Pterophyllum altum Dantume wild form

Decide whether an Altum suits your aquarium

The Altum Angelfish (Pterophyllum altum) is a freshwater cichlid from South America’s Amazon and Orinoco river basins. FishBase records a maximum length of 18 cm. This tall angelfish suits an experienced keeper who can maintain warm, very soft, acidic water, provide a tall and generously sized aquarium, establish an appropriate social group and manage a potentially reluctant feeder.

The decisive care target is the FishBase and Seriously Fish overlap of 28–31°C, pH 4.8–6.2 and 1–5 dGH. These values leave little room for a casual match with ordinary community conditions. Test the aquarium and its replacement water before deciding, then consider whether those values can remain stable through routine maintenance. Stability matters because Altums are very weak against nitrate build-up and extremely prone to stress-related disease.

Start with the non-negotiable conditions

Plan for at least 300 litres as a group-level starting point for a cichlid over 15 cm, and choose an aquarium sufficiently tall for a fully grown angelfish. OATA also advises allowing 40 litres per adult angelfish when calculating stocking. The 300-litre starting point and the per-fish allowance serve different purposes: use the larger result rather than treating 40 litres as a complete aquarium requirement.

This is an angelfish for a deliberate setup rather than a compromise between mismatched conditions. Water chemistry, adult height, social needs, feeding response and mouth size all need to work together. If one of those requirements conflicts with the existing aquarium, resolve it before adding the fish rather than expecting acclimatisation to remove the conflict.

Choose the dispatch size and sold unit

One purchase supplies one live fish in the size you select. The labels are 2–3 cm, 3–4 cm, 4–5 cm, 5–5.5 cm, XL (6–7 cm) and XXL (>7.5 cm). The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size. Plan every choice around the same recorded adult length of 18 cm and the tall body shape of a fully grown angelfish.

A smaller dispatch size does not reduce the long-term space, water or social requirements. It changes the size of the fish at dispatch and may affect how you coordinate its introduction with existing livestock. Compare the selected fish with the current size of every potential tank mate, remembering that both animals may continue growing. Do not use a temporary size relationship as the basis for permanent compatibility.

Understand what the offer does and does not select

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Pterophyllum altum Dantume wild form listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

Sexing this species is difficult: males develop a smaller version of the cichlid nuchal hump, usually only around breeding time. Appearance in the gallery therefore should not be used to choose or predict the sex of the fish supplied.

The gallery images are representative of this type of animal rather than photographs of the exact animal supplied, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal.

Compare the complete care requirement

Use the selector only to choose the dispatch size. Before making that choice, confirm that the aquarium can hold the FishBase and Seriously Fish overlap of 28–31°C, pH 4.8–6.2 and 1–5 dGH, that its height and overall capacity suit an adult Altum, and that the social plan follows OATA’s recommendation for a group or at least a pair. The setup also needs established biological filtration and tank mates too large to swallow.

For comparisons with other angelfish types, browse the angelfish collection. Compare adult dimensions, water chemistry and feeding demands rather than choosing solely by the fish’s dispatch size or visible pattern.

Hold the water inside the species range

Keep this Altum at 28–31°C, pH 4.8–6.2 and 1–5 dGH. The temperature is the overlap between FishBase’s recorded environment of 27–31°C and Seriously Fish aquarium guidance of 28–32°C. Both give pH 4.8–6.2; the hardness target of 1–5 dGH sits within FishBase’s 1–5 dH and Seriously Fish’s 0–5 dGH.

OATA’s broad American-cichlid guidance gives 22–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and 4–12 dGH for the group. Those figures do not describe the warm, acidic, very soft conditions required here. For this fish, use the species target rather than splitting the difference between incompatible ranges.

Measure before adjusting

Test temperature, pH and general hardness in the established aquarium and in the replacement water used for changes. Our water chemistry guide explains what each value represents, while the water matcher helps compare measured values with the target range. A single matching reading is only a starting point; repeat measurements reveal whether routine changes hold the aquarium steady.

Do not pursue an exact midpoint by making repeated abrupt adjustments. Every reading anywhere within 28–31°C, pH 4.8–6.2 and 1–5 dGH fits the stated target. Choose a stable point that the aquarium and replacement-water routine can reproduce, then investigate movement towards a boundary before it becomes an excursion beyond the range.

Use a simple decision rule

• If temperature is below 28°C or above 31°C: correct the cause and confirm the new reading before introduction.
• If pH is above 6.2: bring the aquarium and its replacement water within pH 4.8–6.2 before introduction.
• If hardness exceeds 5 dGH: establish a repeatable replacement-water plan before adding the fish.
• If readings move between tests: find the source of the movement instead of chasing each result separately.

Give the adult fish enough height and volume

Plan a tall aquarium of at least 300 litres as the starting point for this 18 cm cichlid. OATA recommends at least 300 litres for larger or more aggressive American cichlids over 15 cm, says fully grown angelfish need sufficient aquarium height, and advises a stocking allowance of 40 litres per adult angelfish. These are group planning figures rather than a species-specific aquarium measurement.

Use both calculations. Multiply the intended adult group by 40 litres, compare that result with 300 litres and follow the larger figure. A pair produces an 80-litre stocking allowance, but the 300-litre starting point remains the controlling figure because this species exceeds OATA’s 15 cm threshold. If a large group produces a result above 300 litres, the per-adult allowance becomes the controlling figure.

Volume alone cannot compensate for inadequate height. FishBase notes that the species may reach about 20 cm in height, so arrange wood, plants and equipment around that height. Keep the central routes free from hard obstructions that would force the fish through narrow gaps, while still providing the planted and wooded cover described for the species.

Build a sheltered, slow-flowing layout

Seriously Fish recommends a densely planted, well-covered aquarium with floating plants and broad-leaved plants to dim the light. Use roots and pieces of aquarium wood as overhanging branches to recreate its river habitat. Use sand or fine gravel because Altums may dig, and keep water flow low throughout the aquarium, because Altums favour very slow-flowing rivers.

Arrange wood securely and leave enough turning room for the adult body and fins. Broad leaves and overhead cover should create sheltered areas without forming traps. American cichlids may dig up or eat live plants. Check newly disturbed plants and wood before they become unstable.

Review the complete footprint

• Capacity: begin at 300 litres and apply the 40-litres-per-adult allowance.
• Height: allow for a fish that may reach about 20 cm in height.
• Cover: use dense planting, broad leaves, floating plants and roots.
• Substrate: choose sand or fine gravel that accommodates digging.
• Flow: keep water movement low throughout the aquarium.

Mature the filter before the fish arrives

Introduce this Altum only after the aquarium has a working biological filter and tests show zero ammonia and zero nitrite. The RSPCA explains that biological filtration supports bacteria that convert toxic ammonia first into toxic nitrite and then into safer nitrate. A filter running for a period of time is not enough on its own; the water tests need to show that waste is being processed.

OATA’s American-cichlid guidance also sets ammonia and nitrite at zero and advises that nitrate should not exceed 20 mg per litre above the normal level in the tap water. Altums require particular care here because they are very weak against nitrate build-up and extremely prone to stress-related disease.

Prepare the aquarium before increasing its load

Follow our guide to preparing and maturing a first aquarium before livestock is introduced. Add fish gradually because the beneficial bacterial population has to respond whenever livestock numbers and feeding increase. OATA warns that adding too many fish too quickly can cause new tank syndrome, in which the filter bacteria cannot process the resulting waste.

A larger aquarium generally gives more stability, but it still needs an appropriately functioning filter. Check the planned social group, existing livestock and expected feeding together. The relevant question is not simply whether the aquarium holds enough water; it is whether filtration can maintain zero ammonia and zero nitrite after the biological load changes.

