Which Angelfish Variety?

[Vic1979]

Hi

Looking to overhaul my tank setup.and want to add a group of angelfish but can't decide which. I'm ideally looking for a larger, taller than average angelfish but not altum.

I think I've narrowed it down to dantum (not albino) vs manacapuru but reliable info is scarce on the dantum. Does anyone have any first hand experience on which on the two is taller and also whether the blue on the dantum requires specific lighting to be seen?

Thanks, Vic

 

[GaryE]

There is huge individual variation. The last time I bought angels, I chose very carefully from a tank of wild scalare. More of them, of any sort, will have more stately shapes than a tank of domestics, where you get a lot of big bodied, stumpy finned ones. And leopoldi are ugly to me. But it's a matter of choosing your fish very carefully out of a large group.
If it's an online buy, then you are gambling with any angelfish.

 

[Uberhoust]

Its personal choice really. I like the wild forms best but I have to keep my wife happy too and she likes the albinos and blue types. Agree with Gary, I see a lot of angels now that don't seem to have balanced or functional proportions.

 

[GaryE]

I think fancy breeding has been aiming for deformed scales or odd body colours to the detriment of the classic, elegant angelfish shape. The high dorsals are becoming less common in domestic angels, and I see body shapes drawing admiration online that 30 years ago would have been breeder culls because of the fins. It looks like every fish bred is sold, no matter how it turns out.

So you go with what appeals to you.

 

[Vic1979]

Thanks Gary, I'm going for a wild caught manacapuru finally. Now all I need to do is negotiate the lfs down in price

 

[GaryE]

That is a problem with wild angels. You get what you pay for, but it's hard to pay for!