(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Andinoacara pulcher
Common Name: Electric Blue Acara
Adult Size: 6 - 7 inches
Life Expectancy: 8 - 10 years
Habitat: Amazon
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 78°F
- pH Range: 7.0-8.0
- Water Hardness: 6 - 20
Temperament: Electric Blue Acara are the exception to the rule when it comes to cichlid aggression. They are nothing like their popular relatives such as the African Cichlid, Oscar Fish and Jack Dempsey. This means they do well with a wide variety of tank mates and will rarely cause any disturbances in your aquarium. This temperament combined with their ease of care makes them a very easy fish to keep.
Diet & Nutrition: Omnivores but eat a lot of live critters in the wild. This means you’ll need to feed them enough protein-rich food to satisfy their nutritional requirements. Some great options are frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, small insects, and earthworms.
Breeding & Spawning: Unlike a lot of their relatives, the mellow nature of this fish plays a big part in the high success rate that breeders have with them. Once these fish have reached the 4-5 inch mark in their growth they’re able to breed. Use this length as the benchmark when determining mating viability. Also, mates stay together for life which means you won’t be able to mix and match once the breeding process is finished.
Gender: Can be difficult to determine. The female is usually smaller and less colorful than a male of the same age.