Use a repeatable weekly routine

1. Test ammonia and nitrite at least once each week and keep both at zero.
2. Track nitrate against the tap-water baseline and keep the increase within 20 mg per litre.
3. Change 25% of the water at least once each week, using a siphon to remove solid waste where needed.
4. Treat replacement tap water with conditioner before adding it to the aquarium.
5. Check the filter for blockages and reduced operation.
6. If filter media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in removed aquarium water rather than beneath the tap, where chlorine or chloramine may damage beneficial bacteria.

Record results before and after maintenance until the routine becomes predictable. A log makes gradual movement easier to detect than relying on memory and shows whether replacement water is changing pH, hardness or temperature away from the Altum’s narrow target.

Establish feeding with live and frozen food

Use suitable live food regularly while establishing this Altum’s feeding response. Altums can be troublesome to feed, and wild-caught Altums may refuse food even when live items are offered. Once a fish is settled and taking live food reliably, mix frozen food with the accepted live food at feeding time and shift the balance gradually as the frozen food begins to be eaten.

Treat food acceptance as something to observe, not assume. A fish that ignores one presentation has not necessarily eaten enough from another. Watch each individual take food, especially in a group where faster fish may reach the meal first. Remove uneaten material before it breaks down and adds to the waste handled by the filter.

Match the food to the species response

As a group, American cichlids will often prefer meaty foods. OATA’s portion guidance is useful here: feed once a day and offer only what the fish can consume within a few minutes. Apply that portion rule while following the live-to-frozen transition above.

Offer a quality dried product only alongside food the fish already takes, and do not make immediate acceptance of flakes or pellets the plan on which the fish depends. Tank-bred Altums may well accept any food, including flake, but plan to provide live food regularly and use accepted live food when introducing frozen food.

Respond to what you see

• If live food is taken promptly: continue with a controlled portion and begin mixing in a small amount of frozen food.
• If frozen food is ignored: retain the accepted live component and make the transition more gradually.
• If one fish misses meals: observe individual feeding access rather than increasing the whole aquarium’s portion automatically.
• If food remains after a few minutes: remove it and reduce the next portion.
• If appetite falls: check the water and compare the fish’s breathing, swimming, colour and behaviour with its normal pattern.

Overfeeding does not solve reluctant feeding. OATA warns that excess food and faeces break down and release toxic waste. The useful measure is food actually consumed within a few minutes, not the amount placed into the aquarium.

Plan growth around length and height

Plan for an adult size of 18 cm total length. That is the maximum recorded length. Use that maximum as the size for every permanent decision.

Use 18 cm as the adult length for every aquarium, stocking and companion decision. Aquarium height is therefore a separate decision from litre capacity.

Allow for the angelfish body shape

An aquarium can have substantial volume yet still be poorly proportioned for a tall fish. Consider the depth of substrate, wood extending down from above, plant growth and equipment when judging the usable vertical space. Keep routes through the aquarium clear of rough or tightly packed objects.

Review the layout as the fish grows. Move or secure objects before they constrict established routes, and trim plants when dense growth removes too much usable space. Preserve sheltered areas and broad-leaved cover while keeping practical passages through the aquascape.

Use adult dimensions for every permanent decision

• Choose aquarium capacity and height for the adult fish.
• Assess tank mates by their adult size as well as their present size.
• Leave turning room between wood, plants and equipment.
• Expect the same warm, acidic, soft-water requirement throughout growth.
• Recalculate the 40-litres-per-adult stocking allowance whenever the planned group changes.

Follow the store arrival sequence

Arrange for someone to receive the parcel because live fish must not be left unattended. Start filming before the parcel is opened, showing the parcel still sealed and the outer box visible, then record the opening in one continuous take and show the fish still inside the bag. Open and inspect the parcel the same day it arrives. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish, and never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

Those steps come from our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy. The fish is hand-bagged in pure oxygen, placed in an insulated box and supplied with a heat pack when weather conditions call for one. Transport is handled through a tracked courier licensed to carry live animals.

