Altum Angelfish
By Douglas DuHamel
Although not commonly available, these wild angelfish may be the challenge you have been looking for. Still considered a rarity, Pterophyllum Altum, known as either the deep angel or Altum angel, is imported somewhat more frequently than P. Dumerilli. To the true angel fancier, this greater availability is very fortunate, because the Altum is easily the most beautiful of all angel species.
Admittedly, the Altum will be hard to find in your local pet shop. Should you happen to come across some and decide that you would like to set up an aquarium for them, it is important that you learn about the fish and its requirements (as you should for all fish). The conditions needed for the Altum angel to thrive are much different than for any tank-raised or wild P. Scalare. If you are willing to meet the requirements of the Altum, however, the challenge can be very rewarding.
Although wild phenotypes of P. Altum and P. Scalare sometimes share the trait of having their dorsums flecked with reddish-black dots. Only the Altum will have a second dark head bar, though faint, running down between the dark bar passing through the eye and the bar starting at the base of the first dorsal spine. The unpaired fins of the Altum do not have the light markings that are exhibited on the P. Scalare. The mouthparts of the Altum are notably extended away from the front of the head, much more than the P. Scalare. Altums have a curious habit of "yawning". If you have a chance to watch this happen, you will see that when fully opened, their mouths are much larger than they actually appear when closed.
Because wild fish, in particular, almost always have parasites of one type or another, it is best to maintain a quarantine tank for all new specimens before introducing them to established community aquariums. My quarantine tank setup consists of a 20-gallon tank with a hood, and a sponge filter to provide biological filtration, which is operated by a reliable air pump. I make sure that the water is de-chlorinated and I use a commercially prepared biological product containing the necessary nitrifying bacteria. This can speed up the process of having enough bacteria to begin a functioning nitrogen cycle in the sponge filter. These products, however, only work if they are fresh and have not been subjected to extreme temperatures. Keep in mind that Altums are extremely sensitive to elevated levels of ammonia and nitrite in their water. Efficient biological filtration is very important.
The Altums are fed a diet of live and frozen brine shrimp for the full quarantine period, which generally lasts 14 to 21 days. Wild-caught fish are used to eating natural foods, not commercial fish foods. I find that they usually take to brine shrimp readily, and after I can get them to eat, I will alternate these feedings with a high-quality granular fish food and/or frozen blood worms to build up their strength and weight. Occasionally, a specimen will have a slight case of fin rot. A one-week diet consisting exclusively of commercially prepared flake food impregnated with furazone and tetracycline is very effective in treating this problem.
Because of the Altum's obvious vertical orientation, and the possibility of it reaching its maximum size of 13 to 15 inches, or more, they must be housed in a deep, spacious tank. I have obtained good results by housing my Altums in 55-gallon tanks, heavily planted with large-sized varieties of plants from the Echinodorus, Vallisneria and Hygrophila groups. Not only do these types of plants, with their long and sometimes broad leaves, enhance the beauty of the Altums, they also provide excellent hiding areas for the fish and help them to establish territories amongst themselves. In addition, the fish like to pick at the vegetation. Indeed, you'll find that some hungry Altums may leave their marks on the leaves of your plants.
Although very peaceful, some Altums do exhibit the typical cichlid trait of being quite protective of their territories toward other tank members. For this reason, I make sure that each tank offers a large amount of swimming space for the curious ones who get a little too close to another's territory and need to get out of there in a hurry! Altums also like to pick at the substrate for food, and because of their extended and delicate mouthparts, they can become injured easily by sharp stones. It's best to use coarse gravel that has rounded edges to minimize the risk of injury.
Altums do best in water that is very soft (1 to 6 DH) and somewhat acidic (pH 5.8 to 6.6). Obtaining these water conditions can be achieved rather easily with the use of peat. Placing peat in an outside power filter or canister filter does an excellent job of getting the pH and hardness down to levels at which the Altums thrive. When using peat filtration, you will find that it has a distinct tendency to impart a yellowish or brownish coloration to the tank water. One of the side benefits of this coloration is that it blocks out the wavelengths of light that algae is dependent on for growth, thus significantly reducing unwanted algae growth on the glass of the tank.
Altums thrive when kept at temperatures ranging between 82 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that Altums are sensitive to temperature fluctuations and do not share the adaptability to such changes of their cousin, P. Scalare.
If in good health, Altums are not particularly picky eaters. They do extremely well on live brine shrimp, blood worms, Daphnia and mosquito larvae. The frozen forms of these foods are also eaten eagerly. It is beneficial to allow one day out of each week to be a fast day. This allows the fish to clear their digestive systems. After the fast day, I start with a feeding of brine shrimp. Brine shrimp have a layer of chitin around their bodies that serves as a source of fiber, which I find aids the fish in their digestion and seems to cut down on the occurrences of constipation.
I strongly recommend that Altums be given a tank to themselves. Because of their care and maintenance requirements, Altums do not make the best community fish. The one exception would be catfish of the genus Corydoras, which make good tank companions for Altums.
I have already mentioned that Altums are not seen very often in stores. In the last few years, however, even the common angelfish, P.scalare, has been in short supply due to somewhat mystifying problems. Unexplained mass deaths have occurred among angel populations, mainly at fish farms in the Far East and in some areas of this country. The cause of death, to my knowledge, has yet to be determined. What is certain is that previously abundant supplies of angels have been drastically reduced. When I was in the retail trade, I saw countless numbers of angels die in my tanks due to this problem. I would receive a shipment of angels in what seemed to be good health, only to have them waste away and die within three to four days after arrival. What makes the problem more frightening is that when healthy angels are exposed to "unhealthy" ones, they also succumb to the same problem.
Because of this serious problem, the Altum angel, when available, can serve as an alternative to the common angel. There is a need for commercial breeders and hobbyists to work toward successfully spawning P. Altum, for two reasons. First, the demand for Altums is increasing. Second, collecting wild specimens to meet this increased demand will jeopardize the very existence of Altums in their natural habitat.
Should you happen to come across these beautiful, delicate and intelligent cichlids on your next visit to your favorite aquarium store, consider setting up a large tank for them. I am sure you will find, as I have, that the Altum angel is one of the most challenging and rewarding fish you will ever have the privilege of keeping.
About the Author:
I have been in the tropical fish/aquarium hobby for the past 44 years. Over the years, I have bred over 300 species of tropical fish ranging from the common guppy to the most exotic African cichlids.
Over the past 15 years, I've raised and tamed various breeds of birds from tiny finches to large parrots. Just like a new parent, I've been up all hours of the night hand-feeding baby birds.
It gives me great pleasure to educate up and coming young people in the hobby. Of course, any age can reap the benefits of the aquatic atmosphere!
I would say that the most fulfilling aspect of raising birds is to take very tame birds to hospitals and let the patients interact with these fascinating creatures.
I live on the west coast of Canada with my collection of tanks, 3 cats, a dog and a fine lady. Besides my aquarium hobby, I enjoy playing chess and browsing the Internet to keep myself updated on "fishy" things.
Douglas may be contacted by email at Doug@lovethemfins.com.
Article courtesy of Suite101.com.
