Pterophyllum scalare Pinoy green ghost

Pinoy green ghost angelfish at a glance

Pterophyllum scalare Pinoy green ghost is a colour form of the freshwater angelfish, a tall, laterally flattened cichlid from the Amazon basin of South America. Pinoy green ghost is the trade name the fish is sold under; biologically it is the same species as the familiar silver, marble and koi angelfish, so it needs the same space, water and social planning. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes lists Pterophyllum scalare (Schultze, 1823) as the accepted name, in the family Cichlidae. It should not be confused with the altum angelfish, Pterophyllum altum, which is a separate species rather than a premium colour strain. Wild freshwater angelfish are assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Each purchase supplies one live fish of the size you choose, from 1.5–2 cm to 4–5 cm. The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size. FishBase records a maximum length of 15 cm for freshwater angelfish, and the extended dorsal and anal fins can make an adult roughly 20–25 cm tall from fin tip to fin tip. A fish that looks tiny in its bag will need a tall, roomy aquarium as it grows.

The key decision comes before the order: plan for an adult pair or a deliberately managed group in a tall tank of roughly 200 litres, with water held steadily in the mid-20s °C. Angelfish are social and can become stressed when kept alone, yet they are still cichlids that squabble among themselves and may swallow very small tank mates. If that plan fits your aquarium, this is a graceful, long-finned centrepiece fish that is usually calm enough for a well-chosen community.

Sizes, sex and the photograph

The four sizes describe the fish when it is packed, in centimetres. All of them are young angelfish, so none is a shortcut past planning for the adult:

A larger young fish is further along its growth; a smaller one is simply earlier on the same path. Whichever size you choose, set the tank, companions and group plan for the adult. The page shows which sizes can be ordered when you check out.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Pterophyllum scalare Pinoy green ghost listing has no sex-guaranteed option. Young angelfish cannot be sexed reliably by body shape, fin angle or colour, which is one reason a group of youngsters is a common route to a natural pair.

Gallery images have been digitally enhanced to improve image quality. Natural colour, pattern, size and maturity can vary between live animals.

The photograph shows an adult-looking fish with a pale, silvery olive-green body, no dark vertical bands and long, finely rayed fins. The fish you receive will be much smaller and younger. Colour is not a care rating: no colour form is known to be hardier or calmer than another, so the plan on this page applies to every form in our range of freshwater angelfish.

Every size shares the same plan, set out in the sections below: a mature tank, steady water in the mid-20s °C, measured feeding and companions chosen for the adult fish rather than the youngster.

Tank size, height and footprint

Angelfish grow upward as well as forward, so height matters as much as volume. Seriously Fish gives a 100 × 40 cm base as the smallest to consider for adults, which at 50 cm tall holds about 200 litres, and recommends a tank at least 50 cm tall. FishBase likewise gives a minimum aquarium length of 100 cm for the species.

OATA, the UK ornamental fish trade body, recommends at least 120 litres for a pair of the smaller American cichlids and adds that angelfish need an aquarium that is sufficiently tall once fully grown. Read that as a floor for a compatible pair, not a target. For shoaling species such as angelfish, OATA also suggests allowing 40 litres per adult fish when you work out overall stocking.

OATA's general rule is to buy an aquarium as large as is reasonably possible. A young fish looks lost in a 200-litre aquarium at first, but buying the tank for the adult avoids a rushed move later, and OATA points out that a larger volume keeps temperature and water quality more stable. Tall dimensions still need horizontal turning space; a narrow column of water suits the fins but not the fish. Our full freshwater angelfish care guide compares these tank figures in more depth and explains why height catches keepers out.

If you are setting up from scratch, work through our step-by-step guide to preparing a first tropical tank and confirm the filter is mature with test results before any angelfish arrives. A calendar alone cannot prove that a tank has cycled.

