Care and Compatibility of Electric Blue Cichlid - Andinoacara pulcher


Introduction

The Electric Blue Cichlid (Andinoacara pulcher), also known as the Flag Cichlid, is a popular species in aquariums due to its beautiful coloration and interesting behavior. Native to Central America, this fish is known for its oval and flattened body shape, with long and elegant dorsal and anal fins. Their coloration ranges from shades of vibrant blue to yellow, making them stand out in the aquarium. They are medium-sized fish and can reach around 15 centimeters in length. They are relatively easy to care for and adapt well to a variety of water conditions.

Behavior

The Electric Blue Cichlid is known for its beautiful bright blue coloration and active behavior. It is a peaceful and social species that can adapt to various types of community aquariums. It is recommended to keep them in groups of at least 6 individuals to promote their well-being and reduce aggression among them. They are territorial fish and may display territorial behavior towards other fish in the aquarium. They are fast and agile swimmers, making them fascinating to observe.

Sexual Dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism in Andinoacara pulcher is minimal and difficult to distinguish. Both males and females have a similar appearance. However, during the breeding season, males may exhibit more pronounced territorial behavior and develop more intense colors.

Reproduction

In terms of reproduction, the Electric Blue Cichlid is a mouthbrooder, which means the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth until they hatch. During courtship, the male will display courtship behavior and build a nest on the substrate. After spawning, the female will pick up the eggs in her mouth and incubate them for approximately 3 weeks. During this time, the female will not feed and relies on stored energy reserves. Once the fry hatch, the mother will release them, and they will begin to search for food on their own.

Aquarium Conditions

Andinoacara pulcher, also known as Electric Blue Acara, is a colorful and peaceful cichlid that requires a spacious aquarium with dense vegetation and open swimming areas. It prefers warm, slightly acidic water, with décor including rocks, driftwood, and sturdy plants. Maintaining water quality is important and providing a varied diet.

Feeding

When it comes to feeding, the Electric Blue Cichlid is omnivorous and will accept a variety of foods. It is recommended to provide them with a balanced diet that includes high-quality dry foods such as flakes and pellets, as well as live or frozen foods like daphnia, brine shrimp, and mosquito larvae. They also enjoy fresh vegetables such as boiled peas and blanched spinach. It is important to avoid overfeeding them and maintain a good balance in their diet.

Complexity

Caring for Andinoacara pulcher is moderately easy. They are hardy fish that can adapt to a variety of water conditions. They are omnivores and accept a variety of foods, but may become territorial during breeding. It's recommended to keep them in pairs or large groups to distribute aggression.


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To do an analysis more detailed about coexistence and behavior of Andinoacara pulcher (Electric Blue Cichlid) use the Aquarium simulation tool, if you do this you can test different ways to combine the Electric Blue Cichlid with other fishes giving the dimensions and space on you aquarium, on this way you can known the optimal configuration for keep the fishes that you want.

You can also find out the 71 species compatible with the Andinoacara pulcher (Electric Blue Cichlid) can live together.

Note: The parameters of the water such as PH and temperature are also used to calculate the compatibility of the species.


Compatible species (71)

Compatible (17 Species)