Check the aquarium separately before opening

Before the parcel arrives, use the FishBase and Seriously Fish overlap for temperature, pH and hardness, and follow OATA’s water-quality guidance for ammonia and nitrite.

• Confirm that the aquarium is within 28–31°C, pH 4.8–6.2 and 1–5 dGH.
• Confirm ammonia and nitrite are zero.
• Make sure the filter is operating normally and the planned release area is accessible.
• Have a method ready to release the fish without adding transport water to the aquarium.

Preparation prevents the fish remaining in the transport bag while water, equipment or stocking questions are resolved. The arrival procedure is for temperature acclimatisation and release; it does not make unsuitable aquarium chemistry, social conditions or tank mates safe.

Set first-week checkpoints

After release, watch for changes in swimming, colour, breathing, temperament, appearance, body condition and feeding. Establish a simple baseline: where the fish normally rests, how it swims, how quickly its gill covers move, whether its fins and scales remain intact, and whether it takes food. Compare later observations with that baseline rather than judging one behaviour in isolation.

Check the same features regularly and record the water values alongside them. A darkening or paling fish, unusual hiding, surface hanging, bottom sitting, erratic swimming, altered breathing or reduced appetite calls for prompt investigation. Begin with water testing because temperature, pH, hardness, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate can all be checked directly.

Act early on health changes

Respond to a change in behaviour or appearance by testing the water and comparing the result with the fish’s normal conditions. Keep water within the FishBase and Seriously Fish overlap of 28–31°C, pH 4.8–6.2 and 1–5 dGH; ammonia and nitrite must remain at zero. Check nitrate against the tap-water baseline and keep the rise within OATA’s limit of 20 mg per litre.

Use visible changes as prompts

Do not respond to every symptom by adding an unspecified treatment. The same visible change can accompany different problems, while an unsuitable treatment can add another stressor. Record when the change began, the measured water values, recent maintenance, new livestock and feeding response, so later observations can be compared with the start of the change.

Protect the biological filter during maintenance

If testing identifies a water-quality problem, preserve the beneficial bacteria while correcting it. Use conditioned replacement water and rinse filter media only in removed aquarium water. Check for blockages rather than replacing established media automatically. Continue testing until ammonia and nitrite are zero and the readings remain stable.

Seriously Fish highlights stress-related disease and nitrate sensitivity in Altums. Consistent water chemistry, controlled feeding, gradual stocking and a functioning filter therefore form the preventive routine. Observation works best when normal behaviour has already been recorded, because a change can then be recognised before it becomes severe.

Exclude fish small enough to swallow

Avoid fish small enough to fit into an Altum’s mouth. Seriously Fish specifically names Neon Tetras, Guppies and Pygmy Rasboras among the fish an Altum treats as prey. A calm appearance or a peaceful community label does not remove that mouth-size risk.

Peaceful larger fish are the appropriate starting category, provided they also match the FishBase and Seriously Fish overlap of 28–31°C, pH 4.8–6.2 and 1–5 dGH. Altums can be kept happily with Discus because the two have similar water requirements. OATA also says calmer American cichlids such as angelfish can be mixed in a robust community with larger shoaling fish.

Screen every proposed companion

Assess invertebrates individually by adult size, ability to fit into the fish’s mouth, water requirements and access to food; do not assume that an invertebrate is safe simply because it occupies another part of the aquarium. The same screening rule applies to fish not named above.

Consider changing size relationships

Compare adult sizes rather than relying on how animals look on the day of introduction. A companion that is too large to swallow at first can still become vulnerable if the Altum grows faster, while a larger companion may create a different competition or space problem. Review the relationship whenever growth changes the balance.

For a stocking and compatibility assessment, contact us with the aquarium volume and height, measured water values, the number and adult size of each resident, and the proposed Altum group. Those details permit a more useful assessment than common names alone.

