The Electric Blue Acara is a very colorful freshwater fish. It belongs to the cichlid family (a well-known group among housekeeping fish). It is present in freshwater habitats. The species gets its name from its appearance. The scientific name of electric blue acara is Andinoacara Pulcher. It belongs to phylum chordate and order Cichliformes. The electric blue acara flows from freshwater bodies to the lakes and rivers of Central America. The electric blue acaras are found in South America from Panama to Colombia and Sothern Asia.
Appearance
The electric blue acara has an elongated body. The body is compressed on the sides and forms an oval shape. They have a bluish hue. The brown to black, grey, and orange vertical bands are present all over the body. The blue sparkles scattered over the body that’s why it is called electric blue acara. Yellowish black spots are present on the sides. The blue color changes into grey-black color in the head region. The transition of the abdomen into the tail is the thinnest part of the body. They have large eyes with dark pupils enclosed in orange-red iris. They have a circular caudal fin and a single large dorsal fin. The caudal fin is bigger than the pelvic pectoral and anal fin fins. The fins are blue in color but have orange edges. The electric blue acara shows somewhat appearance similarity with the green terror cichlid.
Typical Behavior
Electric blue acara exhibits a high degree of hostility. These are the species with peaceful temperament and their care level is way much easy. The species doesn’t need much care and feed on anything. Although they may sometimes behave as bully species but will always back down from a fight. They rarely cause any trouble due to their small size. The electric blue acara is Shy so they need plenty of hiding places in the tank. They can live for a long time up to 10 years in aquariums as compared to other freshwater fishes.
Swimming Behavior
The swimming behavior of the fish is healthy. It is usually found near the base and middle layer of the tank and rarely swims up to the surface. In the tank, we can visualize them swimming and navigating through the plant bushes. Electric blue acaras take good delight in swimming around the tank. It seldom goes into hiding especially when feeling threatened or stressed.

Electric Color Pattern
The Electric blue acaras differ from other aquariums. They have a striking electric appearance. Their color pattern is aberrantly making them different from other fishes. Their body is light blue in color but scales form a dark pattern. The blue color changed into dull gray and black in the head region. The fins are blue in color but have orange color on the edges.
Gender Differentiation
The body features of male and female electric blue acara are different. The anal and the caudal fin are different. The anal and caudal fins are longer and pointier in males but in females, they are shorter and rounded. The male electric blue acara has a larger body than the female. The male species has a hump around its forehead. The body color of the male species is more conspicuous than that of the female species.
Pre-Breeding Behavior
At the age of 10 months, the electric blue acaras are mature to mate. Their body attained a length of 10cm at this stage. At this stage, both male and female species display darker body coloration. This represents that they are ready to spawn.
Breeding Behavior:
Post-breeding Care:
The juvenile electric blue acaras are transferred into a grow-out tank. They are protected from being eaten by parent fishes. The grow-out tank is equipped with an air-powered filter. The tank is not decorated with plants and other items. Aquarists can feed fry with dahlia, brine shrimp, rotifer, or microform.
Feeding Behavior:
The electric blue acara is super easy to feed. The electric blue acara dig into the substrate and uproot plants that are not held with strength. Aquarists can feed electric blue acaras with a moderate supply of pellets, flakes, brine shrimp, earthworms, larvae, insects, tubifex, cyclops, and crustaceans. They consume their feed in 3 minutes and are given feed 2-3 times a day. This kind of feeding behavior helps keep in check the amount of ammonium nitrate and nitrate. It also prevents acaras from getting overfed. They are omnivores and are not choosy eaters. In wild conditions, they are less likely to dig into the substrate but in tanks, they love to dig into the substrate. Their feeding decides the growth of fry. In wild, the species grows in size to 20cm but in tanks, it can grow to 15cm. Aquarists can also supplement their diet with vegetables like spinach, cucumber, and cabbage.
Avoid Overfeeding:
Overfeeding can disturb the digestive system of electric blue acara. If fish eat their meal for four minutes or more this is considered overeating. Allow fishes to take their meal for 2-3 minutes. Then remove the leftover food.
