The short answer
Angelfish are cichlids that pair off and, once bonded, are attentive parents that spawn on a flat vertical surface. The complication is that first-time parents often eat their early spawns before they get the hang of it. So breeding angelfish is partly patience: get a genuine pair, give them the right conditions, and accept that the first few attempts may fail before they succeed.
Getting a bonded pair
The dependable method is to raise a group of six or more juveniles together and let a pair form on its own. A bonded pair claims a territory, cleans a flat leaf, slate or piece of glass, and defends it from the others. Keep them well fed on a varied diet in warm, clean water. Angelfish can be territorial once paired, so the group may need thinning as a pair takes over.
For temperament and tankmate guidance, see our angelfish care guide and good tankmates for angelfish.
The spawn
The female lays rows of eggs on the cleaned surface and the male follows to fertilise them. The pair then fan the eggs with their fins and pick off any that fungus. Eggs hatch in a couple of days into “wrigglers” that stay attached, becoming free-swimming after roughly a week. Good parents will guide the fry around the tank in a tight shoal.
Raising the fry
Free-swimming angelfish fry need baby brine shrimp as a staple, alongside powdered fry food, with frequent small water changes to keep quality high. See how do I raise fish fry and what do I feed baby fish for detail, our food picks, and browse aquariums for a suitable breeding or grow-out tank.