A tank of this size will weigh a lot more than smaller tanks, especially when filled. South American cichlids of a similar size to the Acara can make suitable tankmates. Electric blue prefers a large bloodworm and a tubule. Its no mystery why this already popular fish is being found in more and more freshwater tanks around the world. The fishes preferred habitat is streams where the current is strong, and the water is clear and well-oxygenated. Fish like the electric blue acara grow continuously throughout the first few months of its life. Electric blue acaras are popular due to the fish's iridescent blue coloring. Add some oxygen to the mix. Mark is the founder of Aquarium Store Depot. Most large cichlids need a 75 gallon minimum such as Jack Dempsey , Oscars , severums, Texas cichlid, green terrors ect.. Plants that can gain traction in the aquarium substrate, as well as floating plants, are best. In terms of their general behavior, youll definitely enjoy watching the Electric Blue Acara. Learn how your comment data is processed. I also recommend that you buy the best quality food that you can find for your fish. It is heavily planted, which gives plenty of hiding places and sight breaks. The typical size of a 75-gallon aquarium is 48 x 18 x 24. You are unlikely to find any other breed that is as breathtakingly beautiful and at the same time so easy to care for, which is why the andinoacara pulcher is the pride and joy of several aquarium hobbyists and aquarium owners. So, you can probably house ten African cichlids in a 55-gallon tank. Its crucial to remember that other fish in your tank might consume them, so pick suitable plants for everyone. They are omnivorous and require a varied diet of dry and wet foods. It is best to keep them in groups of six or more and, as an albino, come in a variety of hues. Use a sandy substrate to cover the bottom of the tank, and place plenty of flat rocks on top that the female will use as a place to lay her eggs. Additional aeration is usually not necessary but an air stone can be used to help circulate lower portions of the tank and to add aesthetic. Nitrates should be below 20 parts per million (ppm) without harming your fish. Once big enough, the baby electric blue acaras can be moved to the display aquarium or given to another hobbyist. Electric Blue Acara/ Blue Acara aggression Watch our video on the rules of this forum. The water temperature in the tank should be kept at a constant 72 to 85 Fahrenheit, with 75 to 76 Fahrenheit being optimal. Some great options for this are bloodworms, brine shrimp, small insects, and earthworms. Does anyone know if 1 electric blue acara would be ok in a 29 gallon tank with probably: 2 angelfish, 2-3 dwarf gouramis, 1 bristlnose pleco, a few panda Cory catfish OR a few black Kuhli loaches. Thank you for visiting! To keep your electric blue as happy and healthy as possible, imitate the conditions found in the blue acaras natural habitat in South America. Electric Blue Acaras are monogamous and are moderately easy to breed in the home tank. These are stocky, compact fish, growing to reach up to seven inches in length when fully mature, although they are capable of breeding at around four inches long. Blue Oscar Fish: They are the result of crossbreeding and will look similar to an Electric Blue Ram or Blue Acara. If you do a little research, youll determine that wood and coral sand are two frequent aquarium components that impact pH. Size matters, in this scenario, for the fish to live peacefully together. Alison Page has been an avid fish keeper for over 35 years and has owned many different species of freshwater tropical fish including bettas. The electric blue jack dempsey is characterized by its iridescent blue coloration and black spots on its body. The best tank shape to choose for the Blue Acara is long rather than tall. These fish prefer sandy substrate and warmer water between 75F and 80F. Electric Blue Acaras readily form pairs and will regularly breed in a home tank setting, diligently caring for their fry without becoming overly aggressive toward other aquarium residents. That being said, they need a high-quality diet to keep their colors shining brightest. Expect your tank to be around 140lbs when empty and 850lbs when filled. They need a minimum of a 20-gallon tank with the usual 10 to 15 gallons extra capacity per fish. I would probably get one pair of each, along with some Congo tetras and maybe some rainbow fish and some type of catfish or plecostomus. I think it will be an awesome tank but I'm open to opinions, thanks! For each additional acara, add 15 gallons. As a cichlid species, they can also be territorial, especially the males during spawning times. Freshwater diseases affect electric blue acaras due to inadequate food and bad water conditions. Like other cichlids, electric blues will rearrange the tank to how they like it, especially during spawning periods. The water should be in the neutral to the mildly acidic range with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0 and with a soft to medium-hardness of between 3 and 12 dGH. For a single Electric Blue Acara, you would require a 30-gallon tank. They are more likely to have deformities than the normal Blue Acara and are of a more peaceful temperament. pH shock is rather easy to avoid; routine maintenance (water changes) is essential, like double-checking the water quality before putting them in your tank. Contact your veterinarian about clinical needs and figure out whats causing the stress and how to relieve it. Aug 9, 2020. . The Electric Blue Acara typically grows to a max size of between six and seven inches in length. