Blue acara
Andinoacara pulcher
15 cm
Adult size
300 L
Minimum volume
2
Minimum group
12 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Andinoacara
- Diet
- carnivore
- Social life
- pair
In the wild
Overview
The blue acara, long placed in the genus Aequidens, is a classic beginner's cichlid. Its genus name recalls the Andes and the Tupi word acará for cichlids; pulcher means “pretty”. Many fish in the trade, from long-established farms, are less colourful than wild ones, or even hybrids.
- Scientific name
- Andinoacara pulcher (Gill, 1858)
- Classification
- Cichliformes › Cichlidae
- IUCN Red List
- Least concern (LC)
Natural habitat
Trinidad and Tobago and northern Venezuela; introduced elsewhere
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
Very adaptable, it lives in murky, still water as well as in clear, flowing streams and rivers.
Behaviour
Fairly peaceful for its size, it lives with fish too big to be swallowed: medium characins, Corydoras, loricariids and, in a large tank, other calm cichlids. The pair guards eggs and larvae. Mostly carnivorous, it enjoys frozen prey and accepts dry food; it needs well-kept water.
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth