Zebra Acara

About

Found in the flooded forest streams of the middle Negro River basin in Brazil, Nannacara adoketa is a compact dwarf cichlid with origins in some of the most extreme freshwater conditions on the planet. Wild specimens were collected from shallow, heavily shaded forest streams, barely ankle-deep in places, with barely any dissolved oxygen and water so soft and acidic it would alarm most fishkeepers at first glance. That background tells you almost everything you need to know about keeping this fish well. It thrives in soft, dark, acidic water that mimics the blackwater conditions of the Negro basin, and it will not be at its best in hard, alkaline setups. Males grow noticeably larger than females, and like most nannacaras the species shows that classic small-cichlid personality. Curious, territorial when breeding, and interesting to watch as pairs form and defend a spawning site. Females can take on a bold checkerboard pattern during breeding, which is one of the more dramatic color shifts you'll see in a fish this size. This is not a difficult cichlid to keep, but the water chemistry requirements put it firmly in intermediate territory. Get the chemistry right and it rewards you with genuine character in a small package.