Blue Acaras?

FreshwaterJeff

Superstar Fish
Mar 28, 2006
1,261
3
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Chicago, IL
#1
Now that I've lost my dwarf cichlids and my tank has been thinned out a bit :)(), I was wondering if there was any way I might be able to put a single or pair of blue acaras in my tank.

I'm guessing not (I think the pencilfish at the very least would be dead meat if I did), but wanted opinions from others that know more about them...

What exactly would I have to get rid of in order to make it work?

(If you don't want to follow that link, here's what I currently have:
8 Columbian Tetras
6 Beckfordi Pencilfish
7 Zebra Loaches
2 LDA08 Ancistrus claro
1 L204 Flash Pleco
2 M. trifasciata Coen River Rainbows
1 M. herbertaxelrodi Yellow Rainbow (juvenile)
1 Marbled Angelfish
2 Siamese Algae Eaters)

I'm afraid I'd have to cut down to just the plecos, the larger rainbows, and the Columbians -- or maybe even further. Thoughts?
 

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sweetpickles7

Superstar Fish
Feb 13, 2007
1,239
0
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Central Illinois
#2
My blue acaras are very peaceful.I would say just take out the algae eaters ,if possible.Yea and you probably would have to cut down the number of zebra plecos.Im not good at stocking numbers but im sure C-man and helena will chime in.
 

Jul 9, 2003
8,866
14
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Columbia, SC
www.youtube.com
#4
My blue acaras are very peaceful.I would say just take out the algae eaters ,if possible.Yea and you probably would have to cut down the number of zebra plecos.Im not good at stocking numbers but im sure C-man and helena will chime in.
Especially since there are 0 Zeb plecs in there. ;)

I don't have a lot of experience with acaras personally but when i had them they were pretty timid and peaceful. I've heard of others being terrors though. Hard for me to say one way or the other. Terrors for sure if 2 pair up.
 

#10
Mine are really aggressive. They have paired and are very territorial. Im not sure its a good idea.
I only had one and it wasn't very nice either. Further, the tank I tried to keep him/her in was an 80gl tank with the general peaceful cichlid and non-cichlid tankmates and the acara was just not happy till everyone took the hint that half the tank was his. No intruders allowed. This didn't go over too well with my panda cories, being the obliviously chipper kids they are, no one's supposed to mind a cory, but the BA would physically remove any cory from it's territory. Nab them by the head, swim as far away from his territory as possible - cory in mouth, and spit them out.
I wasn't realizing why my cories had been looking so tattered until my BF pointed it out. :mad:
Then I tried putting the BA with fish that could take better care of themselves around the BA and it turned into a total wuss. I would never see it.
Needles to say I don't have the BA anymore. :p
I've seen BA's in other people's tanks with more robust fish and they were also on the meaner side but not psychotic. A cichlid all around albeit a little shy. Like a JD or firemouth.
Pretty fish but not really peaceful community material IMO.
 

FishGeek

Elite Fish
May 13, 2005
4,294
5
0
38
South Carolina
#11
Yeah even individuals are aggressive. They are very territorial and not very good for the 'gentle' tanks. Im just getting by with mine where they are now. Everyone is just getting bigger than them so they are sorta backing off a tad. (Not much but enough that some of the fins are able to heal. LOL)