ID angelfish, Altum vs Scalare

[CBWMN]

Good morning,
I'm getting 6 DD black super veil tails in this afternoon.
Just curious, is there a way to distinguish Altum vs Scalare?

I do have 2 Gold super veil tail angels now. They are 6-7" long including the tails. I've had them about a year. They were 50 cent size when I got them.
Thank you
Charles
cbwmn

 

[Squawkbert]

Altums are much less common, are tougher to breed in captivity and generally look like a taller P. scalare but w/ more pronounced brown counter stripes, thinner black bands than the wild type P. scalare.

When i rescued my lg angel, I asked the same Qs...

 

[CBWMN]

Squawk,
Thank you.
So I've got/getting Scalares.
BTW: years ago wasn't there a P. Eimicke (SP)?

Thank you,
cbwmn

 

[Star_Rider]

2 Gold super veil tail angels

would not be P. Altum

I agree with Squawkbert in the general description difference the brown counter stripe on the Altum is also wide than on P. Scalare.
the Peruvian P.Scalare has the brown counter stripe but it is more narrow than the same Band/stripe of the Altum.

 

[jm1212]

Squawk,
Thank you.
So I've got/getting Scalares.
BTW: years ago wasn't there a P. Eimicke (SP)?

Thank you,
cbwmn

there are currently three confirmed species of angelfish

P. scalare- the most common
P. altum- uncommon. you'd have to be pretty lucky to get an altum by mistake, since LFS's that get them in know they have, since they can charge so much more for them
P. leopoldi- pretty rare to find, much less even labeled as a seperate species to scalare. looks like scalare, but stays smaller and the fins are not as long and elegant.

there are two other debated species including emekei (sp?), that some claim are different species, while other just say are varations of scalare

 

[Star_Rider]

there are currently three confirmed species of angelfish

P. scalare- the most common
P. altum- uncommon. you'd have to be pretty lucky to get an altum by mistake, since LFS's that get them in know they have, since they can charge so much more for them
P. leopoldi- pretty rare to find, much less even labeled as a seperate species to scalare. looks like scalare, but stays smaller and the fins are not as long and elegant.

there are two other debated species including emekei (sp?), that some claim are different species, while other just say are varations of scalare

I find the Leopoldi more common than the Altum. but in general these two are the most difficult to find at times.

there is much debate as to other possible species even the Mormon Red spot has been included in this.

 

[Lupin]

The altums also have the unusual sharp indentation just above their eyes for angels.

 

[CBWMN]

I googled P. leopoldi & found a picture. They look sick to me.
Their dorsal and anal fins are folded back. P. Altum seem to have the most erect fins.

Charles