{"product_id":"threadfin-acara-geophagus-heckelli","title":"Threadfin Acara - Geophagus Heckelli","description":"\u003csection class=\"mt-11\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mt-3 text-[16px] leading-[1.65] text-pretty whitespace-pre-line text-mk-body\"\u003eThe threadfin acara is a medium-sized eartheater for a large tank with plenty of open sand. It is a fish for experienced keepers  In the threadfin acara, it is the female that digs the burrow and does much of the courting. That is the reverse of the usual \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/species\/cichlids\" data-inline-link=\"species\/cichlids\" class=\"text-mk-teal underline-offset-2 hover:underline\"\u003ecichlid\u003c\/a\u003e arrangement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"mt-11\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"font-mk-serif text-[28px] leading-[1.1] text-pretty text-mk-heading\"\u003eCaring for the threadfin acara\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mt-3 text-[16px] leading-[1.65] text-pretty whitespace-pre-line text-mk-body\"\u003eA tank of at least 79 gal (300 L) gives a group of threadfin acaras space to sift, swim and sort out \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#territorial\" data-glossary-term=\"territorial\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003eterritories\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e. A deep bed of fine, soft sand matters most, since it sifts the sand for food and digs into it to breed. Soft sand also protects its mouth. Add \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#driftwood\" data-glossary-term=\"driftwood\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003edriftwood\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, rocks and the odd cave, and leave open areas of sand for foraging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mt-4 text-[16px] leading-[1.65] text-pretty whitespace-pre-line text-mk-body\"\u003eAim for 75 to 86°F (24 to 30°C) and a \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#ph\" data-glossary-term=\"ph\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003epH\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed sinking pellets along with frozen and \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#live-food\" data-glossary-term=\"live-food\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003elive foods\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e such as \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#bloodworms\" data-glossary-term=\"bloodworms\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003ebloodworm\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#brine-shrimp\" data-glossary-term=\"brine-shrimp\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003ebrine shrimp\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mt-4 text-[16px] leading-[1.65] text-pretty whitespace-pre-line text-mk-body\"\u003eThe threadfin acara does well in a group with room to establish a loose hierarchy. It is mostly peaceful outside of breeding, but it can become \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#territorial\" data-glossary-term=\"territorial\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003eterritorial\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and pushy when \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#spawn\" data-glossary-term=\"spawn\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003espawning\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e. It generally coexists with robust, similarly sized tank mates such as larger \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/species\/tetras\" data-inline-link=\"species\/tetras\" class=\"text-mk-teal underline-offset-2 hover:underline\"\u003etetras\u003c\/a\u003e, other calm cichlids and peaceful catfish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mt-4 text-[16px] leading-[1.65] text-pretty whitespace-pre-line text-mk-body\"\u003eIts breeding is unusual for a cichlid. A pair \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#spawn\" data-glossary-term=\"spawn\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003espawns\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e in a chamber dug into the sand, reached through one or more long tunnels. The female lays her eggs deep inside and defends the burrow, while the male guards the entrances. Breeding in the aquarium is hard without a \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#deep-sand-bed\" data-glossary-term=\"deep-sand-bed\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003edeep sand bed\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and the right conditions to trigger it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"mt-11\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"font-mk-serif text-[28px] leading-[1.1] text-pretty text-mk-heading\"\u003eGood to know\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mt-3 text-[16px] leading-[1.65] text-pretty whitespace-pre-line text-mk-body\"\u003eThe threadfin acara, Acarichthys heckelii, is a member of the cichlid \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#genus\" data-glossary-term=\"genus\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003efamily\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, Cichlidae. A long, trailing extension of its \u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/tankbud.com\/glossary#dorsal-fin\" data-glossary-term=\"dorsal-fin\" class=\"underline decoration-mk-faint decoration-dotted decoration-1 underline-offset-4 outline-offset-2 hover:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:rounded-[2px] focus-visible:decoration-mk-teal focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-mk-teal\"\u003edorsal fin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e gives it the name threadfin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"mt-11\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"font-mk-serif text-[28px] leading-[1.1] text-pretty text-mk-heading\"\u003eIn the wild\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"mt-3 text-[16px] leading-[1.65] text-pretty whitespace-pre-line text-mk-body\"\u003eThe threadfin acara ranges across the Amazon basin through Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Guyana. It lives over sand in slow rivers, lakes and flooded areas. The water there is warm, and it runs from soft and acidic to near neutral.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e","brand":"Premier Tropicals","offers":[{"title":"3\"","offer_id":54366515822885,"sku":null,"price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1027\/6071\/0437\/files\/IMG_1464.jpg?v=1793505819","url":"https:\/\/www.premiertropicals.com\/products\/threadfin-acara-geophagus-heckelli","provider":"Premier Tropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}