Some of their characteristics might surprise you when it comes to keeping Angelfish. But, especially if you are a novice fish keeper, you might have thousands of questions running through your head. I myself had a very hard time knowing about Angelfish. And one of the questions that constantly bothered me was, do Angelfish have teeth?
Yes, angelfish do have teeth. In fact, these fish have well-developed teeth like humans, which help them to tear and bite their prey. However, their teeth are not visible to the naked eye as they are hidden behind their lips. Like us, angelfish also use their sharp teeth for various purposes such as feeding, grooming, and even defense.
Although the function of teeth in angelfish is pretty similar to humans, the structure of their teeth is quite different. In this blog post, I will help you understand teeth in angelfish and how the teeth function. So, bare with me until the end to know everything.
Do Angelfish Have Teeth?
While this might sound like a strange question, the answer might surprise you. Angelfish do have teeth. Angelfish are predators and hunt in packs. When these fish attack their prey, they circle and it and dart to bite it. Their teeth are very sharp and pointed, which helps them to grip their prey.
Once angelfish have a good grip, these fish use their powerful jaws to yank their prey toward them. While angelfish might not look like they have teeth, their teeth actually have a very strong bite. So you’ll know if you’re ever unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of an angelfish bite!
Do Freshwater Angelfish Have Teeth?
If you have read previous articles about the types of angelfish, you are familiar enough that there are two types of angelfish (saltwater and freshwater). And both of these fish have very strong and powerful teeth that can tear through meat easily. However, the size and shape of these teeth differ between the two types of fish.
While both angelfish have teeth, freshwater angelfish have smaller and more delicate teeth than their saltwater cousins. This is because these fish mainly eat smaller prey, such as insects and small crustaceans. On the other hand, saltwater angelfish have much larger and sharper teeth because angels need to be able to tear through the tough skin and scales of their prey, which are mostly other fish.
Almost all 20 species of freshwater angelfish have very small teeth you can barely see. The only freshwater angelfish with bigger teeth is the Altum Angelfish, and even then, their teeth are not as big or sharp as saltwater angelfish teeth.
But why are the teeth of angelfish not visible?
Why Can’t You See Angelfish Teeth?
Almost more than half of the aquarists might have a misconception about the teeth of Angelfish. I, myself, learned a lot later than my angelfish do actually have teeth. You often can’t see the teeth of angelfish through our naked eyes. But why?
Unlike humans, the teeth of angelfish are present in the throat region and not in the mouth. The teeth are actually very small, sharp, and pointed towards the back of their throat. These teeth help them scrape algae off surfaces and break down food items into smaller pieces before swallowing them.
In the same way, the number of teeth an angelfish has can range from 18 to 30. This is because their teeth do not last forever and continue to fall off and grow back throughout their lifetime. But since the teeth are tiny and located at the back of their throat, we can’t see them.
Now, let us move to the mechanism of Angelfish teeth!
How Do Angelfish Teeth Function?
As mentioned above, you already know that angelfish use their teeth to eat, scrape algae off of surfaces, and for defense. But how does this work?
Well, it’s all thanks to the unique shape of their teeth. You see, angelfish has conical teeth that consist of ordodentin. And the pulp cavity has blood vessels, osteodentine, and conjunctival cells. This provides strength and flexibility to the teeth, which allows them to scrape and grip their food.
Moreover, unlike us, angelfish has a portable jaw. This means that their upper jaw is not fused to their skull, which gives them a lot of flexibility in eating. In addition, an extra joint in their lower jaw allows them to move their mouth differently.
All of these features work together to help angelfish eat a wide variety of food, including plants, small invertebrates, and even other fish.
But what do you think will your Angelfish eat?
What Do Angelfish Eat?
I have been keeping angelfish for about five years now, and in this course of time, I have done a lot of experiments with their diet.
I have learned in this period that Angelfish are very easy to feed, and these fish will pretty much eat anything you give them. Being omnivores, you can give them a mix of meat and vegetables, and your angels will do just fine. However, the mainstay of their diet should be good quality flake food designed for tropical fish, but your little buddies will also accept freeze-dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex worms, daphnia, worms, and many others.
One thing you need to be careful with is overfeeding them as angels are very prone to obesity. This can lead to several health problems in angelfish, such as swim bladder disorders and early death, so it is important only to give them what these fish can eat in a few minutes.
I usually put the meal in and wait for 20-30 minutes before removing any uneaten food. This gives them enough time to eat what your angels want without overfeeding them.
Another interesting thing I have noticed is that these fish seem to prefer live food over frozen or freeze-dried foods. This is probably because, in the wild, most of their diet would consist of small insects, crustaceans, and other small animals.
Do Angelfish Bite?
Even though angelfish have very sharp and well-developed teeth, these fish rarely use them for biting. Instead, angels mostly use their teeth to scrape off algae from surfaces like rocks and catch prey. However, since angelfish are quite naturally aggressive, these fish might use their teeth to bite other fish if they feel threatened.
Mostly, during breeding season or when angelfish are spawning, you might see them biting each other. This is because males are very territorial. They might not look like it, but their teeth can be quite sharp and dangerous.
So, if you ever see an angelfish with a bloody mouth, it is probably because it was biting another fish!
Do Angelfish Eat Each Other?
