Admittedly, the Altum will be hard to find in your local pet shop. Should you happen to come across some and decide that you would like to set up an aquarium for them, it is important that you learn about the fish and its requirements (as you should for all fish). The conditions needed for the Altum angel to thrive are much different than for any tank-raised or wild P. Scalare. If you are willing to meet the requirements of the Altum, however, the challenge can be very rewarding.
Although wild phenotypes of P. Altum and P. Scalare sometimes share the trait of having their dorsums flecked with reddish-black dots. Only the Altum will have a second dark head bar, though faint, running down between the dark bar passing through the eye and the bar starting at the base of the first dorsal spine. The unpaired fins of the Altum do not have the light markings that are exhibited on the P. Scalare. The mouthparts of the Altum are notably extended away from the front of the head, much more than the P. Scalare. Altums have a curious habit of "yawning". If you have a chance to watch this happen, you will see that when fully opened, their mouths are much larger than they actually appear when closed.
Because wild fish, in particular, almost always have parasites of one type or another, it is best to maintain a quarantine tank for all new specimens before introducing them to established community aquariums. My quarantine tank setup consists of a 20-gallon tank with a hood, and a sponge filter to provide biological filtration, which is operated by a reliable air pump. I make sure that the water is de-chlorinated and I use a commercially prepared biological product containing the necessary nitrifying bacteria. This can speed up the process of having enough bacteria to begin a functioning nitrogen cycle in the sponge filter. These products, however, only work if they are fresh and have not been subjected to extreme temperatures. Keep in mind that Altums are extremely sensitive to elevated levels of ammonia and nitrite in their water. Efficient biological filtration is very important.
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