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. One of the best things about electric blue acara is that they eat anything you offer them! In fact, some cultures cannot even "see" bluemeaning that they cannot easily differentiate it from green! Also, youll need to rinse the filter media in tank water to remove any sludge and replace the cartridges when necessary. The most challenging part about breeding electric blues is getting a good breeding pair. You should also feed flaked foods and cichlid pellets. They get along with a wide variety of fish and dont cause any problems in community tanks. 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. You can usually avoid this by making sure there are enough live plants, rocks, and caves for them to hide. Aqadvisor calculates that in a 75g with two Aquaclear 110 filters, the tank is stocked by 85% with the rest of the stock with five boesemani rainbowfish and 85% with two angelfish. In the other, she has a happy community of tiger barbs, green tiger barbs, corydoras catfish, platys, and mollies. Sometimes you might see them hiding out and being shy, and other times theyll be darting around exploring and digging through the substrate. Growth and Development. It is a cichlid that hardly adjusts well to changes in the environment, and it can live for a total of 10 years when kept in good condition. On top of being a relatively big fish, electric blue acaras can live for a surprisingly long time. With the knowledge drops Ill offer today, you will be ready to embark on keeping these unique fish in your aquarium. I have 4 males in my 20 gallon. 1. Betta Fish Tank Ideas Unique, Cute And Cool Designs, Best Places To Buy Goldfish For Sale Online, 13 Awesome Freshwater Aquarium Sharks to Enhance Your Underwater World, Aquarium Light VS Grow Light Know Which One To Choose. Again, some of the best species include Anubias, Java fern, and hornwort. Then raise the temperature of the tank slightly to trigger the breeding. Electric blue acara fish love to swim, and you will likely see your fish spending the day swimming around. Andinoacara pulcher is a genuine show-stopper with its surreal glow, making the aquarium tank it sits in stand out. But there's no one rule set in stone. They are calm and friendly tank companions who do not bother electric blue acaras. In the wild, this fish can live double that! What Are The Best Plants For Electric Blue Acaras? In this care guide, well go over everything you need to know about this fish and how to ensure that it thrives in your tank. If you want to keep these two fish together, keep an eye on their behavior in the tank so you can see any fighting right away. Electric blue acaras have relatively large fins with respect to their body size. Very true , you never know with cichlids. This line is also found on the back edge of their caudal fin, but its much smaller and usually very faint (you might not even notice it). If you love fish-keeping, you're probably just as fascinated by the natural world as we are, so today we're going to dive into the weird and wonderful world of fish with big eyes! Electric Blue Acara Care. The fish are sexually mature once they grow to around two to three inches in length, although most begin breeding at four inches. Contact|Policy & Privacy|Resource|Advertisement, TheAquariumGuide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Black Phantom Tetra 101: Breeding Guide, Care, & Disease. Learn more. Electric blue acaras are rarely aware that a bristlenose pleco is present in the tank, making it the best tank mate for all sizes of electric blue acaras. All Possible Causes, Dropsy In Fish: Your Guide To Symptoms & Treatment, Clown Loach Care: Tank Size, Food, Lifespan, Tank Mates, Dojo Loach Care 101 (aka Weather Or Pond Loach), Picasso Triggerfish Care Guide: Size, Tank Mates, & Diet, Clown Triggerfish 101: Diet, Tank Size, Care Tips & Mates, Marine Betta or Comet 101: Diet, Tank, Mates & Breeding, Ribbon Eel Care Guide: Tank, Color Change, Diet & Size. When shopping for your electric blue acara, make sure to confirm whether it is a hybrid or the parent species. My buddy breeds electric blue acara fish and always wants to give me like 4-6 of them, however I read online that I can only have 1 acara in a 29 gallon. The best electric blue acara community tank mates include: They have even been safely kept with larger invertebrates, including dwarf crayfish and nerite snails. On the flip side, I dont recommend very large or aggressive species either, as they may harass and