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No federal permit to keep

Blue acara

Andinoacara pulcher

Also known as Pulcher

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

The Blue Acara (Andinoacara pulcher) is a species of cichlid, from the family Cichlidae and order Cichliformes, that has a bright blue-grey coloration throughout the scales across its body.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

Blue acara — Photo: (c) Stephanie Tran, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Photo: (c) Stephanie Tran, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 6.3 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 30 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 6.3 in / 16 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 64–73°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 6.5–8.
Hardness: 0–25 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 72–82 °F, pH 6.5–8, 5–25 dGH.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “The tank should ideally be furnished with a soft, sandy substrate and driftwood branches.”
Diet: “Mainly carnivorous, so offer meaty fare such as bloodoworm, brine shrimp, chopped mussel or prawn and earthworms.”
Tankmates: “Peaceful for a cichlid of this size, and can be combined with other species that are too large to swallow.”
Breeding: “One of the easiest substrate spawning cichlids to breed in the hobby.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Central and South American cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers and lakes of the Americas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Size ranges widely, from convicts at 5 in to Parachromis over 20 in; plan tank size for the adult fish.
Most tolerate neutral, moderately hard water; strong filtration and rock or wood caves.

Sources 117 119 164

Climate & lighting

Water

75–82°F

Sources 117 119 164

Diet

Omnivorous cichlid pellets plus vegetables for herbivores (Vieja, Uaru) and meaty foods for predators (Parachromis).

Sources 117 119 164

Social life

Territorial; breeding pairs can clear a whole tank.

Sources 117 119 164

Health watch

Aggression and territorial injuries, especially when breeding; hole-in-the-head in poor water.

Sources 117 119 164

Understanding the animal

About this animal

Andinoacaara pulcher is a freshwater species found naturally in Trinidad and Venezuela but is also found and sold for aquariums. Cichlidae is a large family of fish, with many different species housed under it and evidence suggests that there are significant levels of evolution that occurred within the family.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Blue acara” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits turbid standing waters as well as clear free flowing streams.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 64–73 °F (18–23 °C), pH 6.5–8, hardness 25 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Hunting macrofauna (predator).
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders, biparental parental care.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 64–73 °F.
Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.

FishBase species summary: Andinoacara pulcher

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 87°F (up to 93°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 69°F (down to 68°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	77–83°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	77–80% on average (driest month about 75%)
Rainfall	about 1914 mm a year

Measured at 34 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The Blue Acara (Andinoacara pulcher) is a species of cichlid, from the family Cichlidae and order Cichliformes, that has a bright blue-grey coloration throughout the scales across its body. Andinoacaara pulcher is a freshwater species found naturally in Trinidad and Venezuela but is also found and sold for aquariums. Cichlidae is a large family of fish, with many different species housed under it and evidence suggests that there are significant levels of evolution that occurred within the family. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	In captivity, both male and female clean a rock which will be the spawning area. Eggs are laid on the rock by the female and fertilized by the male. Both male and female guard the eggs, which hatch in 2 to 5 days, and continue to look after the fry for some weeks. — FishBase
Appearance and size	Andinoacara pulcher express sexual dimporphism, through size and coloration. The males of this species are larger and have a brighter coloration, particularly during the reproductive season compared to the females. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	Adults inhabit turbid standing waters as well as clear free flowing streams. They feed on worms, crustaceans and insects. Reproduces in captivity. — FishBase
History and naming	The Blue Acara is in the genus Andioacara and the family Cichlidae. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Conservation	The Blue Acara is an abundant species. Blue Acara are considered “Least Concern” on the ICUN Red List. There are not fisheries distinctly created with the purpose of breeding Blue Acara, however, they are a common species found as pets and in aquariums. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources6.1in

FishBase 1646.3

Seriously Fish species profiles 1675.9

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources68–77.5°F

FishBase 16464–73

Seriously Fish species profiles 16772–82

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources6.5–8

FishBase 1646.5–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676.5–8

Water hardness

Reported5–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 1675–25

Veterinary & husbandry research

Capillaria pterophylli Heinze, 1933 (Nematoda: Capillariidae Railliet, 1915) in imported ornamental Cichlidae from Asia into South Africa: the first molecular data and scanning electron microscopy Molokomme PS et al., International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife 2025

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=highly commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding; aquarium reproduction record)
88 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.