Above: In the picture a young premium quality Metallic Blue Acara was swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us snapped this picture.

Comments: This is a new and still rare aquarium fish with a bright metallic sheen.

Origin: This is a Neotropical Cichlid from northern South America. But now Metallic Blue Acaras live in aquariums all over the world.

Maximum Size: In aquariums, Metallic Blue Acaras can grow to be about 4" long. A few males grow to be 5" and rarely even longer.

Behaviors: Metallic Blue Acaras are usually not too aggressive, but males are territorial, when they're preparing to breed, breeding, or protecting their eggs and babies.

Male Metallic Blue Acaras often chase after other male Metallic Blue Acaras and make them miserable, so it's best to keep only one male in an aquarium, unless the aquarium is very big with lots of other fish and lots of hiding places.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include Pictus Catfish, Leporinus, Cory Catfish, Silver Dollars, Headstanders, and other less aggressive South American Cichlid species like Eartheaters.

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Temperature: Metallic Blue Acaras live best from about 75 to 80-degrees F. with 78 being perhaps ideal.

Click here to learn about aquarium temperature, aquarium thermometers, and aquarium heaters.

Feeding: Premium Fish Food Flakes and Pellets are best.

Flakes and smaller sized pellets when they're small, and larger size pellets, when they're bigger are the ideal foods for these fish.

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Water Conditions: These fish can adapt to most types of water, and so as usual it's best not to try to change the pH or hardness.

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Aquarium Size: Metallic Blue Acaras will eventually need to live in an aquarium with at least 50-gallons of water, but of course bigger is better.

Decor: Metallic Blue Acaras do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

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Live plants are beautiful and improve the water quality, but larger Metallic Blue Acaras may sometimes dig them up.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended.

Most 50-gallon aquariums will do well with one Penguin 350B Filter, but two such filters are even better, and this makes a very nice set up.

Better, but not required, is a 80, 120, 150, or 200-gallon aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filters as will fit across the back.

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The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range.

Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Life Span: Metallic Blue Acaras can live for several years.

Keep the water conditions excellent and feed them premium foods, and they will most likely breed and produce the next generation of fish for your aquarium.

Gender: It's difficult to tell males from females, when they're very small, but as they mature the males will color up with more pointed fins and grow longer than the females.

A female will become plumper than the males, as she fills with eggs.