Many people are fascinated by the aquarium, and they can spend hours watching its inhabitants. But, as it turned out, the inhabitants of the underwater world are no less curious, for example, the acara can also freeze near the glass for a long time, contemplating its surroundings... In addition, this beautiful mother-of-pearl fish is able to recognize its owner, which indicates its high development. Acaras are very popular, and if you consider that there are over 30 species of these amazing aquarium inhabitants, it turns out that almost any aquarist can choose the most attractive pets for him.
Akara in nature
The historical homeland of cancer is considered to be reservoirs located in the northwestern part of Peru and the Rio Esmeraldas River basin. They are also found in South America, Central Colombia, Brazil and some other countries, preferring bodies of water without strong currents with rich vegetation and multiple shelters.
Cancers have been kept in aquariums since the seventies of the last century, and today they are one of the most sought-after cichlids among fish lovers.
First a little history
Albert Karl Ludwig Gothelf Günther
(1830-1914) - a German zoologist, known to all aquarists for his work on the creation of an 8-year-old catalog of fishes (“Catalogue of fishes”), first gave a complete description of the turquoise acre back in 1860.
In the chapter dedicated to the “green terrorist”, he clearly attributed this fish to the cichlid family - Cichlidae, and said that the fish came to Europe from South America, where it lived freely in the rivers of Peru and Ecuador, preferring rocky-sandy areas, poorly penetrated by the sun shallow waters. Hiding under large rocks and dark driftwood, this iridescent aggressor attacked larvae, insects, small invertebrates and other smaller fish.
In his writings, Albert Gunther made no difference between the turquoise acre Andinoacara rivulatus and the blue-spotted acre Aequidens pulcher, classifying them as the same species.
For beginning fish farmers, these differences are so insignificant that it is not worth dwelling on them in detail.
Description
This is a large fish, it can reach 30 cm in nature, but in aquarium conditions it is about 15-20 cm. The larger the aquarium, the larger it will grow. Acara scales shimmer with a blue-green sheen, which is why they are called turquoise. There is a bright orange stripe on the dorsal and caudal fin. Males are larger than females, have bright turquoise scales, their distinctive feature is a growth on the forehead, the dorsal and anal fin are pointed. All the beauty of the fish is revealed in the males, because... females are not as bright and smaller in size than males. Females are also more aggressive, which is a feature of this fish, because In cichlids it's usually the other way around.
The Turquoise Acara is often called the "Green Terror" due to their tough temperament, which makes it difficult for them to be compatible with other fish. However, they differ in intelligence. They can recognize their owner, and if someone approaches the aquarium, they swim up to the glass to look at the person.
Sexual differences between male and female aquaras
Sexual dimorphism is determined only in individuals that have reached sexual maturity (aged 6-8 months). Male acara have a brighter color than females, and the ends of their anal and dorsal fins are elongated. Males are larger in size; by the age of five, males develop a fatty growth on their forehead - a wen. Unlike males, females are darker in color and smaller in size.
- Dog breeds
- Urban dog breeds
- Origin of the cat
- Hypoallergenic dogs
- Fighting dog breeds
- The rarest cat breeds
Kinds
Acaras are famous for their diversity of species. Next we will talk about the most famous and popular of them.
bluish spotted
The color of the fish corresponds to its name. Blueish shiny spots are distributed throughout the body. The body itself is gray-blue with vertical dark stripes.
The bluish-spotted acara has an easy-going nature and peaceful disposition. Compatibility with other types of cancer is optimal. But since this fish belongs to the cichlid family, it cannot be combined with small fish. This cancer is the least demanding in maintenance and nutrition. Therefore, these species are recommended for beginner aquarium hobbyists.
The optimal water temperature for blue-spotted acara is 20-30°C, the acidity of the water should be 6.5-8 pH, and the hardness should be from 5 to 25°.
Turquoise
It is a larger and brightly colored fish than the bluish-spotted acara. The color of this fish is bright turquoise with silver or pearlescent shades.
Turquoise cancer is often confused with diamond cichlosoma. This is not true, since the fish are different, but they have good compatibility.
In addition to the turquoise acara, all types of large cichlids coexist with the diamond cichlosoma. Turquoise acara also has good compatibility with chain catfish and severum. You can add other types of predatory cichlids to it.
The turquoise acara is considered aggressive, although with proper care and a sufficiently large aquarium it can become a completely peaceful fish. The water temperature for this type of cancer should be in the range of 22-28°C, acidity – 6.5-8 pH, and hardness 5-13°.
Zebra
Zebra is a small nana fish of the cichlid family with a yellow, reddish or olive color. The entire body is crossed by vertical black stripes.
The zebra is a peaceful and accommodating individual, showing little aggression even during the spawning period. It is better to combine with similar inactive fish.
Zebra, like other cichlid species, needs a large amount of water and a varied diet. Fluctuations in water temperature for these fish should be within 22-28°C; the optimal acidity value is 4.5-6 pH, hardness - 5-10°.
Red-breasted
The red-breasted acara got its name due to the red color of the lower part of the head and chest. The main color ranges from golden to greenish; on the back the color range is darker. Before spawning, the color of the fish intensifies. The chest becomes a rich scarlet color, the front arrows on the pelvic fins become black. The red-breasted acara defends its territory, but it is very small in size, without causing inconvenience to its neighbors. An interesting feature of this fish is the ability to change its color depending on its mood.
The water temperature in the aquarium for the red-breasted acara should be from 23 to 30°C, the acidity should be 6.5-7.5 pH, and the hardness should be 5-20°.
Maroni
The body is yellow, reddish or olive in color. A black stripe runs through the eyes, and near the dorsal fin there is a dark spot with a stripe running down the body. On each scale you can see a brownish spot. Acara maroni, like the red-breasted acara, changes its color depending on its emotions.
Akara maroni is a very peaceful fish. He has a timid character and hides at the sight of danger. It is best to keep Acara Maroni in a school of 6-8 fish. The water temperature for these fish should be from 16 to 24°C, acidity from 6.5 to 7 pH, and hardness from 3 to 10°.
Electric blue
The color of this small fish is bright blue and sparkling. The front part of the body is orange. During the spawning period, the color becomes even brighter. This type of cancer is non-aggressive and lives peacefully with other Nana cichlids. During the spawning period, it can be active, protecting its clutch, but to a lesser extent than other acara.
Akara Electric Blue is very demanding in maintenance, but all the efforts to properly care for it are worth it to see its beauty. Optimal maintenance conditions: water temperature 20-28°C, acidity 6-8 pH, hardness 6-20°.
Neon
This is a small fish with bright pearl-blue scales. The head and upper back are golden in color. Neon acara has a quiet disposition, but not during spawning. Protecting her offspring, she will zealously attack fish passing by and even her partner.
It is better to keep such a fish separately from large cichlids, which can easily eat it. The best neighbors for neon acara will be fish of the same size and with similar maintenance needs.
The optimal temperature for this type of cichlid is 18-28°C, acidity 6.5-8 pH, hardness 6-15°.
Keeping a cara at home
Acaras began to be kept in aquarium conditions around the end of the last century, but currently this species is one of the most sought after and popular among domestic amateur aquarists.
Acara belongs to fish from the cichlid or cichlid family, so the content differs in some ways. Turquoise acara is most often kept in a spacious aquarium with other popular and sized cichlids or catfish.
Requirements for an aquarium
The aquarium for acara should be selected in such a way that a couple of adult individuals need about 160-250 liters of water. A prerequisite for proper maintenance is to ensure high-quality aeration and effective filtration. Every week it is necessary to replace a third of the water in the aquarium.
The lighting of the aquarium also plays an important role. It is necessary to select medium-power lamps, and the total daylight hours should be ten hours. After sunset, special night lamps are used. When choosing the type of soil, it is advisable to give preference to stones and pebbles of the middle fraction. For decoration purposes, driftwood and various aquatic plants are installed in the aquarium.
It is very important to securely fix all decorative elements and vegetation to the bottom, because during the spawning period, acara are capable of digging up the entire aquarium soil.
Water requirements
To maintain turquoise acara, clean water with the following indicators is required:
- dH 8-15°;
- pH 6-8;
- T 23-25°C.
Any shifts from the above parameters can provoke not only disease, but also mass death of aquarium fish.
Turquoise Acaras, along with most other large cichlids, have a fairly high metabolic rate and quickly spoil water, so without high-quality filter systems it will not be possible to keep such a fish in an aquarium.
Cancer Care
Caring for this type of aquarium fish is not difficult. Acara forms pairs on its own, but when deciding to engage in breeding, several young animals are initially acquired. After a productive pair is formed, the remaining individuals are placed in a separate aquarium . If necessary, spawning can be artificially stimulated by increasing the temperature and replacing a large amount of water.
Nutrition and diet
A bright and beautiful aquarium fish requires not only proper care, but also a complete diet. Chopped shrimp, mussels and squid, as well as fillets of almost any sea fish, including hake, cod and pink salmon, are very suitable for feeding acara. Young individuals can be fed with homemade minced fish with the addition of chopped lettuce or spirulina.
Ready-made dry food produced by such well-known manufacturers as Tetra, Sera and Nikari have also proven themselves very well. It is advisable to give preference to fairly large granulated food such as Sera Granuar or dry sticks Sera Ciсhlids Sticks, Tetra сichlid Sticks. Food is given to the fish a couple of times a day. It is recommended that adult fish have one fasting day every week .
