VarietyAngelfish
Marble Angelfish
Pterophyllum scalare
About this strain
Marbles are immediately recognizable by their swirling, irregular black-and-white patterning — no two fish look exactly alike, which is a huge part of their appeal. The pattern results from the marble gene (M), a dominant mutation that disrupts normal stripe formation. Gold Marble variants add warm amber tones to the mix. When buying, look at the contrast and coverage; heavily marbled fish with crisp black patches on bright white tend to be the showstoppers. Pattern continues shifting slightly as the fish matures, so young marbles are always a little unpredictable.
Origin
The marble mutation appeared in captive U.S. breeding programs in the 1950s–60s. It became one of the first widely distributed angelfish strains in the hobby.