Teardrop guianacara
Guianacara dacrya
Also known as Dacrya acara
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 77–84°F
- 25–29°C
- pH
- 5.5–7.2
- Adult size
- 5.5 in
- 14 cm
- Minimum tank
- 66 gal
- 250 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Cave spawner · Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Essequibo drainage, Guyana
Overview
The teardrop guianacara is a crevice-spawning shield acara that works well in a rocky community tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.
Did you know
The teardrop guianacara's species name, dacrya, is Greek for tear. A dark streak falls from each eye like a painted tear, but the marking is only theater and the fish is fine.
Caring for the teardrop guianacara
Keep teardrop guianacaras in a group of six or more, in a tank of at least 66 gal (250 L). Stack stone to make real crevices, and leave sand between the rockwork.
Give them warm, soft water at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.2. Feed sinking pellets and frozen foods.
Teardrop guianacaras are mostly peaceful and spend their time near the bottom. Choose tank mates of similar size that stay off the floor.
They are cave and crevice spawners, and both parents care for the brood. A pair claims a crack and defends a modest radius around it. The broods are large by cichlid standards, and the parents shepherd the fry with more patience than aggression. Breeding them is of moderate difficulty.
Good to know
The teardrop guianacara, Guianacara dacrya, is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae, also known as the Dacrya acara. The streak from each eye also gives its genus a shield-faced look.
In the wild
The teardrop guianacara lives in rocky creek pools of the Essequibo drainage in Guyana, where the water is warm and soft.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The teardrop guianacara 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.
Silver dollar
Metynnis argenteus
Freshwater5.9 in (15 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Largescale four-eyed fish
Anableps anableps
FreshwaterBrackish11.8 in (30 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)77–88°F (25–31°C)
Orinoco cupid cichlid
Biotodoma wavrini
Freshwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Plain metynnis
Metynnis hypsauchen
Freshwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Giant river hatchetfish
Triportheus rotundatus
Freshwater9.8 in (25 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Orinoco talking catfish
Orinocodoras eigenmanni
Freshwater7.9 in (20 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a teardrop guianacara need?
A teardrop guianacara needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a teardrop guianacara need?
A teardrop guianacara is comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.
What does a teardrop guianacara eat?
A teardrop guianacara eats sinking pellets and frozen foods.
How big does a teardrop guianacara get?
An adult teardrop guianacara reaches about 5.5 in (14 cm).
How does a teardrop guianacara breed?
Teardrop guianacaras are cave and crevice spawners, and both parents care for the large brood. Breeding them is of moderate difficulty.
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