Photo: Ictiologia Universidad Católica de Oriente (CC BY 2.0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Platinum Acara (Andinoacara latifrons)
A sturdy, moderately peaceful cichlid from Colombian river basins — easier to manage than most cichlids its size and often mislabelled as the Electric Blue Acara in the trade.
Will it live with a Platinum Acara?
We compare each fish against your platinum acara on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Banjo Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 15 cm · Medium 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.
- Bearded Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °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 Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bristlenose Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Clown Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Giant Kuhli Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 12 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✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 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✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Medusa Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 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.
- Porthole Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Rubber Lip Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Snowball Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 16 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.
- Spotted Rubbernose Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Spotted Talking Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Striped Eel Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 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✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Weather Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 25 cm · Easy care · 5–24 °C (41–75 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Zebra Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 10 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °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.
- Altifrons Geophagus⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 25 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Altifrons Geophagus can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~378 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Altifrons Geophagus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Angelicus Synodontis⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 25 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Angelicus Synodontis can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Blood Parrot Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 20 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Blood Parrot Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Discus⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 20 cm · Hard care · 28–31 °C (82–88 °F)
- Expect Platinum Acara to harass Discus at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Discus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Electric Blue Acara⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 16 cm · Medium care · 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.
- Electric Blue Hap⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 20 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Platinum Acara 6.5–7.5 vs Electric Blue Hap 7.8–8.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Platinum Acara and Electric Blue Hap can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~250 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Emperor Peacock Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Platinum Acara 6.5–7.5 vs Emperor Peacock Cichlid 7.6–8.6) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Platinum Acara and Emperor Peacock Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~210 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Fire Blue Empress Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 18 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Fire Blue Empress Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~400 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Galaxy Pleco⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 25 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Galaxy Pleco can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Goldie Pleco⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 20 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Goldie Pleco can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Green Severum⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 20 cm · Medium care · 23–29 °C (73–84 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~208 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Guyana Flag Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-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.
- Honeycomb Pleco⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 21 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Honeycomb Pleco can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~280 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Spanner Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 18 cm · Medium care · 23–29 °C (73–84 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Spanner Barb is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Platinum Acara is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~208 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Spanner Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Striped Raphael Catfish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 20 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Striped Raphael Catfish can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Tiger Loach⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 20 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Platinum Acara and Alligator Gar will hold territory and clash.
- Size gap is too large (250 vs 20 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Platinum Acara as food.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Clown Knifefish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 20 cm): Clown Knifefish will treat Platinum Acara as food.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 20 cm Platinum Acara whole.
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 20 cm Platinum Acara whole.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Platinum Acara and Redtail Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Redtail Catfish (120 cm) is big enough to swallow the 20 cm Platinum Acara whole.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Platinum Acara and Spotted Gar will hold territory and clash.
- Platinum Acara is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Platinum Acara and Wels Catfish will hold territory and clash.
- Wels Catfish (300 cm) is big enough to swallow the 20 cm Platinum Acara whole.
- Your 200 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Platinum Acara and Wolf Cichlid are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Platinum Acara is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
- Your 200 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.
Platinum Acara care specs
- Care level
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Max size
- 20 cm (7.9 in)
- Min tank size
- 200 L (52.8 gal)
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Hardness
- 4–15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 7–10 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Middle
- Group size
- Best alone or in a pair
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Colombia — Rio Magdalena and Rio Atrato river systems
What is a Platinum Acara?
The Platinum Acara (Andinoacara latifrons) is a medium-to-large South American cichlid from Colombia’s Magdalena and Atrato river basins. Originally described as Aequidens latifrons, it spent decades being sold alongside — or mislabelled as — the closely related Blue Acara (Andinoacara pulcher) from Venezuela and Trinidad. Retail misidentification remains common, so confirming the scientific name before buying is worthwhile.
