Dolphin acara

Krobia itanyi

Also known as Itanyi acara, Krobia krobiaitanyi

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 5.5–7.2
Adult size: 5.9 in (15 cm)
Minimum tank: 53 gal (200 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Maroni and Itany rivers, Suriname and French Guiana
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a hardy, even-tempered acara from the older days of the hobby, kept as a single fish or a bonded pair rather than a group. It holds the middle and lower water, cruising among wood and roots. It is mostly peaceful and only really assertive when guarding a spawn, so select tankmates with modest care: peaceful community fish of similar size, given space away from the pair when they breed. Feed an omnivore mix of pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and a little greenstuff. A pair needs a tank of at least 200 liters with driftwood, some rockwork and a soft, sandy floor.

In the wild

Krobia itanyi lives in the Maroni and Itany river system of Suriname and French Guiana, favoring small, slow, shallow creeks with a rocky and silty bottom. Recreate that with driftwood, some flat stones, a sandy floor and gentle flow. Keep the water soft to neutral and warm, roughly 24 to 28 C at a pH between 5.5 and 7.2, with a light tannin stain from wood or leaf litter to suit its blackwater-edge home.

Good to know

In the family Cichlidae, this species reaches about 15 centimeters and gets its dolphin name from a rounded forehead and a scribble of blue-green across the cheek. A bonded pair spawns on a cleaned surface and tends the eggs and fry side by side, so breeding sits at a moderate level of difficulty.

Did you know

Krobia is not a scientific invention but a local Surinamese name for these creek cichlids, carried straight into the genus when the fish were formally classified.