What to have ready before ordering

Angelfish settle best when everything is in place before the parcel arrives. Use this as a practical checklist:

• A cycled tank with test results: zero ammonia and nitrite on your own test kit, not just a number of weeks since set-up.
• Test kits: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH at minimum, plus GH and KH so you know what your tap water supplies.
• Heater and thermometer: the tank already holding a steady temperature within 24–27 °C before the fish arrives.
• Tap water conditioner: enough for the first water changes, since chlorine and chloramine harm fish and filter bacteria.
• A secure lid and tall planting or wood already in place, so the new fish has cover from the first hour.
• A tank-mate plan: companions chosen for the adult angelfish, not for the size you are buying.
• A quarantine or spare tank if you already keep fish, or a clear plan for where a bullied fish would go.

Having these ready keeps arrival day calm, and the fish goes straight into water that already suits it.

Water targets and testing

For routine care, aim for 24–27 °C, pH 6.5–8.0 and a general hardness of about 5–12 dGH. Those targets sit where the species ranges recorded by FishBase overlap with the OATA care sheet for American cichlids, which is broad guidance for the whole group rather than an angelfish optimum.

The 30 °C figure marks the warm end of the recorded range, not a setting to aim for. Seriously Fish gives a lower pH band (6.0–7.4) than OATA, so softer, slightly acidic water is also within the species' recorded needs; what matters most is that the water is stable. Match the water the fish has been living in, make any change gradually, and avoid sudden swings in temperature, pH or hardness.

Water quality comes before chemistry. OATA sets these limits for American cichlids:

• Ammonia: zero mg per litre.
• Nitrite: zero mg per litre.
• Nitrate: no more than 20 mg per litre above your tap water level.
• Testing: at least once a week, and before any new fish is added.

Because the nitrate limit is measured against your tap water, test the tap as well as the tank so you know your starting point.

Carbonate hardness (KH) measures the water's buffering capacity, which helps keep pH steady. OATA suggests soft to medium KH of 3–10 °dKH for American cichlids, so test it alongside pH rather than on its own.

If GH, KH and pH are unfamiliar, our guide to aquarium water parameters and what to test explains what each reading means and why it moves. Once you have readings for your tap and tank water, the water parameter matcher lets you compare them side by side with the targets above. Avoid fixed recipes for mixing RO and tap water: measure GH, KH and pH first, because tap water differs from one area to another.

Check temperature with a thermometer rather than trusting the heater dial alone.

Layout, flow and equipment

Freshwater angelfish come from the Amazon basin in Peru, Colombia and Brazil, along the Ucayali, Solimões and Amazon rivers, with further populations in the rivers of Amapá in Brazil, the Oyapock in French Guiana and the Essequibo in Guyana. The type locality is the lower Amazon in Brazil, and fish recorded in Suriname are an introduced population rather than a native one.

In the wild, FishBase records adults in swamps and flooded ground where aquatic and riverside vegetation is dense and the water is clear or silty, and notes that the fish colours up more deeply in clear water. In the aquarium, that translates into tall planting, upright wood or roots, and plenty of open water where an adult can turn without catching its fins.

• Planting: Seriously Fish recommends a well-planted tank with tall, leafy plants such as Amazon swords. Vertical plants and wood also break sight lines between rival fish.
• Flow: keep the current gentle. For a tank of about 200 litres, Seriously Fish suggests a filter rated around 800–1000 litres per hour, which gives four to five turnovers an hour; angle the outlet so it does not blast across the open swimming area.
• Heating: roughly 200–275 W holds a tank of that size at 24–30 °C in a room of about 20 °C, on Seriously Fish's sizing.
• Substrate: OATA recommends fine aquarium gravel or sand, because many American cichlids dig or sift the substrate when feeding or breeding and may dig up or eat live plants. Anchor plants and décor firmly.
• Décor: choose smooth rock and wood with no sharp edges that could tear long fins.
• Lid: fit a secure cover and leave access for maintenance. An angelfish that jumps must be returned to aquarium water straight away.

Low flow never means stagnant water. The filter still has to keep the water clean and well oxygenated; the aim is simply that the fish is not forced to swim against a strong current all day.

Feeding at every size

According to Seriously Fish, wild angelfish are omnivores that feed mainly on small crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates. Aquarium angelfish accept pellets and flakes readily and relish live or frozen foods, so a varied diet built on a good staple is straightforward to provide.