Keep a group or at least a pair

Keep Altum Angelfish in a group or as a pair at minimum. OATA describes angelfish as social and warns that individuals kept alone may become stressed. This is angelfish group guidance, so use it as the social starting point while applying the stricter species water, feeding and space requirements elsewhere in the plan.

Decide the intended adult group before choosing the aquarium. Every additional fish changes the space calculation, biological load and feeding competition. Use the 300-litre planning floor, apply OATA’s 40-litres-per-adult allowance and then choose the larger result. The aquarium must also remain sufficiently tall for each adult fish.

Build the social plan deliberately

• One fish: routine solitary keeping conflicts with OATA’s angelfish recommendation and may cause stress.
• A pair: this is the minimum social arrangement named by OATA, but it still requires the full adult space and water plan.
• A group: calculate capacity for every adult and make sure each individual can reach food.

Do not compensate for an undersized aquarium by reducing cover or creating strong flow. This species still needs planted shelter, roots, a soft substrate and low water flow throughout the aquarium. Social space and habitat structure have to fit together.

Add livestock at the filter’s pace

OATA advises increasing fish numbers gradually so the established bacterial population can respond to the additional waste and feeding. A social plan may call for more than one angelfish, but the biological filter must still remain capable of holding ammonia and nitrite at zero after each change.

Observe individuals rather than treating the group as one unit. Check that each fish swims normally, maintains body condition and takes food. If one individual repeatedly misses meals, change feeding access and investigate the reason instead of increasing every portion and allowing uneaten food to accumulate.

Answer common Altum care questions

How big does Pterophyllum altum Dantume wild form get?

It reaches a maximum recorded 18 cm total length. Plan a tall aquarium as well as sufficient volume because an Altum may reach about 20 cm in height.

What size aquarium does Pterophyllum altum Dantume wild form need?

OATA’s American-cichlid guidance supports at least 300 litres for a fish over 15 cm, a sufficiently tall aquarium for angelfish and a stocking allowance of 40 litres per adult.

How many Pterophyllum altum Dantume wild form should I keep together?

Keep a group or at least a pair, as OATA advises for angelfish; an angelfish kept alone may become stressed. Plan capacity and feeding access for every adult.

Is Pterophyllum altum Dantume wild form suitable for beginners?

It is better suited to experienced keepers. Seriously Fish describes Altums as challenging because they require very warm, acidic, soft water and can be difficult to feed.

What does Pterophyllum altum Dantume wild form eat?

Establish it with suitable live food, then mix frozen food with accepted live food to encourage a transition. OATA’s group guidance says to feed once daily and only what is eaten within a few minutes.

What temperature and pH does this Altum need?

Keep it at 28–31°C, pH 4.8–6.2 and 1–5 dGH. These are the overlapping limits of FishBase’s recorded environment and Seriously Fish aquarium guidance.

Is this fish aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Judge it primarily by mouth size: an Altum treats any fish small enough to fit into its mouth as prey. Use peaceful larger companions and screen their water, space and feeding requirements individually.

Which animals can this Altum live with?

Seriously Fish supports peaceful larger fish and names Discus when water requirements match. Avoid Neon Tetras, Guppies, Pygmy Rasboras and other fish small enough to fit into its mouth.

How does it arrive alive at my UK address?

It is hand-bagged in pure oxygen, placed in an insulated box with a heat pack when weather calls for one, and carried by a tracked licensed live-animal courier. Be home to receive it, start filming while the parcel is still sealed, record the opening and fish in the bag, then float the bag for 20–30 minutes before release.

Consult the care references

• FishBase: Pterophyllum altum — identity, family, South American distribution, recorded environment, maximum length and height.
• Seriously Fish: Pterophyllum altum — aquarium water, layout, feeding, behaviour, compatibility and sexing.
• OATA: How to look after American cichlids — group guidance on social keeping, aquarium planning, feeding, water quality and maintenance.
• RSPCA aquarium environment guidance — biological filtration and aquarium waste processing.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy — packing, receipt and acclimatisation procedure.