Feeding
It is primarily a predator, it eats all types of food, but can be capricious. In the aquarium, she eats both live and frozen tubifex, bloodworms, brine shrimp, gammarus, crickets, worms, fish fillets, shrimp and mussel meat and other high-calorie foods.
Modern food for large cichlids can provide healthy nutrition, and in addition the menu can be diversified with live food.
You can also add vitamins and plant foods, such as spirulina, to the food.
You need to feed her 1-2 times a day, trying to give as much food as she can eat at once.
Reproduction of acara
Acaras spawn in the same way as all cichlids. This can happen both in the spawning area and in the general reservoir.
The breeding season is characterized by aggressive behavior of fish. It is not necessary to create any additional conditions. Sexual maturity in fish occurs at about one year. Pairs are created easily. Caviar laying can be done on a stone, driftwood, or even just on a section of the bottom. This territory is pre-cleared by the fish. The female lays about 300-400 eggs and after they are fertilized by the male, she carries the eggs in her mouth until the fry appear (from 4 to 10 days).
The fry are fed with Cyclops, rotifers, ciliates and Artemia nauplii.
Breeding Turquoise Cancers
Gender differences are minor. The male is larger, has a fatty bump on the forehead and a red edge on the caudal fin. Females are more aggressive than males. During mating games, the fish become brighter, the females darken, the body becomes turquoise with bright blue reflections.
For breeding, it is better to select individuals from different litters, lines, etc. Pairs, as a rule, form by themselves. If there is no harmony between the male and female, then the latter is replaced. Water with the following parameters is considered ideal for reproduction: temperature – 25-26 °C, pH – 6.5-7, hardness – 4-12° dGH. Spawning can be stimulated by replacing half the water and slightly increasing its temperature.
The couple cleans the stone, driftwood or glass at the bottom, where up to 600 eggs will subsequently be deposited. At the same time, they dig holes in the ground to shelter future offspring. Both parents care for the eggs. If the fish begin to eat the eggs, they will need to be transferred to a separate container.
After 3-4 days the larvae hatch. Their fish are transferred to prepared pits. Ten days later, the fry appear and can swim and feed on their own. They are given Artemia nauplii, crushed adult food and egg yolk.
Those who decide to keep these bright fish in their home will have to try to provide them with comfortable living conditions. But all the efforts will pay off, and the happy owner will be able to observe the behavior of cancer for years and admire the exotic beauty of their pets.
Difficulty in content
Although this is a very beautiful fish that attracts the attention of aquarists, it cannot be recommended for beginners. Turquoise acara is a large and aggressive fish that requires a lot of free space to keep. A pair of akaras can literally terrorize their neighbors and need to be kept with large and strong fish. In addition, they are very sensitive to water parameters and sudden changes. Due to these circumstances, turquoise cichlids can only be recommended to aquarists who already have experience in keeping large cichlids. True, even a beginner can successfully keep them only if he can create suitable conditions and select large neighbors.
Best neighbors
Turquoise cancers are extremely aggressive. They carefully protect their territory from other representatives of their species. Even in a very large aquarium, clashes between families are inevitable.
Females often behave more aggressively than males. Some have such a bad character that they show aggression towards their partner.
The enthusiasm they display at the same time compensates for their lack of height and physical strength. A more phlegmatic “boy” can receive significant injuries from his significant other.
It is recommended to remove such fierce individuals and keep them separately. No one has yet succeeded in rehabilitating especially pugnacious “girls.”
These terrorists regard small and medium-sized fish as food. Receiving enough food, they will prolong the pleasure of hunting, making the life of small neighbors unbearable. But sooner or later they will be eaten anyway.
In a large area of water, turquoise akars are able to get along with fish that are not inferior to them in size and are not afraid to fight back. Aquarists managed to achieve a positive result by adding ancitrus catfish or large cichlids, such as:
astronotus
flower horn
black-striped cichlasoma
severum
hybrid parrot of large variety
According to the scale of aggression existing in zoology, green terrorists scored as much as 80 points out of a possible 100.
Who do they get along with?
Acara's livability largely depends on the size of their living space. This turquoise fish is especially aggressive towards individuals of its own gender and species, so it can easily start a war with it. Often females that stand out for their particular pugnacity even have to be resettled. As for animals of other species, it is quite possible to add fish of the same size as acaras and capable of fending for themselves into a large jar.
Good neighbors for the turquoise acara will be:
- cichlids of equal size;
- small cichlazomas;
- hybrid red parrots;
- catfish.
Dwarf cichlids, including African cichlids, angelfish and any small peaceful fish are not suitable for housing.