• Staple: a complete cichlid pellet or granule, or a quality flake, in a size the fish can swallow. For a 1.5–2 cm fish that means fine granules or crushed flake; move to larger pellets as the fish grows.
• Variety: frozen or freeze-dried daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm, which OATA names as suitable extras for the smaller American cichlids.
• Portions: OATA's general advice for American cichlids is to feed only what is eaten within a few minutes, once a day. Cichlids can eat a lot in one sitting, and leftover food breaks down into waste that harms water quality.
• Fair shares: watch every fish at feeding time. A shy or subordinate angelfish can be pushed away from food by faster tank mates or by a dominant pair.

Treat bloodworm and brine shrimp as supplements rather than the whole diet. A controlled study of freshwater angelfish on different feed types found that diet affected growth and breeding performance, which supports a balanced staple plus variety; it does not set a feeding timetable for a home aquarium. Judge portions by the fish's body profile over the weeks rather than by how eagerly it begs.

Many keepers notice angelfish gathering at the front glass whenever someone approaches. That is learned food anticipation, a pleasant part of keeping them, but not a sign that they need feeding again.

Remove anything left uneaten after feeding. Never use fasting, special foods or medicated food as a way to diagnose a fish that is swimming or behaving oddly; test the water first.

Arrival day and the first weeks

Every order is hand-packed by our team, bagged in pure oxygen and sent in an insulated box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it. A tracked, licensed live-animal courier carries the parcel, and you receive the tracking number and your confirmed Thursday or Friday delivery date by email. Someone needs to be at the address to receive it, because live fish cannot be left unattended. Our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee page has the full terms.

On the day it arrives:

1. Film a continuous unboxing video every time, starting before you open anything: the sealed parcel with the outer box visible, the opening in one take, and the fish still inside its sealed bag.
2. Open and inspect the parcel the same day it arrives.
3. Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish.
4. Release the fish into the tank and throw the bag water away; never pour it into your aquarium.
5. If anything has gone wrong, contact us the same day with your order number and the video. WhatsApp is fastest, and we will arrange a replacement or refund.

The video comes first because it shows the parcel sealed and the fish undisturbed, which makes a claim quicker and fairer to settle; our licensed courier may also ask for continuous unboxing footage when we raise a claim with them.

Over the first days, watch breathing, fin carriage, swimming and appetite; steady breathing, open fins and interest in food are good signs. If you already keep fish, a mature quarantine tank with its own equipment for at least 30 days protects your established stock, as the veterinary guidance summarised in our care guide recommends.

Add new fish gradually. OATA explains that the filter bacteria need time to catch up every time stocking and feeding increase, and that overstocking or stocking too quickly can cause new tank syndrome, with harmful ammonia and nitrite levels that make fish ill.

Weekly maintenance

OATA strongly recommends a partial water change of about 25% at least once every week for American cichlids, using a siphon to lift waste from the gravel. Treat that as a starting routine and adjust it using your test results, stocking level and feeding.

• Test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate at least weekly, and whenever behaviour changes.
• Treat replacement water with a tap water conditioner to remove chlorine or chloramine.
• Bring new water close to tank temperature so a water change never causes a sudden temperature swing.
• Check the filter for blockages. When it needs cleaning, rinse the media lightly in tank water removed during the water change, not under the tap, so the beneficial bacteria survive.

The RSPCA's guidance on aquarium filtration explains why this matters: fish release ammonia, a working biological filter converts it to nitrite and then to the safer nitrate, and no fish should be kept without a well set up and maintained filter. OATA adds that American cichlids can be stressed by even small amounts of ammonia, so good routine care is the best protection an angelfish has.

Health checks and warning signs

A healthy angelfish swims steadily, breathes at a regular rate, carries its fins open, has clear bright eyes and intact scales, and feeds reliably. OATA lists the changes worth noticing early:

• Swimming: hanging at the surface, sitting on the bottom or darting erratically.
• Colour: turning noticeably darker or paler than usual.
• Temperament: more hiding than normal, or a sudden change in aggression.
• Breathing: gill covers moving faster or slower than normal.
• Appearance: white spots, fluffy growths, or loss of fins or scales.
• Condition and feeding: weight loss or gain, or reduced interest in food.

