Breeding Ywllow Acara (Aequidens Metae) In The Aquarium

Location

This freshwater fish lives in the Meta River (a major tributary of the Orinoco River), its tributaries and surrounding floodplains in the Colombia. It lives in dark waters with plenty of tannin and nutrients.

Body description

Colour of the fish is olive-gold with quite large scales. These scales are gray with black border which shimmer nicely. Their abdomen is brighter and clearly separate. Two rounded black spots are characteristic for this species. The first is at the height of the lateral line on the level of middle part of the dorsal fin. The second is at the top part of the tail base. Sometimes you can see black stripe along lateral line. All fins have blue and opalescent dots. They form irregular lines. Male has elongated dorsal and anal fins with sharp tips. Female is slightly smaller and more rounded in the abdominal parties, especially during breeding season.

Temperament and behaviour

This fish has quite peaceful temperament. It is more nervous only during breeding season and when it takes care of its offspring. You can keep this species in a general aquarium with sufficiently large and non aggressive fish. Too small species will be tasty snack for Yellow Acara.

Aquarium decoration

This species likes spacious tanks which is longer than higher with many places to hide among plants, rocks and roots. There should be space to swim as well. The fish likes to dig in the substrate, so you should properly protect all plants roots. It also prefers gentle water flow. You can also keep this species in the Amazon biotope aquarium which is called dark water aquarium. Tank should contain roots and plants, floating plants, oak or beech leaves at the bottom which need to be replaced every few weeks, sandy substrate, dimmed light and dark-coloured water. You may add some peat to the filtration system or you may directly put it in the water packed in some sort of net to replace them easily. If you choose to breed them biotope aquarium make sure you let your fish when water is chemically stable which means all the parameters are stable.

Breeding

This fish is oviparous. The fish group off into pairs to mate. You may stimulate spawning by pretending the rainy season. You can do that by reducing water level and doing partial water changes several times for the softer, more sour and slightly cooler water which is around about 26°C). You can also feed them with plenty of live food. Before spawning pair of the fish selects and cleans a place where female will lay eggs. Generally it will be a flat stone, cave or hole in the substrate. Female can lay even 200 eggs. Both of the parents take care for the roe. Female cares about the eggs and male guards the territory and chases unwanted guests. The larvae hatch after 2-3 days. A week later fry starts to swim and feed. The parents take care for the offspring for several weeks.