Blue Acara Care Guide - Aquarium Setup, Diet & Breeding

The Blue Acara is a robust, blue-green New World cichlid with an iridescent, finely speckled body and a distinctive dark stripe running through the eye. Its rounded fins and expressive face give it a personable appearance, while blue markings become especially vivid when the fish is settled or displaying to a rival.

The Blue Acara is native to northern South America, particularly the freshwater habitats of Venezuela, Colombia and parts of the Guianas, with populations also recorded in Panama and Trinidad. It inhabits slow-moving rivers, streams, ponds and forest-edge waters with soft sediments, vegetation and submerged cover.

A single Blue Acara needs at least 150 litres, while a pair or community setup is better in 200 litres or more; a tank around 120 cm long gives adults useful swimming and territorial space. Use fine sand or smooth rounded gravel so the fish can sift and dig without damaging its mouth. Add sturdy rocks, caves, driftwood and hardy plants attached to decor, leaving open areas for swimming and clear flat surfaces for spawning. Strong filtration, good oxygenation and a secure lid are beneficial, as these cichlids can rearrange the substrate and may jump when startled.

Males can reach about 16 cm (6.3 in) in length, while females are usually smaller at around 12–14 cm (4.7–5.5 in).

Blue Acaras are adaptable omnivores that should receive a varied diet based on a quality cichlid pellet or granule. Supplement this with frozen or live foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia, mysis shrimp and chopped earthworm, along with occasional spirulina or vegetable-based foods. Offer modest portions once or twice daily and remove uneaten food.

Blue Acaras can live with other peaceful to moderately assertive fish of a similar size, including larger tetras, rainbowfish, peaceful barbs, medium-sized rasboras, severums and suitable South or Central American catfish such as larger Corydoras and plecos. Avoid tiny fish that may be eaten, fin-nipping species and highly aggressive cichlids. During spawning, even normally sociable pairs can become strongly territorial, so tankmates need plenty of room and escape routes.

Blue Acaras are substrate-spawning cichlids that usually form a bonded pair. Provide a smooth rock, slate tile or other clean, flat surface for the female to lay her eggs, then allow the male to fertilise them. The parents commonly fan and guard the eggs for two to four days until they hatch, after which the fry are moved to shallow pits and protected by both adults. Feed free-swimming fry newly hatched brine shrimp or another suitably fine food. A compatible adult pair is generally more reliable for breeding than forcing unrelated mature fish together.

Males are generally larger and may develop longer, more pointed dorsal and anal fins, with a broader head and stronger overall build. Females are typically smaller and rounder, although individual differences can make sexing young fish difficult.