These are warning signs rather than a diagnosis. When something changes:

1. Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, temperature and pH straight away.
2. Treat any detectable ammonia or nitrite as urgent, but avoid abrupt changes to pH, hardness or temperature.
3. Isolate an affected fish only if a mature, suitable separate tank is ready.
4. Photograph the signs, note when they started, and contact a specialist aquatic retailer or a fish vet.
5. Use only lawful treatments labelled for aquarium fish, following the label or veterinary direction.

If an angelfish jumps out, return it to aquarium water immediately using wet hands or a wet, soft net, handle it as little as possible and watch its breathing, balance and skin for injury. Check the lid for the gap it used, and seek fish-vet advice if it does not recover normally.

Resist online recipes that push the temperature up to treat white spot or add medicines as a precaution; the right response depends on what the problem actually is. The RSPCA's fish health advice likewise starts with the visible signs and water quality before any treatment.

Pairing, sexing and breeding

Sexing freshwater angelfish is hard. Seriously Fish notes that males have a smaller, pointed breeding tube (genital papilla) than females, but it is usually visible only when the fish are spawning. Behaviour can be a better clue, since males tend to be more territorial in breeding condition, and OATA observes that some American cichlids show no outward differences until they breed.

If you hope to breed them, Seriously Fish suggests starting with a group of six young fish and letting a pair form naturally. Research on captive angelfish supports pair choice and serial monogamy, so a pair may change partners; "mates for life" is too strong a promise.

• Spawning sites: angelfish lay adhesive eggs on vertical surfaces such as slate, broad plant leaves or the aquarium glass.
• Conditioning: Seriously Fish advises making sure breeding fish are well conditioned with live foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp.
• Parental care: both parents may guard the eggs and then the fry, but adults sometimes eat their fry, so keep them well fed.
• First foods: once the fry have absorbed their yolk sacs, usually after about two days, feed newly hatched brine shrimp and then a commercial fry food.

Breeding can sharply increase territorial defence, and a spawning pair can make a community tank tense for everyone. A separate, mature breeding tank gives the pair and any fry a safer setting. Clutch size, hatching time and parenting success vary from pair to pair, so treat published timings as observations rather than promises.

Choosing tank mates

Angelfish can live in a community tank, but they remain cichlids that may defend a pair or a spawning site. OATA describes calmer American cichlids such as angelfish as suitable for a robust community aquarium with larger shoaling species, while the more aggressive cichlids need to be kept alone or with equally aggressive fish. Seriously Fish calls the species a good community fish that may still eat small fish such as tetras.

Judge each possible companion against five points:

Corydoras and bristlenose plecos are often considered because they use the lower part of the tank, but they are not automatically safe choices: species, adult size, floor space and water needs still matter. Very small tetras, shrimp and fry all remain at risk of being eaten, particularly as the angelfish grows. No companion can be promised to be perfect, because individual fish behave differently.

Add companions to a settled tank, keep an eye on feeding time for the first weeks, and have a plan for separating fish if chasing becomes constant. If you are unsure about a particular combination, ask us before ordering and tell us what already lives in the tank.

Keeping more than one angelfish

Seriously Fish describes the species as generally peaceful but inclined to squabble with its own kind, so best kept in small groups. OATA says angelfish should be kept in groups or as a pair at minimum, because single fish may become stressed, and FishBase suggests groups of five or more in the aquarium.

• A compatible pair: a workable adult plan, but two fish chosen at random are not automatically a pair and may fight.
• A group of young fish: lets pairs form naturally. As they mature, social rank affects feeding and aggression, so a larger group is not automatically calmer.
• A group of adults: needs substantially more space, visual barriers and close observation, plus a second tank or a realistic rehoming route before trouble starts.
• A single angelfish: not a default choice for convenience; isolated angelfish may become stressed.

Different colour forms of Pterophyllum scalare, such as this Pinoy green ghost alongside silver, marble or koi fish, are the same species with the same care needs. Mixing them is a question of space, numbers and temperament rather than water or diet.

