Heckelii Cichlid

A stunning and unique relative of the eartheaters, the Threadfin Acara or Heckelii Cichlid is widespread throughout the Amazon and its tributaries in South America, where it inhabits shallow, sandy stretches of warm, acidic, slow-moving water. They are named for the remarkable filament-like fin extensions that adult fish develop off the dorsal fin. Like their relatives in the genus Geophagus, they will ingest mouthfuls of fine sand substrate and sift out small food items like insect larvae and crustaceans but also readily feed from the surface and water column. In the aquarium, they tend to do best in groups and will coexist with a variety of similarly peaceful cichlids or other fish species, but can be more aggressive and pushy than other eartheaters. These fish will do best in soft, warm water (pH 7.0 or below, temperatures of 80 ) but are adaptable and have been bred commercially for the aquarium trade in Asia and the US.