Epae acara

Aequidens epae

Also known as Blue-cheek acara epae

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 5.5–7.2
Adult size: 5.5 in (14 cm)
Minimum tank: 66 gal (250 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lower Tapajós tributaries, Brazil
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a quiet, little-seen Brazilian acara, one for biotope keepers, and it is kept as a single fish or a bonded pair rather than a group. It occupies the middle and lower water, working around wood and over the floor. It is mostly peaceful and turns defensive only around a spawn, so pick its companions carefully: calm, medium community fish given room away from the pair's territory at breeding time. Feed an omnivore diet of pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and some plant matter. A pair needs a tank of at least 250 liters with driftwood, a sandy floor and gentle, well-filtered water.

In the wild

Aequidens epae comes from clear-water streams in the lower Rio Tapajos drainage of Brazil, flowing over sand, mud and rock. Recreate that with driftwood, a sandy floor, some smooth stones and clear, gently moving water. Keep it soft to neutral and warm, roughly 24 to 28 C at a pH between 5.5 and 7.2, with subdued lighting to suit a shaded forest-stream fish.

Good to know

In the family Cichlidae, this true acara reaches around 14 centimeters and was described by Sven Kullander in 1995 among a set of new cichlids from southern Amazonia. Both parents care for the spawn, laying on a cleaned surface and shielding eggs and fry alike, which keeps breeding at a moderate level of difficulty.

Did you know

Its odd name is not a local word but an acronym: epae honors the Expedicao Permanente da Amazonia, the long-running Brazilian survey that helped bring this and other new fishes to light.