Choice of Fishkeeping Enthusiasts:
The electric blue acara is the preferred choice of fishkeeping enthusiasts. This is also recommended for beginners as they are not so care-demanding. They are quiet and tolerant in nature, unlike many other cichlid family fishes. Keeping them in our home aquarium does not cause any trouble. The electric blue acara can bare other aggressive fishes of the cichlid family.

Electric Blue Acara Diet
Blue acara are omnivores, but they favor a meat-based diet high in protein. Feed a base of quality fish flakes, along with the occasional treat of bloodworms and other live foods. You can also see them with vegetables like broccoli on special occasions. Feeding this diet will keep your electric blue acara excited and prevent it from becoming bored.
You might choose to feed your electric blue acara 3-4 times per day, as it is a fish that tends to gulp down its food and eat extremely fast. It is better to split up the foods and feed them multiple times a day since this could also help prevent competition in the tank when all fish are attempting to grasp meals. Below is a listing of good things to nourish your electrical blue acara, Aside from flakes:
- Brine shrimp
- Blanched cabbage
- Boiled peas
- Tubifex
- Earthworm
- Insect larvae
- Cyclops
- Boiled spinach
It is always recommended that you feed a quality brand of fish food for your acara fish to stay healthier.
Potential Diseases
Electric blue acaras aren’t immune to specific freshwater ailments that could arise due to poor water quality and an unhealthy diet, which is why it’s helpful to make sure that they are well cared for.
Let us briefly look at a number of the diseases that may affect this unique aquatic pet:
Malawi Bloat:
Malawi bloat is a common disease to many acaras: this is why it’s sometimes called cichlids bloat. Additionally, there may be respiratory complications, in which case the (influenced ) fish begins to breathe fast; inner organs like kidneys and liver may also be adversely affected, and the fish’s stool becomes discolored and stringy. Finally, ulcerative spots/ lesions may also appear on their entire body.
Medicines such as octozin, metronidazole, and some other antibiotics have proven successful in treating Malawi bloat.
Skin Fluke:
Skin flukes are also reported to endanger the health of electric blue acaras to a great extent. Its presence in and on the fish’s body will lead to severe irritation that could cause the fish to rub against hard surfaces inside the tank. Again, an affected fish may suffer skin damage, which might consequently lead to secondary infections. The activities of these organisms may also result in the fish dropping its attractive coloration, and becoming lethargic and gloomy. Praziquantel is the most vital and widely used medicine for treating skin fluke infestation.
Freshwater Ich:
Freshwater ich has widely reported influencing electric blue acaras even as it will hamper the wellness of an array of other freshwater fishes. An infected electrical blue acara develops a white spot on its skin; scratches its own body against hard objects; loses desire, and suffers respiratory issues, which may make it arrive at the surface, gasping for breath.
Furthermore, the fins may become clamped, and the fish gets to enter hiding often. In addition to high fever, blue, sodium chloride, etc., are often employed in this disorder’s therapy.
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Habitat of the Electric Blue Acara
The electric blue acaras are found in standing as well as free-floating water habitats rich in sandy river bed sand and substantial vegetation. They flow from freshwater basins to the lakes and rivers which are highly planted. This environment is best and protective for acara to raise their offspring. This allows electric blue acaras to escape from predator attacks. The substrate present in natural freshwater habitats is rich in feeding grounds. It contains smaller fish and meaty invertebrates. The drifting plants present on the surface of water bodies protect electric blue acaras from sunlight. These plants also act as a source of food.
Compatibility
The electric blue acara is mildly compatible. They are compatible with other acara, Severum, Firemoth, Terror, Blood Parrot, Jack Dempsy, Pelcostomus, Silver Dollar, and Synodontis. The electric blue acaras do not pose any danger to other fishes in the tank. They can share tanks with fishes of their type as well as fishes of another type. It is better to keep electric blue acara in pairs or in a group of at least six.