stress the Acaras. . The Electric Blue Acara is a fairly hardy fish that can tolerate a wide variance in conditions. We recommend taking the time to make sure their environment is adequate. Read this care guide to learn how you can help yours thrive! . If so, youre in for a real treat! The temperature in a breeding tank should ideally be about 77 degrees Fahrenheit; once the spawning is complete, you will want to remove the adult fish to prevent them from eating their fry. The short course in Malawi's is as follows (note there are no "rules" here, only broad suggestions frequently very successfully broken): If you're a fan of gouramis but don't have a large enough tank, the dwarf gourami is a good alternative. Their dorsal fin starts about a quarter of the way back from the front of their body and extends all the way back to the start of their caudal fin. You might also want to include some peaceful bottom dwellers, such as plecos or Corydoras catfish. Electric blue acara are active swimmers that need a lot of open space to enjoy. These, Why Your Betta Fish Is Laying At The Bottom Of The Tank, Why Is My Goldfish Turning White? There may be a few things to think about when trying to breed the Electric Blue Acara, but it does not change that the andinoacara pulcher is perhaps the easiest cichlid to breed. Remember, blue acaras can be found in a variety of environmental conditions, which means that these freshwater fish can also adapt to most aquarium conditions. These conditions range from murky, standstill waters to clear and running rivers. Each additional specimen will need 15 gallons. . The water conditions should be as follows: Temperature: 72-86F; pH: 6-7.5; . The fishs body is mainly steel-gray with stripes and spots on its head and body. The julii and sterbai are both typical gentle bumbling Cory's the sterbai being the bigger of the two. Quarantine all affected fish and treat using antibiotics, such as Octozin or Metronidazole. If you dont want to hassle with this then you can feed them pellets and flake fish food provided it has enough nutritional value to keep them healthy. The fish will start scratching itself against any hard surface in the aquarium to relieve the irritation. Blue fish are unique and special-looking since blue is found in nature much more rarely than other colors. . If you want your fish to thrive, you must have good water quality and follow the suggested water parameter requirements. Ich parasite lives in tank water, so quarantining individuals is ineffective. 2. This is a very manageable size and allows them to be comfortable in a fairly average tank. Electric blue acaras are an extremely popular hybrid cichlid. It would be optimal to have a temperature range of 68-82 F but keep it at around 75-76 F. . The Library of Congress > Chronicling America > Evening star. . Just something to keep an eye on! This can cause a lot of disruption to the substrate and aquascaping. Unlike other similar cichlids, the electric blue acara is an egg layer and not a mouthbrooder. Other signs and symptoms include a loss of appetite and respiratory difficulties. Other genetic components play a part as well, but they are impractical to test for. For your fish to remain healthy and happy, youll need to maintain the tank and keep it clean. Below is a list of good things to feed your electric blue acara, other than flakes (but it should not make up their whole diet): No cichlid benefits from being overfed, so monitor how much food you feed every day to prevent your cichlid fish from overeating, as this could lead to a wide range of health problems. The electric blue acara was hybridized from a series of overly bright and colorful blue acara as well as blue rams. Most tanks do well with under 20 ppm nitrate. . Over the next two months, the baby fish will continue to develop. These fish are primarily light and shiny blue with some subtle details that add to their glimmer. Save. Min Tank Size: 30 Gallons. A 30-gallon tank is suitable for 1 to 2 Blue Acara, however, if you are planning to have more than . It is an aggressive fish and is knon for being a good fighter. The male will quickly fertilize them once laid. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Great water quality and sticking to the recommended water parameter guidelines are absolutely essential if you want your fish to thrive. The cory catfish is a shoaling fish that cleans the bottom. 