Photo: Dnoerholm, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Smiling acara
Laetacara curviceps
5 cm
Adult size
80 L
Minimum volume
2
Minimum group
5 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Laetacara
- Diet
- omnivore
- Social life
- pair
In the wild
Overview
This small cichlid is nicknamed the “smiling acara”: its genus name comes from the Latin laetus, “joyful”, because of the markings around its mouth that make it look as if it is smiling. A classic of the hobby, its populations differ in the extent of red and blue on the body and fins.
- Scientific name
- Laetacara curviceps (Ahl, 1923)
- Classification
- Cichliformes › Cichlidae
- IUCN Red List
- Least concern (LC)
Natural habitat
Brazil: lower reaches of Amazon tributaries
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It prefers clear, transparent water with little current and little sediment: small tributaries, oxbows and marginal lakes, over a bed of leaf litter with plants (Cabomba, Myriophyllum, Eichhornia).
Behaviour
A calm little cichlid, it is kept as a pair in a planted tank with peaceful fish. In the wild it sifts the bottom for algae, detritus, small insects, worms and crustaceans. Easy to feed, it keeps its best colours with small live or frozen prey (bloodworms, Daphnia, Artemia).
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth