Electric Blue Acara Tank Mates

Electric Blue Acara is semi-aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 24 freshwater species that pair well with an electric blue acara — plus the 61 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 7, 2026 • Full Electric Blue Acara care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for an electric blue acara

  • Corydoras Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Spotfin Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Peppered Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Spotted Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Burmese Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Porthole Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Upside-down Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bristlenose Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Rubber Lip Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Marbled Hoplo ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 14 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Spotted Talking Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Sterbai Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Pantanal Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Clown Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Zebra Loach ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bearded Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Medusa Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Spotted Rubbernose Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Striped Eel Loach ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Banjo Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Medium care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Zebra Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Hard care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
With caution

Electric Blue Acara tank mates that can work with care

  • Adolf's Cory ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara may bully the smaller Adolf's Cory, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Afra Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 10 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
  • African Butterfly Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 8 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • African Dwarf Frog ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 4 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Watch for Electric Blue Acara picking off any african dwarf frog small enough to fit in its mouth.
  • Agassiz's Corydoras ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara may bully the smaller Agassiz's Corydoras, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 9 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara and Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Altifrons Geophagus ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 25 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara and Altifrons Geophagus can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara may eat Amano Shrimp or pick off its shrimplets — a densely planted tank with moss gives them a fighting chance.

+ 247 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with an electric blue acara

  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Electric Blue Acara and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Electric Blue Acara and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Electric Blue Acara and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Electric Blue Acara and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
  • Wolf Cichlid ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 72 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Electric Blue Acara and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.

+ 53 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against an electric blue acara

Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against an electric blue acara, with the reasoning for each verdict.

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Electric Blue Acara?

We compare each fish against your electric blue acara on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.

  • Banjo Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bearded Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bristlenose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Burmese Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Clown Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Corydoras Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Corydoras Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Marbled Hoplo✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Medusa Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Pantanal Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Pantanal Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Peppered Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Porthole Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Rubber Lip Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Spotfin Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Keep Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Spotted Rubbernose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 22–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Spotted Talking Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Sterbai Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Keep Sterbai Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Striped Eel Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Upside-down Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 22–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Zebra Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Zebra Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 26–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Angelfish⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
  • Blue Flash Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Electric Blue Acara and Blue Flash Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Barb⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Clown Barb is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Electric Blue Acara is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~132 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Clown Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Denison Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
    • Expect Electric Blue Acara to harass Denison Barb at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Denison Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Dolphin Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~208 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Emperor Peacock Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • pH preferences only just meet (Electric Blue Acara 6–7.5 vs Emperor Peacock Cichlid 7.6–8.6) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
    • Electric Blue Acara and Emperor Peacock Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Eureka Red Peacock Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Different pH ranges (6–7.5 vs 7.8–8.6); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Fire Blue Empress Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 18 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Electric Blue Acara and Fire Blue Empress Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~400 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Firemouth Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–29 °C (72–84 °F)
    • Electric Blue Acara and Firemouth Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Giant Glass Catfish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Expect Electric Blue Acara to harass Giant Glass Catfish at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~120 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Gold Zebra Loach⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 25–29 °C (77–84 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~130 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Green Phantom Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Guyana Flag Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 18 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Moonlight Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Expect Electric Blue Acara to harass Moonlight Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Snowball Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Yoyo Loach⚠️ With caution
    Semi-aggressive · 15 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Electric Blue Acara and Yoyo Loach can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Electric Blue Acara and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
    • Alligator Gar (250 cm) is big enough to swallow the 16 cm Electric Blue Acara whole.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Electric Blue Acara and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 16 cm Electric Blue Acara whole.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Electric Blue Acara is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
    • Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Electric Blue Acara is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Electric Blue Acara and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
    • Electric Blue Acara is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Electric Blue Acara and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
    • Electric Blue Acara is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Electric Blue Acara and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
    • Wels Catfish (300 cm) is big enough to swallow the 16 cm Electric Blue Acara whole.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Electric Blue Acara and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Wolf Cichlid (72 cm) is big enough to swallow the 16 cm Electric Blue Acara whole.
    • Your 115 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.

Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.

Setting up an electric blue acara community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 115 L+ tank with a gentle filter, a reliable heater and plenty of cover — broken sight lines and hiding spots let mid-water and bottom dwellers keep out of each other's way. Cycle it fully and stock gradually.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — buying through these links costs you nothing extra.

How to choose

How to choose the right tank mates for an electric blue acara

Being semi-aggressive, electric blue acara can nip or harass smaller, slower or long-finned fish — give it space, broken sight-lines and similarly robust companions. It mostly occupies the middle of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Electric Blue Acara grows to about 16 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 8 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 22–28 °C (72–82 °F), pH 6–7.5 and 6–20 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Electric Blue Acara doesn't need its own kind to feel secure; think twice before keeping more than one if it is territorial. Whatever you add, introduce new fish slowly, watch for bullying in the first days, and have a backup plan if temperaments clash.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can an electric blue acara live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 24 compatible freshwater species for electric blue acara. Pick calm, similarly-sized fish that share its water needs and add them to a mature, well-planted tank.

What is the best tank mate for an electric blue acara?

Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Corydoras Catfish, Spotfin Corydoras, Peppered Corydoras. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.

What fish should you avoid keeping with an electric blue acara?

Avoid Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar, Redtail Catfish and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.

How big a tank do electric blue acara tank mates need?

Start from Electric Blue Acara's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 115 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

← Back to the full Electric Blue Acara care guide