Legend Paraiba Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare “Legend Paraiba”) – Tank Bred
- In stock, ready to ship
- Backordered, shipping soon
For the safety of our animals, we now ship live fish exclusively via UPS Next Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout.
The Legend Paraiba Angelfish is a striking tank-bred variety of Pterophyllum scalare, admired for its metallic blue sheen and bold vertical banding that gleams under aquarium lighting. Selectively bred for brilliance and symmetry, this angelfish displays an almost iridescent turquoise glow that shifts as it moves. Graceful, intelligent, and social, the Legend Paraiba makes an impressive centerpiece in medium to large planted aquariums.
What We Love About This Fish:
• Brilliant Metallic Sheen: Unique blue-green highlights that shimmer across the body and fins.
• Graceful Personality: Calm yet commanding presence, making it a stunning display fish.
• Tank-Bred Hardiness: Raised entirely in aquariums for improved health and adaptability.
• Iconic Elegance: Long, trailing fins and bold markings make each fish look sculptural in motion.
Natural Habitat:
The original Pterophyllum scalare species was first documented in the Amazon Basin, particularly in the calm backwaters and floodplain regions of Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. The Legend Paraiba strain was developed through selective breeding in captivity to enhance its metallic turquoise and blue hues. Although a designer morph, it retains the same elegant body shape and peaceful nature of its wild ancestors, thriving in warm, soft, slightly acidic water.
Aquascaping:
• Plants: Amazon Swords, Vallisneria, and tall stem plants offer vertical structure for their long fins.
• Hardscape: Use driftwood, rock clusters, and subdued lighting to accentuate their reflective sheen.
• Botanicals: Incorporate Indian Almond Leaves or Alder Cones to release tannins and reduce stress, echoing their native blackwater conditions. Aquatic Arts Botanical Combo Pack is a curated selection of beautiful and beneficial leave litter.
Diet and Feeding:
The Legend Paraiba Angelfish is an omnivore and appreciates a diverse diet. Offer Ultra Fresh Tropical Excellent Bits - Shrimp Delights as a daily staple, supplemented with frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia. A protein-rich diet enhances fin growth, coloration, and breeding readiness.
Tank Mates and Compatibility:
This variety is peaceful when housed with compatible species. Ideal tank mates include tetras (in groups), Corydoras catfish, rainbowfish, and peaceful dwarf cichlids. Avoid overly aggressive or fin-nipping species, and ensure tankmates are large enough not to be mistaken for food.
Shrimp Compatibility:
Adult angelfish may eat small shrimp, so they are not recommended for shrimp tanks. If kept with shrimp, provide extensive hiding areas with moss and dense plants.
Breeding:
Like other P. scalare, this variety is a substrate spawner. Pairs clean a flat surface (often plant leaves or rocks) to lay eggs and guard the nest. Slightly warmer temperatures and increased protein intake can encourage breeding. Fry can be raised on infusoria, then freshly hatched brine shrimp.
Recommended Tank Parameters:
• Temperature: 78° – 84°F (25° – 29°C)
• pH: 6.0 – 7.5
• KH: 1 – 6 dKH
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons for a pair; 55+ gallons for groups
Care Guidelines:
• Diet: Omnivorous; thrives on Ultra Fresh Micro Pellets and frozen/live foods.
• Social Behavior: Semi-peaceful; best kept in pairs or groups of 4–6 to disperse mild territoriality.
• Origin: Tank-bred.
• Average Adult Size: 4 – 6 inches (10 – 15 cm) body; up to 8 inches (20 cm) including fins.
• Average Purchase Size: 1.5 – 2 inches (3.8 – 5 cm)
Graceful, intelligent, and luminous — the tank-bred Legend Paraiba Angelfish embodies the perfect balance of beauty and serenity, bringing timeless elegance to any planted aquarium.
Live Arrival Guarantee:
All Aquatic Arts brand animals come with a 100% live arrival guarantee, plus free email support from our team of aquatic specialists.
What makes the Legend Paraiba Angelfish different from standard angelfish?
The Legend Paraiba stands out for its soft blue-green tones and subtle iridescence that shifts under different lighting. It’s not a loud or flashy color—it’s more refined, with depth that becomes more noticeable the longer you watch them.
Are Legend Paraiba Angelfish tank bred?
Yes. These angelfish are tank bred, which means they’re already adapted to aquarium life. This usually translates to better hardiness and easier acclimation compared to wild-caught fish.
How large do Legend Paraiba Angelfish get?
Like most angelfish, they can reach around 6 inches in body height, with fins extending even taller. Their graceful shape really shines in tanks with vertical space.
Are Legend Paraiba Angelfish aggressive?
They’re generally peaceful, but angelfish do have a territorial side—especially as they mature or form pairs. Most aggression is mild and situational rather than constant.
Can Legend Paraiba Angelfish live in a community tank?
Yes, with the right tank mates. They do best with peaceful, similarly sized fish. Very small fish or long-finned, slow-moving species may not be ideal companions.
Do Legend Paraiba Angelfish do well in planted aquariums?
Absolutely. Planted tanks provide visual breaks and cover, which helps reduce stress. Tall plants and driftwood also complement their natural swimming style.
What do Legend Paraiba Angelfish eat?
They’re not picky. High-quality pellets or flakes form a good base, with frozen or live foods like brine shrimp or bloodworms offered occasionally for variety and conditioning.
Are Legend Paraiba Angelfish hardy?
Yes. With stable water conditions and regular maintenance, they’re quite hardy. Being tank bred helps them adapt well to a range of typical freshwater parameters.
Can Legend Paraiba Angelfish be bred?
Yes. Given the right conditions, they may pair off and spawn. Watching angelfish breeding behavior—cleaning surfaces and guarding eggs—is one of the most rewarding parts of keeping them.
Who are Legend Paraiba Angelfish best suited for?
They’re perfect for aquarists who appreciate subtle beauty and calm presence. If you enjoy fish that grow into the centerpiece of a tank over time rather than demanding attention immediately, Legend Paraiba Angelfish are a great choice.
For the safety of our animals, we only ship live fish, crabs, and select other inverts exclusively via UPS 1 Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS 1 Day Air as a shipping option during checkout. If other items are in your cart that can ship with 2 day or standard shipping options the only shipping method you can still select is UPS 1 Day Air.
UPS 1 Day is a description of the duration of time a shipment will spend in transit once it has been shipped. This does not guarantee the package will be shipped the same or next day from which the order was placed.
Shipping Schedule for this service
Current Handling Time:
1-9 business days
Here at Aquatic Arts, we consider the welfare of the live animals we are shipping to be of the foremost importance. This process is much more involved than simply creating a shipping label and affixing it to a box. Depending on the order, it takes from 4 to 7 people to complete this process properly. We check the weather conditions here where they fly out of the Indianapolis UPS facility and the destination for each shipment. We start early each morning and go through a multi-step process to have the day's shipments prepared in time for the UPS pickup. The volume of orders in our system also affects the processing time. Therefore our stated handling time is 1-9 business days.
Shipping Rate
Pricing is by size of package needed to fill entire order and distance it must travel. It will be calculated at checkout.