Interesting Facts
It has been noticed that same-sex cancers of the same species do not get along with each other. Most often, females quarrel among themselves. To avoid conflicts in the aquarium, it is necessary to provide large water space and an abundance of food.
The aggressiveness of cancers during spawning is explained by the protective instinct - the male, who guards the female, can bully an unwanted guest of the spawning site.
Acaras have a strong territorial instinct, which is also typical for other cichlids. These fish jealously guard their territories, driving away quarrelsome neighbors.
Akaras are hunters and predators. If the acara is hungry, it can easily swallow smaller inhabitants of the aquarium (guppies or neons). Therefore, you should not place acara with smaller aquarium fish in the same aquarium.
Where to buy and price?
You can purchase healthy aqua in the capital and other large cities from modern companies specializing in aquarium breeding. In addition, many private breeders of large predatory aquarium fish are engaged in the sale of this species.
The cost varies depending on the age and gender of the fish:
- individuals with a body length of up to 80 mm or size “M” - from 280 rubles;
- individuals with a body length of up to 120 mm or size “L” - from 900 rubles;
- individuals with a body length of up to 160 mm or size “XL” - from 3,200 rubles.
The cost of adults and juveniles sold by private breeders can be an order of magnitude lower.
Possible diseases
Fish of this species have a fairly strong immune system, but cancers are especially susceptible to some fungal infections.
| Name of the disease | Signs | Method of treatment |
| Nitrate poisoning | The color fades, the fish does not eat, does not sink into the water column | It is necessary to completely replace the water and calcinate the soil. To eliminate nitrate compounds, you can purchase special products at a pet store. |
| Ichthyophthiriasis | White spots developing into ulcers | Sulfur preparations containing sulfur in their composition are effective. It is important to rinse the filter and calcine the substrate. |
| Fin rot | Ulcerative erosions on fins and body | It is necessary to disinfect the aquarium and water using a manganese solution. |
Akara is a real decoration for any aquarium. Despite the nature of the fish of this species, they get along well with many cichlids. It is very important to provide the fish with enough space to avoid excessive aggressiveness.
Reviews
Alekh
And in my 38-liter aquarium there live a pair of cancers - a male 14 cm and a female 10 cm, and they had about two hundred fry there. Yes, it’s a little cramped, but what can you do, in cramped conditions, no offense, cozy family happiness. Acaras are the only fish with intelligence that I have come across (cannot be compared with stupid guppies or cockerels).
At the same time, they are lively, sociable, especially the female, who is also very aggressive, she killed all the fish that lived in the aquarium before she moved in, tore out entire eyeballs from living cichlids or bit them through, I was almost shocked when I first saw this sophisticated cruelty, even managed to tear the tail of a clever protected catfish until it bled, leaving it still alive. The male is good-natured and calm, but once every week or two he hits the female hard, so that the sound of the blow can be heard throughout the room, and she bites him almost constantly. This fish is not for the faint of heart, not for children. I don’t want any other fish, because there are a lot of emotions from these two cancers.
Daria
Foolishly, I bought cancer for a new 40 liter aquarium. pushed through 11 pieces. Very small from the same litter. They're growing now. I've already given them away. There are very small ones of different sizes, and one huge male with a bump on his forehead is probably already 6-7 cm. I feed only live food. Rarely dry. They are of course very beautiful, but I don’t know what to do with them next. Who needs such horses? Not everyone can afford a 300L aquarium for just two fish. I'm worried.
Cactus B
A girl has been living in my 60-liter aquarium for five years now. Two cichlazomas Meeka and this acara. The entire aquarium is covered with thick algae. It’s not enough for these fish, but there’s no money and no space. Large – each fish is 7-8 cm long. They don’t fight, they are calm, perhaps because there are eight(!) towers in the aquarium and a whole forest of plants - there is enough shelter for everyone.
Sergey Wolf
Very interesting fish! Especially during the spawning period, the female was constantly building the male, saying to spawn... I sold it and I really regret it.... however, now there are two teenagers living in the aquarium with the guppies... on live food...
Video
Compatibility
Under good conditions they are quite peaceful and calm.
The main reason for the aggression of these fish is an insufficiently spacious aquarium. When in close quarters, these cichlids tend to become bullying and provoke other fish into conflict.
Surprisingly, females are much more pugnacious than males, and this is especially evident during the spawning period, when they literally rush at everyone. To avoid fights, it is better to keep only one pair in the aquarium.
Chromis, severum, synodontis catfish, pterygoplicht catfish, and shark barb are quite suitable as neighbors for these fish. Not a very good combination with astronotus and Managuan cichlasoma. They can kill Akara in a fight.
It is also better not to add small African cichlids (angelfish) to them, which risk dying or living in constant stress next to these companions. Small fish, such as neons, guppies and others, are completely perceived as live food.