1 Severum. Correct tank water parameters, relieve overcrowding, treat with an over-the-counter drug as directed. You wont be disappointed. I'm looking for any opinions on adding my two Regular Blue Acara in with them. They are tropical fish and need a tropical water temperature between 74 F to 82 F. A weekly or biweekly 15 to 25% water change should be performed to keep nitrates low and to keep water quality up. You must also include the minimum tank size for that tank mate if you want to keep them together. You can also treat your fish with vegetables like broccoli on special occasions. The common recommendation is a 20-gallon tank with the water temperature set to about 75 or 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Treat the whole tank, raising the temperature to 82o F for three days, and use an over-the-counter, condition-specific remedy. The electric blue acara, also known by its scientific name andinoacara pulcher hybrid, is a freshwater fish which relative the blue acara, is native to Colombia, Venezuela, and other countries in South America. Electric Blue Acara Common Diseases and their Treatment, Two Advantages of Having Electric Blue Acara Tank Mates in Your Aquarium, Dos And Donts For Selecting Electric Blue Acaras, Best Flowering Aquarium Plants For Your Tank (Expert Review), How Often Do Ghost Shrimp Molt? Electric Blue Acara and medium-length fish typically reach 6 to 7 inches. It is a member of the cichlid family and can grow to be up to 10 inches in length. The upper or middle level of the aquarium houses most electric blue acaras. Very small fish is also a bad idea as it could, unfortunately, be confused with live food. I don't think I . On the side of their bodies, youll typically see a bit of faded yellow more toward the front half. pH range: 6 to 8. Malawi bloat causes a bloated abdomen and a diminished appetite or complete loss of appetite in fish. Quarantine affected fish; treat water with an antifungal remedy. The best thing is to feed a balanced flake diet, with other live food and vegetables. The Electric Blue Acara is typically smaller and more brightly colored than the normal Blue Acara. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 26. Theyre active diggers, which means youll often see them rummaging through the substrate in search of little things to nibble on. This freshwater fish is resistant and adapts easily to new and changing conditions in the tank, but you need to make sure that there is enough open space for the electric blue acara to swim. Electric Blue Acara are one of our favorite cichlids due to their size, coloration and wide range of tank mate. This filter should be rated for at least 2x the size of the tank as these are relatively big fish. Otherwise known as the Cynotilapia afra, the dogtooth cichlid is a small species native to Lake Malawi. The pair will fiercely protect their fry for up to two weeks, and will be ready to breed again shortly after this time period. Currently Alison has two large freshwater tanks. This will give them enough space to swim and be active. In addition, most treatments entail raising the temperature of the water to aid in the diseases eradication. This allows for the male and female fish as well as the fry until they are big enough to stop receiving parental care. If you keep them in small-sized groups, they can become shy. The blue hues will flawlessly complement the bright yellow shades of yellow labs. They can be considered mid-range fish and are suitable for your average or large-sized tank. Use an aquarium gravel vacuum cleaner to remove fish waste, uneaten food, and plant debris from the substrate. You dont want to match them with much larger fish as they could become prey, and aggressive fish will cause anxiety and disruption in the tank. Make sure each tank buddy has the right shoal size to simulate group hostility. One thing that is important for a cichlid like the electric blue acara is the water quality, and with that in mind, have a proper filter installed and clean the tank accordingly. . These vibrant fish are sure to add some excitement to your aquarium. These freshwater fish are not dwarf cichlids and cannot be kept in nano tank conditions! If you have a fish suffering from pH shock, youll have to rely on the fishs hardiness and a little luck. Jul 18, 2017. Blue acaras grow to a decent size and need room to swim. Being able to care for a stunning fish like the electric blue acara is a great way to gain confidence as a hobby aquarist, so make sure you have a tank that is not too small, a stable water temperature, an appropriate tank mate, and nutritious fish food.You can soon witness it swimming happily in the tank. 13359 North Highway 183 Suite 406 Cichlid gets along with most fishes, but you have to make sure the size of the tank is not too small for them all to live in harmony. Malawi bloat is a sickness that affects cichlids in Malawi. WI. So, every week you must carry out partial water changes to remove excess ammonia and nitrites and to keep nitrate levels down. Floating plants are also a good choice, as they help to diffuse the lighting and provide shelter for fry. Now, you can add your plants. ), Why Is My Ghost Shrimp Turning White? There are many ways to set up a tank with the electric blue acara in mind. Another symptom is difficulty breathing, which causes the fish to start breathing rapidly. Stress is something that fish, like people, must cope with regularly. The same can be said about the aquarium decorations used. Electric blue acaras are relatively large fish that enjoy their swimming space. The iridescent electric blue color is one of the most beautiful features of this electric blue freshwater aquarium fish. They will be the star of your tank no matter what other fish you have!