Angelfish are not known to eat each other in the wild, but there have been reports of them attacking and eating other fish in home aquariums. This is usually due to hunger or stress, and it’s more likely to happen if the tank is overcrowded. If you’re keeping angelfish in an aquarium, be sure to provide plenty of food and hiding places, and avoid putting them in with much smaller fish.
If you own angelfish, you might have seen them biting each other, so that you might get confused! Read further to get your answer.
Do Angelfish Bite Each Other?
Yes, angelfish might not eat each other. But angelfish do bite each other often. So if you see two angelfish fighting, it is good that one of them will get hurt badly.
Angelfish bites usually happen when two fish are fighting over territory. The bigger the fish, the more likely it is to win the fight and chase the other fish away. But even small angelfish can do a lot of damage to each other.
Angelfish bites can also happen when fish are fighting over food. If one angelfish tries to steal food from another, the fish being stolen from will often chase after the thief and bite it.
So, why do angelfish bite each other?
Why Do Angelfish Bite Each Other?
As a novice, I saw my angelfish biting each other frequently. This used to stress me a lot in the beginning. But after doing some research, I discovered this is a very common behavior among angelfish!
However, constant biting, nipping, and fighting among angelfish are serious signs that something is wrong with your tank environment. So, what might be the reasons, then?
Generally, there are a few reasons why angelfish might bite each other:
Due To Stress
The most common reason for angelfish biting each other is stress. This can be caused by many different things, such as:
- Not enough hiding places in the tank
- Too much light in the tank
- Loud noises near the tank
- Tank mates that are too aggressive
When angelfish are stressed, they will often bite each other as a way to release that stress. So, if you see your angelfish biting each other, you should check your tank’s environment and make sure everything is in order.
For Dominance
Another reason why angelfish might bite each other is for dominance. Angelfish are hierarchical creatures, often establishing a pecking order in their tank. As a result, the dominant fish will usually be the tank’s biggest and most aggressive fish.
If you have multiple angelfish in your tank, you might see them biting each other as these fish try to assert their dominance over the others. This is not bad, as long as the biting is not too aggressive and there is enough food for all of the fish.
For Food
Sometimes, angelfish might bite each other because these fish are hungry. This is most likely to happen if you have a lot of fish in a small tank. The fish compete for food, and the hungrier fish might bite the others to get to the food first.
If you see your angelfish biting each other for food, you should try feeding them more often. You might also need to increase the amount of food you give them.
For Fun
Finally, sometimes angelfish might just bite each other because they are bored! Angelfish are very intelligent creatures and need stimulation to stay happy. So usually, these fish might start biting each other out of boredom.
If you think your angelfish are bored, you should try adding some new toys or decorations to their tank. You can also try moving them to a larger tank if possible.
As you can see, there are a few reasons why angelfish might bite each other. So, if you see your angelfish biting each other, you should figure out why. Once you know the reason, you can take steps to fix the problem and prevent it from happening again in the future.
How To Stop Angelfish From Biting Each Other?
Since the teeth of angelfish are sharp, even biting can sometimes be very painful. This is why it’s important to nip this behavior in the bud. So, how can you do this?
There are a few things that you can do:
First, make sure that your angelfish have plenty of places to hide. If your angelfish feel stressed or exposed, your buddies may be more likely to lash out and bite.
Also, provide them with plenty of food. A well-fed angelfish is happy, and a happy angelfish is less likely to bite.
Keep an eye on their water quality. Poor water quality can lead to stress and aggression in fish, so make sure your tank is well-maintained.
If you do all of these things, you should see a decrease in the amount of biting that your angelfish do. But, remember, it’s important to be patient – it may take some time for your fish to adjust to their new environment and learn how to coexist peacefully.
Do you have any tips for preventing angelfish biting?
Some FAQs
Do Angelfish Eat Other Fish?
The answer is yes, and angelfish do eat other fish. In fact, these fish are known to be one of the most aggressive freshwater fish when it comes to eating other fish. Angels will often target smaller fish and try to swallow them whole. This can be a problem for aquarium owners with smaller fish in their tanks. If you have angelfish, keeping them in a separate tank from other fish is best.
Do Angelfish Eat Their Fry?
Yes, angelfish will eat their fry. This is one of the reasons why it can be difficult to breed angelfish in captivity. The parents will often eat the eggs before they have a chance to hatch. If you can breed angelfish successfully, keeping them in a separate tank is best.
Do Angelfish Bite Humans?
No, angelfish do not bite humans. Generally, angels are not aggressive fish and usually only attack other fish if these fish feel threatened. If you have fish attacking other fish in your tank, it is best to remove them from the tank and put it in a separate tank.
Are Angelfish Kissing Or Biting?
Some people say that angelfish are kissing when they bump into each other. Others say that these fish are biting. The truth is, no one really knows what angels are doing. It is possible that your angels are both kissing and biting. Whatever these fish are doing is not aggressive, and your angels are not trying to hurt each other.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident that angelfish have teeth. Usually, these fish also use these teeth for various purposes, such as feeding and maintaining their place in the social hierarchy. Although the teeth might not be the first thing you notice about these beautiful creatures, their teeth are an important part of their anatomy.
We hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any questions about angelfish teeth, leave them in the comments below.
Thanks for reading!