Adults reach up to 20 cm (8 in) with blue-green iridescent flanks, dark vertical barring, and a fleshy nuchal hump on mature males. For its size the Platinum Acara has a comparatively reasonable temperament — less destructive than many large New World cichlids and compatible with a well-chosen roster of robust companions.
Where does the Platinum Acara come from in the wild?
In the wild, Platinum Acaras inhabit the Rio Magdalena and Rio Atrato systems in Colombia — warm, moderately flowing Andean-foothill rivers with soft-to-moderate hardness, slightly acidic to neutral pH, and substrate of fine sand and gravel mixed with leaf litter and submerged wood. Marginal vegetation and rocky structure provide shelter and territorial cues.
The fish is adapted to stable tropical temperatures and moderately soft water with clearly defined physical structure. It tolerates a reasonable range of water chemistry — one reason it has earned a reputation as a relatively manageable cichlid for its size.
What tank size and setup does a Platinum Acara need?
A single specimen or bonded pair requires a minimum of 200 litres (53 gal), with a longer footprint prioritised over height. Adults claim horizontal territory and need room to swim in the mid-water column without constantly bumping into obstacles or other fish.
Recommended setup elements:
- Substrate: fine sand or smooth rounded gravel — Platinum Acaras dig occasionally, especially when conditioning for spawning, so coarse sharp substrate can damage mouthparts.
- Hardscape: flat stones, stacked slate and pieces of driftwood define territories and give the fish visible ownership of the space.
- Plants: robust species such as Echinodorus, Vallisneria and Anubias on rocks or wood survive the occasional rearrangement. Delicate stem plants are likely to be uprooted.
- Filtration: substantial biological and mechanical filtration is essential — a 20 cm cichlid produces significant waste. A canister filter rated well above the tank volume is a sensible choice. Aim for moderate flow; these fish are not river specialists that require strong currents.
- Cover: caves or overhangs (ceramic tubes, stacked rock) give pairs a spawning site and help subordinate fish find refuge.
What water parameters does a Platinum Acara need?
Platinum Acaras are more forgiving on water chemistry than many cichlids, but consistent quality is non-negotiable:
- Temperature: 23–28 °C (73–82 °F). Stable mid-range values around 25–26 °C suit both long-term health and the possibility of breeding.
- pH: 6.5–7.5. Slightly acidic to neutral is the target; avoid alkaline extremes.
- Hardness: 4–15 dGH — soft to moderately hard, reflecting the Andean-foothill rivers of their origin.
Weekly water changes of 25–30 % are a practical minimum. With a large cichlid producing heavy waste, nitrate can climb quickly; keeping it below 20 ppm reduces the background stress that leads to colour fading and susceptibility to disease. A reliable thermometer, pH test kit and nitrate test are the three instruments worth having on hand.
What do Platinum Acaras eat?
Platinum Acaras are omnivores with a preference for meaty foods in the wild — invertebrates, small fish, and whatever organic matter they can root from the substrate. In the aquarium a varied diet keeps them in good condition:
- Staple: high-quality large cichlid pellets or sticks formulated for medium-to-large New World cichlids.
- Protein supplements: frozen or live earthworms, bloodworms, krill and prawns — offered several times per week.
- Vegetable matter: blanched courgette, spinach or spirulina wafers round out nutrition and reduce the risk of digestive issues from an all-protein diet.
Feed once or twice daily, offering an amount the fish consume within two to three minutes. Remove uneaten food promptly — leftover protein degrades water quality rapidly in a large cichlid tank. Avoid feeder fish as a regular item; they present disease risk and nutritional imbalance.
How does a Platinum Acara behave — and what tank mates work?
The Platinum Acara is semi-aggressive: assertive and territorial, particularly when defending a spawning site or during competitive feeding, but generally not destructive toward tankmates that are large enough to hold their own and quick enough to stay out of the way.
Good choices: fish of similar or greater size (anything under ~7–8 cm is food to a 20 cm adult), robust or semi-aggressive medium cichlids, large characins such as silver dollars, and armoured catfish — plecos and larger corydoras species are particularly reliable. Bottom-dwellers that occupy a different zone than the acara’s mid-water territory work especially well.
Avoid small tetras, nano species, shrimp, and highly aggressive cichlids that will outcompete or wound the acara. Fish with long trailing fins may also be nipped.
For a curated, filterable list of what works alongside this species, see Platinum Acara tank mates.
How do you tell male and female Platinum Acaras apart?
Sexing Platinum Acaras becomes straightforward once fish approach maturity:
- Males grow noticeably larger — up to 20 cm (8 in) — and develop a pronounced nuchal hump on the forehead, most visible in well-fed adults over about 12 cm. Colouration is often more intense, and unpaired males hold and defend territory actively.
- Females are smaller, typically reaching 12–15 cm, with a rounder, deeper body when gravid (carrying eggs). The nuchal hump is absent or minimal.
Juveniles under about 6–7 cm are difficult to sex reliably. Buying a group of six or more young fish and allowing pairs to form naturally is the standard approach for hobbyists wanting to breed them.
How do Platinum Acaras breed?
Platinum Acaras are open spawners: the pair selects a flat stone or sheltered depression, cleans it meticulously, and the female lays adhesive eggs in rows while the male fertilises them immediately. Both parents guard the clutch — eggs hatch in roughly 48–72 hours at 26–28 °C, and fry become free-swimming a few days later under continued parental protection.
To encourage conditioning, raise temperature toward 27–28 °C (81–82 °F) and offer more frequent live and frozen protein. A dedicated tank of at least 200 L with flat stones and few distractions suits them best. First-time pairs sometimes eat early clutches before settling into reliable parenting. Brood sizes can reach several hundred fry; plan for that scale before triggering a spawn. We rate it medium difficulty.
What diseases commonly affect Platinum Acaras?
Robust water quality prevents the majority of health problems. The most common issues are:
- Hole-in-the-head (HITH): pitting lesions on the head and lateral line, strongly linked to high nitrates and a monotonous diet. Keep nitrates low and feed variety to prevent it.
- Ich (white spot): triggered by temperature swings or stressed, newly added fish. A four-week quarantine for all new fish is the most effective safeguard.
- Fin and body wounds: from territorial disputes. A well-structured tank with defined territories and sufficient space significantly reduces injury frequency.
- Internal parasites: occasionally present in trade fish kept in crowded conditions. Quarantine and observation are the first lines of defence.
Health note: disease diagnosis and medication dosing are beyond the scope of a care profile. For a sick fish, consult a reputable aquatic health resource and correct water chemistry before medicating.
How long does a Platinum Acara live?
In good conditions a Platinum Acara lives 7–10 years. Acaras are typically sold as juveniles or young sub-adults, so most of that lifespan is ahead of you at point of purchase. Consistent water quality, a varied diet, low stress and compatible tankmates are the variables that most reliably push toward the upper end of that range. A fish of this size is a long-term commitment — plan the tank with that in mind.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Platinum Acara the same as the Electric Blue Acara?
No. Andinoacara latifrons (Platinum Acara) and Andinoacara pulcher (Electric Blue Acara) are distinct species. They look similar and are frequently mislabelled in the trade, but A. latifrons comes from Colombian river systems while A. pulcher originates from Venezuela and Trinidad. True electric blue acaras also display more vivid, iridescent blue colouration.
Can Platinum Acaras be kept with smaller fish?
With caution. Adults reach 20 cm and will treat small fish as prey. Stick to robust, similarly-sized tankmates such as medium cichlids, large tetras and armoured catfish. Avoid nano fish, small shrimp, and anything that fits in the acara's mouth.
What you need to keep a platinum acara
The baseline is a heated, filtered 200 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 23–28 °C (73–82 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a platinum acara in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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