Blue acara care
Andinoacara pulcher · Trinidad and Venezuela
Blue acaras are hardy, medium-sized South American cichlids, blue-gray with shining blue scales.
- Tank size
- 40 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 6 in
- pH
- 6.5 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 5 to 18 dGH
- Lifespan
- 8 to 10 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 40 gallon breeder
36 3/16 × 18¼ × 16 15/16 in outsideHow to keep blue acaras
Blue acaras are hardy, medium-sized South American cichlids, blue-gray with shining blue scales. One fish or a pair suits a 40 gallon or larger tank at 72 to 82 °F with tankmates too large to swallow; they are calmer than most cichlids their size, but a spawning pair guards its eggs fiercely.
Diet: Omnivore: cichlid pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Blue acara tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Bristlenose pleco
6 in · 29+ gal · 73–81 °F
Siamese algae eater
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–80 °F
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Firemouth cichlid
6 in · 40+ gal · 75–84 °F
Yoyo loach
6 in · 40+ gal · 75–82 °F
Rainbow shark
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–80 °F
Red-tail shark
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Adult blue acaras eat fish under about 2 in; neon tetras grow to 1.6 in.
Cardinal tetra: Adult blue acaras eat fish under about 2 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Adult blue acaras eat fish under about 2 in; black neon tetras grow to 1.5 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult blue acaras eat fish under about 2 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult blue acaras eat fish under about 2 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Adult blue acaras eat fish under about 2 in; glowlight tetras grow to 1.5 in.
What a blue acara tank needs
A tank of 40 US gallons or more (such as the 40 gallon breeder) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Fluval U3
Rated by the maker for up to 40 US gal, which covers a 40 gallon blue acara tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Hang-on-back Canister Filter 7W
Rated by the maker for 20–40 US gal, which covers a 40 gallon blue acara tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 200W
Blue acaras need 72 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding blue acaras.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 40 gallon tank · Heaters for a 40 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common blue acara problems
- Small fish such as neon tetras get eaten.
- A spawning pair chases everything away from its eggs; give it room and caves.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Andinoacara pulcher. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Blue acara Loïc Tremblay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bristlenose pleco André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Siamese algae eater aleander2137, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Firemouth cichlid H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yoyo loach Orishas92, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainbow shark MerlinSenger, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red-tail shark Astellar87, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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