Tank-Setup for The Electric blue acara
A tank with 114 liters carrying capacity is ideal for keeping the electric blue acara. The optimal condition for nutrition, temperature, and water chemistry is essential for the potential growth of electric blue acara. About 20-30% of tank water should change every week to keep the water clean. The unclean water cause sickness in the electric blue acara. The soft sandy substrate is created so that the fish dig without getting damaged.
Water Parameters:
The fluctuating water chemistry may disturb the electric blue acara. This may contribute to some pathological conditions in fishes. So there is a compulsion to maintain the following water parameters:
- Water temperature: The temperature range required for the water environment of electric blue acara is 68-82°F. Temperature around 75-76°F is also optimal.
- Water hardness: The ideal degree of water hardness ranges between 3Dh-20Dh. The fishes have to thrive in very soft water from very hard water.
- pH range: An acidity ranges between 6.0-7.5pH is ideal, but keeping it closer to or above the neutral is the best.
The lighting in the tank should not disturb the natural cycles of your fish. A normal aquarium lamp is usually sufficient. The rounded gravels and large even sand grains are recommended for a substrate. The size and shape of the substrate do not bother.
We can keep a single electric blue acara in a minimum tank size of 30 gallons. The addition of one more acara must require 15 gallons of water.
Related Also: Best Betta Fish Tank Mates for 5 Gallon

Best Plants for Electric Blue Acaras
The following plants are best for the electric blue acaras:
- Java Moss: This plant requires no care. It is also called a bulletproof plant. The plant develops lush moss beds. They are a great option for frying to feed. Java moss bare the temperature range from 59-86F.
- Java Fern: Java fern is a low-light plant. It does not require CO2, fertilizer, or fancy soil. Java fern placed anywhere in the tank.
- Anubias: The anubias species has over 13 variants. The plant is bulletproof in a range of sizes, colors, and shapes. The plants may attach or freely float in the tank.
- Vallisneria: This plant has many varieties. They speed up their growth in the tank with lush. It forms a kelp-like forest for your fish in the tank.
Tank Mates for Blue Acara
The significantly large tank mates can increase competition in tanks for survival and nutrition. This increase in competence for food causes malnutrition for acara fishes. The small fishes are tempting snacks for acaras so the tank mates choose from other cichlid fishes having a similar size such as Banded Cichlid, Pearl cichlid, and Zebra cichlid. The catfishes like Corydoras, Plecos, Picture catfish, and Rainbowfish are good choices to add to the tank. They freshen up the lower layer of your tank.
Electric blue Acara Care
Electric blue acara rarely develop severe illness but paying little attention to tank conditions is necessary. Maintaining good water quality is important. The tank should be kept in an area with excessive sunlight penetration. The tank itself and substrate require cleaning after 3-4 weeks. The availability of devices like thermometers, pH meters, and ammonia testing kits is necessary to maintain water chemistry. If these fishes are placed in smaller sized tanks it can cause problem indigestion which disturbs their normal feeding behavior. The leftover food after feeding must remove from the tank to prevent overfeeding.

Conclusion
The electric blue acara is famous among the beautiful and fascinating Cichlids due to its unusual appearance. Many fishes of the cichlids family are available for community tanks. They can survive in different water conditions. The natural environment of electric blue acara is easy to build up in a tank. It allows you to build a wonderful home aquarium. They are a very good choice for beginners. They are very easy to breed but this is the only time you may experience their aggression. The electric blue acaras are a good addition to any tank.
FAQ’s Related to Electric Blue Acara
It’s highly determined by how much you feed. My Acara fry growth is 1 inch in length between 5-6 weeks. I fed them live baby brine shrimp 3x per day, using Hikari First Bites blended in Beginning at two weeks.
Blue acara females may lay from 400 to 1000 eggs. Occasionally, The fishes consume their very first strain, but after they stop doing this.
2-3 days.
The eggs will hatch within 2-3 days, and also the fry will swim around for a week. A set of Electric Blue Acara will continue to breed every couple of weeks when the fry is removed soon after they hatch.
Unlike most of the other cichlids, electrical blue acaras are relatively peaceful. They may sometimes bully fishes that are comparatively smaller in size. This is only one reason they kept in the exact same tank with plenty of aquarium fishes.
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