# Anyone have experience of acaras?



## Calzone (27 Apr 2012)

I was browsing my LFS today, looking for a slightly larger fish to be a centrepiece.  I have. A 330l planted tank mainly populated with smaller fish, so I need one that is friendly, won't eat small fish, won't dig up or eat plants, and looks great.

The chap in the shop suggested some kind of geophagus, or they had some acaras.  I think they were threadfin acaras, but my memory might be out.  Anyway, they were stunning looking, and he said they'd get to 12 cm or so, wouldn't predate smaller fish, and wouldnt dig up my plants.  

However, researching on line, acaras seem to have a reputation for being diggers, and it only says should be fine with anything bigger than 2 cm.....

Does anyone have any experience of these fish?


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## Tom (27 Apr 2012)

I'd steer clear of both Acaras and Geos for most plant tanks!


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## Ed Seeley (27 Apr 2012)

I think you want to look a bit smaller than that - maybe Aequidens, Laetacara, Nannacara anomala or Mikrogeophagus altispinosa (Bolivian Ram).  Out of all of those the Bolivian Ram might be best - it's quite chunky and acara-like but stays small enough to live with small fish.


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## Tom (27 Apr 2012)

Ed Seeley said:
			
		

> Nannacara anomala



That's a good shout


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## Calzone (28 Apr 2012)

Ed Seeley said:
			
		

> I think you want to look a bit smaller than that - maybe Aequidens, Laetacara, Nannacara anomala or Mikrogeophagus altispinosa (Bolivian Ram).  Out of all of those the Bolivian Ram might be best - it's quite chunky and acara-like but stays small enough to live with small fish.



If I was going to get apistos, are they not broadly a similar type of fish to the nannacara?  Similarly, the rams?


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## Tom (28 Apr 2012)

Nannacara are much more interesting


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## Antipofish (28 Apr 2012)

Tom said:
			
		

> Nannacara are much more interesting



Oh no they're not.  Apisto's are much more interesting     LOL.  I reckon we have started a battle here


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## Ed Seeley (29 Apr 2012)

Calzone said:
			
		

> Ed Seeley said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Apistogramma are generally smaller than the bolivian rams and some of the others.  Nannacara are a similar size to the larger apistos but interesting fish.  The males are also amazing when settled.  They form pairs rather than harems and are well worth keeping.

AS I said earlier though if you're after a larger, acara like fish, out of those I'd try the bolivian ram or some of the Laetacara.


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## dean (30 Apr 2012)

i like my dwarf cichlids too but what about other species
congo tetras
rainbow fish
spotted headstanders
all are agood size fish and would make a nice display


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## awtong (1 May 2012)

Congo's are very boisterous so you have to be prepared for that.  You also need a really big shoal to get a nice number of males as they should be kept at a 2-1 female to male ratio.  This is to spread out the breeding attention from the males.  They are super I do love mine but by keeping the ideal ratio means you have two slightly less interesting and less colourful females to every male.


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## dean (1 May 2012)

Congos are easy to sex you could just buy males
Look for fin extensions


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## roadmaster (1 May 2012)

Keyhole cichlids are plant friendly and I have kept them with smaller fishes without incident.


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## awtong (1 May 2012)

dean said:
			
		

> Congos are easy to sex you could just buy males
> Look for fin extensions



I have found they show better colour if you have females as well.  The males also spar a lot more making them much more interesting.  They also seem to me to grow quicker trying to out compete each other to become the alpha male.

Andy


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## Calzone (4 May 2012)

So many fish to choose from!!  My LFS had a new delivery of plecos this week so spent about an hour browsing.  They had a decent range from queen arabesque (ouch on the price), long tailed royal plec (serious ouch on the price) and so on.  Anyway I ended up with a small starlight plec, which as I understand it is like a variant on the BN.  He has completely disappeared and I may not see him again for a while.  Hopefully he will adjust and settle in well.

While there, I came to the conclusion that a pair of nicely coloured apistos, male and female, and a small group of rainbow fish, probably mel. Trifasciata, would be great.  Does anyone know what the smallest number you can have of rainbow fish for them to be happy?  I'm probably pushing my luck on stocking, with 29 cardinals, 12 harlequins, 6 otos, a plec, 2 crosso reticulatus and a few assorted others.....  I may have to slim down on the assorted others.


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## dean (4 May 2012)

You're looking at 6 or more to get a good display
Don't forget these are potentially 6 inch fish

If that's too big then what about the Dwarf Neon Rainbow	Melanotaenia praecox only 2 inch fish very peacefully and great lookers
Or 
Iriatherina werneri the Threadfin rainbow which is also only 2inch fish 
Both these species should be in any good lfs
I've seen them both today in a little lfs tour


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## Calzone (5 May 2012)

Hmmm, yes, six 6" fish might be pushing it. However I do want something a bit bigger than two inches....  That wont eat all the smaller fish.  Or dig everything up. Every time I go to the lfs I send half my time googling the fish to check!


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## Antipofish (5 May 2012)

Melanotaenia Parva ?


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## morefirejules08 (9 May 2012)

another vote for Nannacara anomala, have have 4 in a 600l tank and they are really nice and buckets of character, mine were a bit dull when i bought them but they have coloured up well, with the males displaying electric blue heads and the females a nice orange colour


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## dean (9 May 2012)

morefirejules08 said:
			
		

> another vote for Nannacara anomala, have have 4 in a 600l tank and they are really nice and buckets of character, mine were a bit dull when i bought them but they have coloured up well, with the males displaying electric blue heads and the females a nice orange colour


I have a pair and they are great characters and superb colours


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