease of maintenance and beautiful appearance, breeding Angelfish is what one usually does. So before breeding knowing the egg stages of Angelfish comes as a precondition. Knowing the egg stages of Angelfish, it will be easier for you to take care of the egg as you will know what comes or happens next. You can also make the decision wisely about what to do if something doesn’t go right. 

This article is here to explain to you everything about the eggs of Angelfish and the stages they go through. So without any delay, let’s move forward.

Angelfish Egg stages 

As the breeding commences and the female gets ready for spawning, the first thing that the female does is clean the spot where she will lay her eggs. The female can take about a day or so to clean the spawning site. The area where she will lay her eggs can be a plant or décor, or types of equipment anywhere the female finds it suitable. 

But it is better to provide a slate or a surface for the female to lay her eggs. The reason for this is to remove the eggs easily from the tank.

Egg laying stage 

After all, the cleaning is done and the spawning site is ready the female will lay her eggs. The texture of the eggs is sticky. The eggs are transparent in color and appear as tiny little dots.

The male then fertilizes the eggs. The Angelfish are excellent parents. They will protect their eggs vigorously and provide oxygenation to the eggs at all times. 

Although there is no assurance that all the eggs will become fertilized. Some will miss the opportunity and therefore remain unfertilized.

The unfertilized eggs will develop fungus and get a white appearance. The eggs with fungus in them are not good and you can remove them manually using a tweezer. The parent Angelfish also works to remove them. 

Pre Hatching Stage 

The fertilized eggs after about 2 or 3 days start to developing larvae.

The eggs become brown or amber and the movement of the larvae is visible within the egg. The larvae can be seen attached to the yolk sack.

There is even a beating heart and flow of blood. But these things are only visible through a microscope. 

Wriggler Stage 

The brown and amber eggs are followed by hatching and the wriggler stage. In this stage, the larvae can be seen outside the egg and appear similar to worms.

Although they are not completely independent. They will remain attached to the spawning site via a filament in their heads. They get their nutrition from the yolk.

At this stage, they are still under development. Their internal organs, eyes, etc are still developing.

Fry Stage 

After the next 5 to 6 days the attached larvae will become independent swimming fry.

The yolk sack is no longer their source of nutrition. The fry is fully developed in this stage. Their organs, eyes, and everything are developed.

Although not all fry is independent. Some of them prefer living in solace close to their parents. 

How to take care of the eggs? 

After the eggs are laid and fertilized you should take the parents out or move the eggs to another tank. As inexperienced Angelfish eat their eggs, so precaution is better than cure.

Removing the eggs away from the parents means that you are the one who has to take care of them. 

Although it is not difficult to take care of the eggs. First off you have to identify the unfertilized eggs and remove them.

You will also have to treat the water with a fungicide such as methylene blue. With this, your eggs will be away from the danger of getting fungus. You will also have to aerate the eggs for oxygenation. For that, you can use an air stone.

How to take care of Angelfish fry? 

As the wriggler develops into the free swimming fry, you have to take care of the Angelfish fry. The Angelfish fry won’t have their yolk hanging around for nutrition once they become independent.

So it is up to you to provide them with nutrition and take care of the fry. For two days, the fish fry will eat infusoria and get its nutrition. 

After that, you will have to start feeding them food. You can give the fry micro worms and just hatched brine shrimp.

Then after a few days, you can begin feeding them flakes by crushing them. Then you can follow it up with fish food after a few weeks. Then after about eight months, the fry becomes mature and begins to form pairs.

Breeding of Angelfish 

Angelfish can breed easily, and their breeding process is as simple as it can get.

The female will clean the spawning site and lay eggs. The males will fertilize the eggs, and after that, it is just a waiting game. The eggs will hatch in two to three days. 

You can breed them in captivity as well. The most difficult part about breeding Angelfish is determining a pair, as it is near impossible to tell apart a male and a female Angelfish.

If you have a pair, then it is well and good. To breed Angelfish a breeding tank is necessary. Once you manage to get a pair, everything will go smoothly then.

Conclusion 

Angelfish egg stages are not complicated at all. They go through a simple process of development that is not hard to grasp at all. The eggs become fertilized, then hatch and become wrigglers, and then followed by free swimming fry, see nothing complicated. With knowing the egg stages it is also easy for you to take care of them. You should take care of them on your own as parents Angelfish can eat the eggs.