Blue Acara 200L Planted tank

Edvard08

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 21, 2020
10
0
1
23
I want to do my first (heavily) planted tank.
How many blue Acara could I have in a 200L (52gal) tank and what lighting and filtration would I need. I've seen alot of different responses on how many Acara I could keep. TIA
 

Deadeye

POTM Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Aug 31, 2020
8,517
11,485
483
You could probably do a pair with some dithers. I would avoid any more because pairing could result in the pair killing the rest.
 

Rocksor

Blue Tier VIP
MFK Member
Nov 28, 2011
6,129
6,672
423
San Diego
A pair of electric blue acara with do better would do better since they tend to stay smaller than a regular blue acara.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lp85253

NCHornet

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Apr 27, 2012
81
53
36
NC
I have kept the EBA's for years and have raised 100"s of fry from them. They are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish, in my opinion. Proper diet is very important for any fish but especially the EBA's. I would either keep a pair in a 55 or a group of at least 5. Groups of 3 and 4 many times leads to somebody's going to die!!!! They can be hard to sex when young and there are lots of myths on how to tell them apart and every single method has proved to be wrong over the years. One of the best features of this fish is both males and females look amazing which isn't found in most cichlids. You need very good filtration for these fish. When they get some size on them they eat a lot which means a lot of waste. I keep mine with a few clown loaches or Geophagus. My 55 is filtered by an FX4 and split the return lines to a directional out put and a spray bar to disperse the flow rate. They don't like to be in a heavy traffic area, they are very skittish fish so keep that in mind. I really like the Finnex Planted 24/7 lights and use them on most of my planted tanks. They aren't cheap but quality seldom is. If you have any more questions shoot me a PM and I will help all I can.God Bless
NCH
 

Edvard08

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 21, 2020
10
0
1
23
I have kept the EBA's for years and have raised 100"s of fry from them. They are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish, in my opinion. Proper diet is very important for any fish but especially the EBA's. I would either keep a pair in a 55 or a group of at least 5. Groups of 3 and 4 many times leads to somebody's going to die!!!! They can be hard to sex when young and there are lots of myths on how to tell them apart and every single method has proved to be wrong over the years. One of the best features of this fish is both males and females look amazing which isn't found in most cichlids. You need very good filtration for these fish. When they get some size on them they eat a lot which means a lot of waste. I keep mine with a few clown loaches or Geophagus. My 55 is filtered by an FX4 and split the return lines to a directional out put and a spray bar to disperse the flow rate. They don't like to be in a heavy traffic area, they are very skittish fish so keep that in mind. I really like the Finnex Planted 24/7 lights and use them on most of my planted tanks. They aren't cheap but quality seldom is. If you have any more questions shoot me a PM and I will help all I can.God Bless
NCH
So do you think i could keep 5 succesfully in a 53? Thanks for advice
 

Deadeye

POTM Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Aug 31, 2020
8,517
11,485
483
You need either one or 3 (or more) Severums to keep them from fighting, and they get huge (10-12 in). They aren’t really the best dithers either. I wouldn’t put more than one with the acaras considering their size.
Better dithers would be large tetras, giant danios, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Edvard08

duanes

MFK Moderators
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2007
21,049
26,410
2,910
Isla Taboga Panama via Milwaukee
I agree with the others that say only a pair, although I would start out with @ half dozen juvies, and allow a pair to form from the group .
200 L is pretty small. But if you mean EB Acara being domestic line-bred/man made form, they "may" be slightly less territorial, compared to the natural form.
I have an 800L tank with wild caught Panamanian Acara's (Andinoacara coerleopunctatus) that are very similar in all aspects of aggressiveness and territoriality. The tank started out with 15 adults,, two of the most alpha males immediately killed 3 slightly more subbordinate males, and over the last year and a half, whittled the tank to two males, each claimed a separate territory on each opposite ends of the tank (50%) , and 5 females.
As far as other fish, I wouldn't add other cichlids, only some geographically correct dithers, such as tetras, or large live bearers, that use the surface area as the normal place in that water column.
Here is a video of one side of the tank.
Panamanian Tank
now the other end where the male Andinoacara is keeping others out.
Andinoacara coerleo
 
  • Like
Reactions: Edvard08

NCHornet

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Apr 27, 2012
81
53
36
NC
So do you think i could keep 5 succesfully in a 53? Thanks for advice
Sure, but let's clarify something are you speaking of the EBA or a true blue acara? They are different in many ways. The EBA's are one of the most beautiful fish in the hobby.
 

Edvard08

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 21, 2020
10
0
1
23
Sure, but let's clarify something are you speaking of the EBA or a true blue acara? They are different in many ways. The EBA's are one of the most beautiful fish in the hobby.
I think I mean electric, I'm having trouble finding the difference between them
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store