Watch the whole group rather than counting heads: check that every fish reaches food, keeps its fins intact and can find space away from a rival. Persistent exclusion or chasing is a welfare problem to act on, not a hierarchy to ignore.

Pinoy green ghost angelfish questions

How big does Pterophyllum scalare Pinoy green ghost get?

Plan for about 15 cm in total length, with the long dorsal and anal fins often making an adult 20–25 cm tall. FishBase also records a smaller field maximum of 10.5 cm, so adults vary, but the tank should be sized for the larger figure. The fish you buy is supplied at 1.5–5 cm and has most of its growing still to do.

What size aquarium does a Pterophyllum scalare angelfish need?

For an adult pair, plan roughly 200 litres with a base of about 100 × 40 cm and at least 50 cm of height. OATA gives 120 litres as the floor for a pair of smaller American cichlids and stresses that angelfish need a tall tank; a group needs more room than a pair.

How many angelfish should I keep together?

Keep a compatible pair or a planned group rather than one fish on its own, because angelfish kept singly may become stressed. FishBase suggests groups of five or more in the aquarium, and starting with about six young fish lets a pair form naturally. Adults in a group need extra space and a rehoming plan if one fish is persistently chased.

Is Pterophyllum scalare a good fish for beginners?

It suits a prepared beginner who already runs a mature, tested aquarium of the right height. We rate freshwater angelfish as intermediate because of their adult size, social needs and cichlid behaviour, not because their water is hard to provide.

What do Pterophyllum scalare angelfish eat?

Use a complete cichlid pellet, granule or quality flake small enough to swallow, with frozen or freeze-dried brine shrimp, daphnia or bloodworm for variety. OATA's advice for American cichlids is to feed only what is eaten within a few minutes, once a day, and every fish should get a share.

What temperature and pH does Pterophyllum scalare need?

Aim for 24–27 °C, pH 6.5–8.0 and about 5–12 dGH, with zero ammonia and nitrite. Those targets sit where FishBase's species record overlaps OATA's broad American-cichlid guidance; keep them steady rather than chasing an exact number.

Are angelfish aggressive or fin nippers?

They are generally peaceful for cichlids, but may squabble with their own kind and defend a pair or spawning site. Their long fins make them a target for fin-nipping fish, and they may eat fish small enough to swallow, such as very small tetras.

Which kinds of fish can live with Pterophyllum scalare?

Calm, robust fish too large to swallow, such as larger shoaling species with overlapping water needs, as OATA describes for angelfish. Corydoras and bristlenose plecos are often considered because they use the lower tank, but check their adult size and floor space. Avoid very small tetras, shrimp, persistent fin-nippers and highly aggressive cichlids.

How does the angelfish arrive alive in the UK?

It is hand-packed in a bag with pure oxygen inside an insulated box, with a heat pack when the weather calls for it, and carried by a tracked, licensed live-animal courier on a confirmed Thursday or Friday. Film a continuous unboxing video from the sealed parcel onwards, float the bag for 20–30 minutes and release the fish without the bag water; the video is needed for any Live Arrival Guarantee claim.

Sources

• FishBase: Pterophyllum scalare, freshwater angelfish. Species identity, family, distribution, wild habitat, recorded water ranges and maximum length.
• Seriously Fish: Pterophyllum scalare species profile. Aquarium dimensions, water, diet, behaviour, sexing and breeding.
• Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Pterophyllum scalare. Accepted name, authorship, family placement and type locality.
• OATA: How to look after American cichlids. UK trade-body guidance for the whole group on water, tank size, feeding, maintenance, health and compatibility.
• RSPCA: fish environment and filtration. General welfare guidance on filters and the nitrogen cycle.
• RSPCA: fish health and welfare. Visible health signs and water quality first.
• Kasiri, Farahi and Sudagar (2012): growth and reproductive performance of freshwater angelfish on different feed types. Controlled feeding study.
• Tropical Fish Co's freshwater angelfish care guide, and our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee page, both linked in the sections above.