Blue Acara Fish Information:

The Blue Acara, one of the more popular aquarium fishes, is a cichlid of South American origin.



The Acara has an easy temperament and is therefore a great fish to keep as a pet. The fish is easy to take care of and is relatively inexpensive, which makes it a must-buy for anyone keen on starting up an aquarium. Acara, due to its popularity amongst pet lovers, is bred in large numbers in captivity.



This is great for fish owners because most Acara will have never been subjected to the trauma and stress of getting caught.

Due to its appearance, the Blue Acara is often mistaken for the Green Terror, which is another South American cichlid. The two fish shared the same scientific name for a long time, until the Green Terror was finally categorized as a separate species.



Though the fish look quite alike, their temperaments couldn’t have been any more different. While the Blue Acara is extremely peaceful, the Green Terror is an aggressive fish and is not recommended for fish keepers who are inexperienced. When it comes to appearance, the only difference between the two fish is that the Green Terror develops a hump on its head when it matures. The Blue Acara may also be sometimes confused with another fish named as the Jack Dempseys. However, the similarities between these two are not as stark as those between the Blue Acara and the Green Terror.

The fish lives for about 10 years and has a compact stocky body with long flowing fins. The color of the fish changes from region to region; however, the most common color of the fish is steel blue. There may be variations in the shade of blue of the different Acaras. The Blue Acara is essentially a carnivore that feeds on smaller fish. It is also known to bully smaller fish in its tank, and therefore, the best way to keep the Blue Acara is with bigger or same-sized fishes. Usually, those who keep the Blue Acara, pair it up with other peaceful cichlids.

Blue Acara health care is relatively easy. However, with the Blue Acara in the aquarium, there is considerable amount of organic waste, due to which there may need to be frequent changes of water. To avoid Blue Acara health issues, try to keep it in an aquarium that is sparsely populated as the fish requires a lot of water.