# Altum Angels



## Fishman21 (Apr 26, 2010)

So I recently changed my 210G tank setup and introduced an Altum angel (He was the last one in the shop tank so I took a chance as he was eating well). He quickly settled into the tank as it is a low light, heavy on driftwood setup. Tankmates include some neon rainbows, a few bristlenose plecos and 2 young discus. Very understocked! Makes water maintenance much easier though!

Setup is running at 28 degrees with peat, 20% water changes twice a week using prefiltered water from a reservoir tank that also has peat. Tank has is filtered by 2 x FX5 filters.

Feeding a diet of brineshrimp and bloodworms, he now eats out of my hand. I feed at least 3 times per day and as a result he has grown from 4.5" to 7" in about 2 months. Altums seem to grow much quicker than regular angels.

If anyone else is keeping them I would be interested in hearing your experience and understanding how you maintain them. Thanks for looking!


----------



## Fishman21 (Apr 26, 2010)

I have noticed Images don't work, not sure how to remove them though.


----------



## kevin22 (May 12, 2010)

lucky man, I used to keep Altums for years and they are my favorite aquarium fish.
they don't take locating well, but once they are settled, they are quite hardy.
you did the basic parameter right, warm and clean water is the key.
they do thrive in a bare bottom specie only tank, and I'm trying to start a new group.


----------



## kevin22 (May 12, 2010)

my old group in 2011


----------



## Fishman21 (Apr 26, 2010)

Wow those were impressive specimens. They look quite mature how old and big were they?


----------



## kevin22 (May 12, 2010)

they were 2 years old, the biggest one is close to 12" tall


----------



## Fishman21 (Apr 26, 2010)

*Altum update*






















New update: so I went through a difficult stretch where the Altum kept chasing the smaller discus to the point where I went as far as posting a For sale notice on BCA. Fortunately I did not have any responses and I decided to keep him.

As the discus have grown, they have also become far more confident and now push back if approached by the Altum. He's recognized the challenge and they now live in peace, often swimming together as a "shoal". Maybe he thinks he's a Discus Altum....

Not unlike the literature describes, he remains a picky eater. Only eating frozen BW and shrimp. That is until I introduced freeze dried black worm. It is the only dried food he will actually fight for. The discus become equally aggressive for this food type. It's clearly the favorite all round.

Altum is now approximately 10" tip to tip while discus are about 3.5"


----------



## kevin22 (May 12, 2010)

it's a great looking Altum you have, there's still plenty of room for him to grow. did you buy some more from Charles recently? BD discus are not the best swim beside the Altums. once you see a group of Altum cruise together, you'll never go back. saw more than 30 Altums swim in Charls' tank gives me chills.  I can never do this as a business as I'd keep the entire shipment for myself. I wish I had 220 gallon for 20 Altums


----------



## Hadaway (Feb 6, 2018)

kevin22 said:


> my old Zotrim group in 2011


Beautiful Altums, Kevin. I like your setup too, nice and simple. Very easy on the eyes.


----------



## aemmawilson119 (Feb 14, 2018)

*wow ! beautiful , such a great worked !  *


----------