Tener en cuenta que el Pleco no debe caber en la boca del Acara Azúl


Compatible without any restriction


Suckermouth catfish - Hypostomus plecostomus

Suckermouth catfish

Hypostomus plecostomus

Horned Snail - Tyloperlamania sp

Horned Snail

Tyloperlamania sp

IndoPlanorbis Exustus - Planorbis planorbis

IndoPlanorbis Exustus

Planorbis planorbis

Anentome Helena - Anentome helena

Anentome Helena

Anentome helena

Royal Pleco - Panaque nigrolineatus

Royal Pleco

Panaque nigrolineatus

Clown Pleco - Panaqolus maccus

Clown Pleco

Panaqolus maccus

Stick Catfish - Farlowella acus

Stick Catfish

Farlowella acus

Upside-Down Catfish - Synodontis nigriventris

Upside-Down Catfish

Synodontis nigriventris

Lemon Catfish - Hemiancistrus subviridis

Lemon Catfish

Hemiancistrus subviridis

Apple Snail - Pomacea bridgesii

Apple Snail

Pomacea bridgesii

Leopard Cactus Pleco - Hypancistrus Furunculus L199

Leopard Cactus Pleco

Hypancistrus Furunculus L199

Galaxy Plecostomus - Leporacanthicus sp L240

Galaxy Plecostomus

Leporacanthicus sp L240

Striped Raphael Catfish - Platydoras costatus

Striped Raphael Catfish

Platydoras costatus

Golden Royal Pleco - Sturisoma aureum

Golden Royal Pleco

Sturisoma aureum

Las especies territoriales por lo general pueden convivir con especies protegidas con coraza, ya que no pueden hacerles daño por su dura piel, lo que si hay que tener en cuenta es tener un acuario con dimensiones favorables para que cada pez pueda delimitar un territorio, ya que la mayoría de peces acorazados son también peces de fondo y les gusta estar buscando lugares donde ocultarse.


Spotted Dora Catfish - Agamyxus pectinifrons

Spotted Dora Catfish

Agamyxus pectinifrons

With Reservation (8 Species)

Compatible in some cases, it depends on the nature and personality of the fish.


Clown Loach - Chromobotia macracanthus

Clown Loach

Chromobotia macracanthus

Mije Fish - Leporinus fasciatus

Mije Fish

Leporinus fasciatus

Archerfish - Toxotes jaculatrix

Archerfish

Toxotes jaculatrix

Commando Cichlid - Nimbochromis venustus

Commando Cichlid

Nimbochromis venustus

Bala Shark - Balantiocheilus melanopterus

Bala Shark

Balantiocheilus melanopterus

Gray bichir - Polypterus senegalus

Gray bichir

Polypterus senegalus

Sun Catfish - Horabagrus brachysoma

Sun Catfish

Horabagrus brachysoma

Showdown over territory (13 Species)

Fish can live together as long as the space is spacious enough to delimit a territory, otherwise there may be aggressions for competing for the territory.


Elephant Fish - Gnathonemus petersii

Elephant Fish

Gnathonemus petersii

Flag Cichlid - Mesonauta festivus

Flag Cichlid

Mesonauta festivus

Red-tailed Black Shark - Epalzeorhynchus frenatus

Red-tailed Black Shark

Epalzeorhynchus frenatus

Suckermouth Catfish - Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri

Suckermouth Catfish

Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri

Kribensis Cichlid - Pelvicachromis pulcher

Kribensis Cichlid

Pelvicachromis pulcher

Tetraodon Nigroviridis - Tetraodon Nigroviridis

Tetraodon Nigroviridis

Tetraodon Nigroviridis

Upside-Down Catfish - Synodontis eupterus

Upside-Down Catfish

Synodontis eupterus

Freshwater angelfish - Pterophyllum scalare

Freshwater angelfish

Pterophyllum scalare

Rio Grande cichlid - Herichthys cyanoguttatus

Rio Grande cichlid

Herichthys cyanoguttatus

Pez Loro - Red Parrot

Pez Loro

Red Parrot

Severum Cichlid - Heros efasciatus

Severum Cichlid

Heros efasciatus

Firemouth Cichlid - Cichlasoma meeki

Firemouth Cichlid

Cichlasoma meeki

Como a estos peces les gusta estar refugiados en diferentes ubicaciones del acuario ya sean en plantas, troncos, rocas etc, si otro pez intenta entrar donde está escondido podrían haber confrontaciones por ese refugio.


Dragon Violet Goby - Gobioides broussonnetii

Dragon Violet Goby

Gobioides broussonnetii

Considerable size difference (33 Species)

They can coexist while they are similar in size or the size difference is not very abysmal, since as the fish grows it increases the chances of eating its partner that did not grow much.


