Pterophyllum scalare
Origin: South America (captive bred)
The Veil Tail Angelfish is a selectively bred form of Pterophyllum scalare in which the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins have been developed through generations of selective breeding to be dramatically elongated and flowing, giving the fish an otherworldly, graceful appearance as it glides through the water. The extended finnage creates an ethereal, almost ghost-like visual effect that makes Veil Tail Angelfish highly sought-after display fish. However, the extraordinary fin length is a liability in community setups — fin-nipping species such as tiger barbs, serpae tetras, and many other barbs and tetras will target the flowing fins, causing damage, infection risk, and significant stress. The Veil Tail must be housed exclusively with gentle, non-nippy tankmates.
Provide a tall, spacious aquarium with only gentle, non-fin-nipping tankmates. Suitable companions include larger tetras such as rummy nose, cardinal, and black phantoms, gouramis, corydoras, and other calm species. Feed varied diet. Perform weekly water changes. The elongated fins are prone to bacterial infections from water quality lapses — maintain pristine conditions and address any fin degradation promptly.
Shops currently listing this species with stock available
Join aquarium shops already using FinsHQ. Get a beautiful webshop, mobile app, and inventory management — built for aquatic retailers.
Start your free store