TankBud

Bigeye basketmouth

Acaronia nassa

Also known as Basketmouth acaronia, Big-eyed cichlid, Basket mouth acara

FreshwaterFish

Bigeye basketmouth (Acaronia nassa)
no rights reserved · cc0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.2
Adult size
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Amazon and Guiana lowlands

Overview

The bigeye basketmouth is an ambush predator that hangs quietly in the mid-water, then lunges and inhales prey with a huge, expandable mouth. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

When prey comes close, the bigeye basketmouth shoots its jaws forward into a wide funnel and sucks in a rush of water. It swallows the target almost faster than the eye can follow.

Caring for the bigeye basketmouth

Give a bigeye basketmouth at least 79 gal (300 L), with plenty of wood and roots for cover so it can sit and wait. Use dim lighting, and let driftwood and leaves tint the water with tannins.

Aim for warm, soft and acidic water, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.2. Feed meaty foods such as chopped prawn, earthworms, mussel and larger frozen items. Wean it onto non-living foods.

Keep it as a single fish or a pair, not a group. It is an aggressive predator, and anything small enough to fit in its mouth will be eaten. Choose tank mates with caution, picking fish too large to swallow and not aggressive enough to harass it.

It is a substrate spawner that forms pairs. Breeding it is moderately difficult.

Good to know

The bigeye basketmouth is a member of the cichlid family, with strikingly large eyes suited to hunting in dim, peaty water. Its species name nassa is Latin for a wicker fish trap, after the funnel its mouth forms to engulf prey.

In the wild

The bigeye basketmouth lives in still and slow waters across the Amazon and Guiana lowlands. It is found among sunken wood and leaf litter, in dark, tannin-stained blackwater.

Common questions

What size tank does a bigeye basketmouth need?

A bigeye basketmouth needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a bigeye basketmouth need?

A bigeye basketmouth is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.

What does a bigeye basketmouth eat?

A bigeye basketmouth eats meaty foods such as chopped prawn, earthworms, mussel and larger frozen items. Wean it onto non-living foods. It will also eat any tank mate small enough to fit in its mouth.

How big does a bigeye basketmouth get?

An adult bigeye basketmouth reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

How does a bigeye basketmouth breed?

Bigeye basketmouths pair off and spawn on the substrate. Breeding them is a moderate challenge.

Related species