Common name - Blue Acara

Scientific name - Aequidens pulcher

Family - Cichlidae.

Origin - Central American areas ;Colombia, Panama, Trinidad, Tobago, Venezuela

Max size - 8" in captivity

Care - This beutiful fish will be peaceful wih other New World Cichlids of similar size or bigger, but they will get aggresive during breeding time. they prefer 72-80°F and a ph of 6.5-8.0. The will need a 50 gallon or higher tank as they do grow big and need their space. They will not get along with community fish such as livebearers, and will have these fish as their lunch. They like sandy bottoms and lots of rocks and caves. Plants should be kept in pots as the roots will get eaten

Feeding - The Blue Acara is omnivorous and will eat most prepared and frozen foods, including freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex, and ocean plankton, as well as flake food and Cichlid pellets.

Sexing - When sexing the Blue Acara the anal and dorsal fins are longer, often extending beyond the caudal fin, on the male.

Breeding - The Blue Acara is an open-breeder and will accept a range of water conditions. To promote breeding, raise aquarium temperature to 78-82°F. The Blue Acara readily pairs and forms a patriarch/matriarch family and both the male and female will care for the young. The female will lay the eggs on a cleaned rock. They will spawn about every two weeks if the young are removed from the aquarium. Both Male and female will be aggressive when caring for young