Blue acara in a 40 gallon?

[Scrappy71113]

I hope this is the right place to post this question.
I've been wanting to get a species only tank of blue acara.
I recently picked up a 40 gallon breeder for some goldfish fry.
Once they get new homes, I would like to scape the tank and put it to permanent use.
Would it be a good size for one to three acara?

 

[Gourami Swami]

Eh, it will be on the small side. Probably do-able for a single acara, maybe a pair, but something a little bigger would be much better. I have a 7" cichlid in a 40 gallon at the moment temporarily, and it really looks cramped. The acara can get to about 6" eventually.

 

[Scrappy71113]

Eh, it will be on the small side. Probably do-able for a single acara, maybe a pair, but something a little bigger would be much better. I have a 7" cichlid in a 40 gallon at the moment temporarily, and it really looks cramped. The acara can get to about 6" eventually.

Thank you. I'll wait on the acara then. Maybe I'll use the 40 for my snail's or something.

 

[duanes]

Eh, it will be on the small side. Probably do-able for a single acara, maybe a pair, but something a little bigger would be much better. I have a 7" cichlid in a 40 gallon at the moment temporarily, and it really looks cramped. The acara can get to about 6" eventually.

Agree.
I put 12 wild Andinoacara coerleopunctatus (close cousin and similar in size to blue acaras) in a 180 gal tank.
The alpha male killed all but 3 females over about a year.
A tank the compact size of 40 gal would only intensify territoriality, and i would expect only a compatible pair could survive, and if the female wasn't receptive, only an alpha male would remain