Shy Blue Acaras

[TropicalAddiction]

Hello everyone,

I have 90 gallon tank stocked with 4 blue acaras, 2 angel fish, and a dwarf pleco.
The tank has been set up for about 4 months and all the fish get along great luckily!
However, the acaras are still very shy even though I have a fair amount of decorations and the light is
an LED one which I keep on a low setting.

Do you guys have any suggestions on ways I could encourage them to come out more?
Do you think I have space for some fish such as rainbow fish? and if so would seeing them encourage the acaras to be out more?

 

[Rtc/tsn]

Hello everyone,

I have 90 gallon tank stocked with 4 blue acaras, 2 angel fish, and a dwarf pleco.
The tank has been set up for about 4 months and all the fish get along great luckily!
However, the acaras are still very shy even though I have a fair amount of decorations and the light is
an LED one which I keep on a low setting.

Do you guys have any suggestions on ways I could encourage them to come out more?
Do you think I have space for some fish such as rainbow fish? and if so would seeing them encourage the acaras to be out more?

I say get rid of two angelfish as they’ll get pretty big and you could get put some rainbows in. As for the Acaras. Try having the light completely off for a while ime fish tend to explore more when it’s dark. And slowly adjust the light level every week or so. Just my opinion on the rainbow fish. Don’t know much about them but I absolutely love them. They remind me of a really buff guy with broad shoulders and a small looking head lol.

 

[Deadeye]

I’ve found rainbow fish to be quite aggressive. Tetras may be a better fish. Either will work though. My 6 serpaes keep my acara out.
No problem with keeping the angels.

 

[Rtc/tsn]

I’ve found rainbow fish to be quite aggressive. Tetras may be a better fish. Either will work though. My 6 serpaes keep my acara out.
No problem with keeping the angels.

There’s a restaurant called cheddars that has a big maybe 750 gallon tank and they have massive rainbows with acaras and they’re the most peaceful things ever

 

[Ogertron3000]

My acaras were pretty shy until they got a bit of size on them , now they are out and about all day long.
My tank has lots of wood and plants, I have some floating plants too which I think makes them feel safe. For dithers ive got swordtails, I had guppies too but once the acaras got big enough they ate them all unfortunately.
Try some dithers, whichever you like best, cant see how rainbows would be a problem. Tetras would be good too and more choice available. Also you could look at adding more rocks to make a cave so they have a secure base to retreat too if they are freaked out by something. Try some floating plants too they dim the lighting a bit but the fish will be out more.
If you post a pic of your tank im sure others will have some suggestions.

 

[TropicalAddiction]

I’ve found rainbow fish to be quite aggressive. Tetras may be a better fish. Either will work though. My 6 serpaes keep my acara out.
No problem with keeping the angels.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[TropicalAddiction]

My acaras were pretty shy until they got a bit of size on them , now they are out and about all day long.
My tank has lots of wood and plants, I have some floating plants too which I think makes them feel safe. For dithers ive got swordtails, I had guppies too but once the acaras got big enough they ate them all unfortunately.
Try some dithers, whichever you like best, cant see how rainbows would be a problem. Tetras would be good too and more choice available. Also you could look at adding more rocks to make a cave so they have a secure base to retreat too if they are freaked out by something. Try some floating plants too they dim the lighting a bit but the fish will be out more.
If you post a pic of your tank im sure others will have some suggestions.

Thanks so much for your advice just went out and bout some hornwort and will grab some dither fish soon!

 

[TropicalAddiction]

I say get rid of two angelfish as they’ll get pretty big and you could get put some rainbows in. As for the Acaras. Try having the light completely off for a while ime fish tend to explore more when it’s dark. And slowly adjust the light level every week or so. Just my opinion on the rainbow fish. Don’t know much about them but I absolutely love them. They remind me of a really buff guy with broad shoulders and a small looking head lol.

Thanks for the advice, I agree haha they look dope

 

[duanes]

I would agree that dither fish would go a long way to making the acaras feel comfortable.
In nature cichlids watch dither fish such a tetras and live bearers to judge the threat of danger.
My choice would be a shoal of some of the geographically correct tetras that acaras share the same waters with in nature, although I would agree rainbows would also do the trick.
Because I am a bit of a biotope purist, is why I suggest the tetras.
Astyanax, Hemmibrycon, Hemmigramus, and Hyphesobrycon are all tetra genera found in their natural waters, and most are commonly available in LFSs in sizes that wouldn't get eaten. And these tetras would choose the mid levels of the tank to hang out in, adding interest to that part of the tank.
I have a close cousin to your blue acaras (Andinoacara coerleopunctatus) from Panama, and use native Panamanian tetras (genus Roeboides) to act as dither fish.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Can you post a picture of your tank? I find often when cichlids are shy it comes down to a few things, biggest being lack of vertical cover. If you have lots of decor, but it's all in the bottom half of the tank, the fish will stay in the bottom half. Also lighting, lack of dithers, and possibly placement in your home tend to make a big difference.