Caridina Shrimp - Caridina cf. Cantonensis

Caridina Shrimp

Caridina cf. Cantonensis

Dwarf Swordtail - Heterandria formosa

Dwarf Swordtail

Heterandria formosa

Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid - Apistogramma viejita

Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid

Apistogramma viejita

Congo Tetra - Phenacogrammus interruptus

Congo Tetra

Phenacogrammus interruptus

Preacox Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia preacox

Preacox Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia preacox

Stiphodon Ornatus - Stiphodon ornatus

Stiphodon Ornatus

Stiphodon ornatus

Red Cherry - Neocaridina davidi

Red Cherry

Neocaridina davidi

Amano Shrimp - Caridina multidentata

Amano Shrimp

Caridina multidentata

Blue Bee Shrimp - Paracaridina sp

Blue Bee Shrimp

Paracaridina sp

Florida Dwarf Crayfish - Cambarellus diminutus

Florida Dwarf Crayfish

Cambarellus diminutus

Red-Backed Tetra - Hyphessobrycon bentosi

Red-Backed Tetra

Hyphessobrycon bentosi

Lemon Tetra - Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Lemon Tetra

Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Dwarf Cichlid - Apistogramma borellii

Dwarf Cichlid

Apistogramma borellii

Cardinal Tetra - Paracheirodon axelrodi

Cardinal Tetra

Paracheirodon axelrodi

Filamentous Tetra - Dicrossus filamentosus

Filamentous Tetra

Dicrossus filamentosus

Medaka Fish - Oryzias latipes

Medaka Fish

Oryzias latipes

Serpae Tetra - Hyphessobrycon Eques

Serpae Tetra

Hyphessobrycon Eques

Male siamese fighting fish - betta splendens male

Male siamese fighting fish

betta splendens male

Neon tetra fish - Paracheirodon innesi

Neon tetra fish

Paracheirodon innesi

Galaxy Rasbora - Danio margaritatus

Galaxy Rasbora

Danio margaritatus

Glowlight Tetra - Hemigrammus Erythrozonus

Glowlight Tetra

Hemigrammus Erythrozonus

Chinese Neon Tetra - Tanichthys albonubes

Chinese Neon Tetra

Tanichthys albonubes

Black Neon Tetra - Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Black Neon Tetra

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Otocinclus Catfish - Otocinclus Affinis

Otocinclus Catfish

Otocinclus Affinis

Ember Tetra - Hemigrammus Rhodostomus

Ember Tetra

Hemigrammus Rhodostomus

Endler Guppy Fish - Poecilia Wingei

Endler Guppy Fish

Poecilia Wingei

Ember Tetra - Hyphessobrycon Amandae

Ember Tetra

Hyphessobrycon Amandae

Ruby Tetra - Axelrodia riesei

Ruby Tetra

Axelrodia riesei

Green Neon Tetra - Paracheirodon Simulans

Green Neon Tetra

Paracheirodon Simulans

Multis Fish - Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Multis Fish

Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Boraras Brigittae Fish - Boraras Brigittae

Boraras Brigittae Fish

Boraras Brigittae

Cherry Barb - Barbus titteya

Cherry Barb

Barbus titteya

Filamented Rainbowfish - Iriatherina Werneri

Filamented Rainbowfish

Iriatherina Werneri

Electric Blue Cichlid

Andinoacara pulcher

Electric Blue Cichlid - Andinoacara pulcher
  • Ph: 6 - 7.5
  • Temperature (c°): 22 - 27
  • Measures: 16 cm - 20cm
  • Aquarium Capacity:
    80 Liters - 21 Gallons
  • Alimentación: Carnivores
  • Colores: Blue, Green, Red
  • Comportamiento: Likes to take refuge, Semi Aggressive, Territorial
  • Habitad: American
  • Morfología: Thorns or pointed
  • Preferencias del Acuario: Caves, Natural plants, Rocks
  • Tamaño: Medium
  • Taxonomía: Cichlids, Fish
  • Tipo de Agua: Sweet water
  • Velocidad de nado o movimiento: Normal
  • Zona de Nado: Swim in the middle of the aquarium