Araguaia dwarf acara
Laetacara araguaiae
Also known as Buckelkopf dwarf acara
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 5.5–7.0
- Adult size
- 1.8 in
- 4.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 14 gal
- 54 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Substrate spawner · Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Araguaia and Tocantins backwaters
Overview
The Araguaia dwarf acara is a dwarf cichlid mild enough for a planted community tank. It is one of the few that will not dig up the layout, and it suits a keeper with a little experience.
Did you know
The Araguaia dwarf acara belongs to Laetacara, a genus name that means happy cichlid. It refers to the painted smile line every species wears through the eye. The upturned dark mouth line gives the whole genus a permanent smile.
Caring for the Araguaia dwarf acara
Keep a pair of Araguaia dwarf acaras in 14 gal (54 L) or more. Give them plants, leaf litter, a few flat stones and quiet flow. They spend most of their time near the bottom.
Keep the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Feed small frozen and live foods along with a fine granule. These acaras are mostly peaceful, and their tank mates should be small and calm.
Pairs spawn in the open on a leaf or a stone. Both parents take fanning shifts, and afterward they herd the fry together. Breeding them is of medium difficulty.
Good to know
The Araguaia dwarf acara, Laetacara araguaiae, was described in 2009. The hobby knew it for years before that as Laetacara sp. Buckelkopf. It is one of the dwarf cichlids in the family Cichlidae.
In the wild
The Araguaia dwarf acara lives in still, weedy backwaters of the Araguaia and Tocantins rivers in central Brazil. The water there is shallow and thick with vegetation and fallen leaves.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Araguaia dwarf acara is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Green lace shrimp
Atyoida pilipes
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Drape-fin barb
Oreichthys crenuchoides
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Gold-spotted halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon chrysopunctatus
Freshwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Gold spot otocinclus
Parotocinclus spilosoma
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Shining pencilfish
Nannostomus nitidus
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Scherer's hatchetfish
Carnegiella schereri
Freshwater1 in (2.6 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Araguaia dwarf acara need?
An Araguaia dwarf acara needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Araguaia dwarf acara need?
An Araguaia dwarf acara is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.
What does an Araguaia dwarf acara eat?
An Araguaia dwarf acara eats small frozen and live foods. Give it a fine granule as well.
How big does an Araguaia dwarf acara get?
An adult Araguaia dwarf acara reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).
Related species
2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Redbreast acara
Laetacara dorsigera
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4.7 in (12 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Thayer's dwarf acara
Laetacara thayeri
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2.2 in (5.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)Dwarf flag cichlid
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