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Laetacara dorsigera - Red-Breasted Acara

Family Distribution Habitat Diet Max Length Minimum Tank Size

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Tank Setup Breeding

Temperature Notes

pH Range
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Hardness

Compatibility

Sexual Dimorphism

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Family
Cichlidae. Subfamily: Cichlasomatinae
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Distribution
It's found in the Rio Guapor in Brazil, Rio Paraguay in Brazil and Paraguay and Rio Paran in

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Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.

Habitat
Inhabits forested areas, in sluggish tributaries and swamps off the main river channels.

Maximum Standard Length

An adult male can reach 3.2" (8cm). Females are smaller, at around 2.6" (6cm).

Minimum Tank Size

A pair can be kept in a 24" x 15" x 12" (60cm x 37.5 cm x 30cm) - 68 litre tank, provided no other cichlids are present.

Tank Setup
Does best in a dimly-lit tank with a dark substrate. A layer of floating plants will not only give the desired level of lighting, but will also make it less shy. Additional decor can consist of some driftwood branches and pieces of bogwood, to simulate its natural habitat. A couple of flat stones should also be added. These will provide potential spawning sites. Any water movement should ideally be kept to a minimum. It also does well in a heavily planted setup. A diligent regime of tank maintenance is required, as the species is sensitive to build-ups of nitrogenous waste.

Temperature
It's toleraant of slightly lower temperatures, due to its natural distribution. Somewhere in the range 68-82F (20-28C) is recommended.

pH Range
6.0-7.5

Hardness

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1-8H

Diet
Omnivorous and easy to feed. Use a good quality dried flake or pellet as the staple diet. This can then be supplemented with live and frozen foods such as Daphnia, Artemia, bloodworm and similar. Vegetable matter such as shelled frozen peas, spinach or Spirulina-based dry foods should also be offered.

Compatibility
One of the most peaceful cichlids available in the hobby, this is generally a shy species. If it's the only species in the tank, you'll need to add a shoal or two of 'dither' fish to give it more confidence. Most tetras are ideal for this purpose, as are other characins such as hatchetfish or pencilfish. In a roomy tank it can be combined with other peaceful cichlids, such as angels, discus, rams and even Apistogramma. Corydoras and smaller Loricariids can also be added, but may predate on eggs and fry. While peaceful the majority of the time, it's worth remembering that this is still a cichlid. It will protect its brood quite fiercely when spawning, showing no fear of tankmates much larger than itself. It's best kept as a single mated pair, although in larger tanks a group is feasible.

Sexual Dimorphism
Very difficult to sex, especially when immature. Adult males tend to be slightly bigger than females, and develop more pointed dorsal, ventral and anal fins. The dark blotch in the dorsal fin is usually larger in females, and they appear stockier than males when full of eggs.

Breeding
A good choice for the newcomer to breeding cichlids, being easy to spawn and raise. It's a substrate spawning species that forms monogamous pair bonds.A pair should be given their own tank for spawning purposes, perhaps with the addition of a shoal of dither fish. Any of the various species of pencil fish are ideal, as they won't predate on the fry. The easiest way to obtain a compatible pair is to buy a group of 6-8 young fish and grow them on together, allowing them to choose their own partners. This can take some time so a degree of patience is required. Once a pair is noticed the other fish are best removed.

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Set up the tank as suggested above. Soft, acidic water (pH below 7.0, general hardness around 5 or below) is best. Condition the fish on a high quality diet, ideally containing plenty of live foods. You'll know when the pair come into spawning condition as they intensify in colour to stunning effect, developing a bright purple/red belly and face. The eggs are almost always laid on a flat rock if one is available. In the absence of this, they will use any suitable surface, including the base of the tank. The site is cleaned thoroughly before any eggs are laid. Spawning occurs in a similar fashion to many other cichlids, with the female laying a line of eggs before moving away, allowing the male to take her place and fertilise them. The eggs hatch in around 2-3 days, during which the male will defend the spawning site while the female tends to the eggs. Some role swapping may occur here. The pair also usually dig a number of shallow depressions in the substrate around the spawning site during the incubation period. Sometimes a pair spawning for the first time will eat their brood, but will usually get it right after two or three attempts. Once the eggs have hatched, the entire brood is moved into one of these pits or other sheltered area by both parents. They will sometimes be moved several times before they become free swimming, which generally occurs after a further 5-7 days. At this point start feeding them with microworm and/or Artemia nauplii. Some hobbyists prefer to remove the eggs to a separate tank before they hatch. While you may be able to exercise a little more control over the situation this way, you would miss out on some wonderful extended broodcare behaviour. This can continue for several months after the fry become free swimming. It's a joy to watch the adults shepherding their young around the tank, all the while defending them against potential predators.

Notes
This beautiful little species was previously included in the genus Aequidens and is referred to as such in older literature. The current genus name Laetacara was erected in 1986, and is derived from the latin word 'Laetus', meaning happy. This was settled upon as the species it contains are often referred to as 'smiling' acaras, in reference to the distinctive markings around their mouthparts. There are a handful of undescribed species that have been tentatively placed in the genus. L. sp. "Buckelkopf" and L. sp. "Orangeflossen", in particular have achieved a fair degree of popularity in the hobby. Laetacara dorsigera is deservedly one of the most popular members of the genus. It exists in several different colour morphs, depending on collection locality. Amusingly, in some parts of Brazil it's been dubbed the 'stupid cichlid' or 'dumb one', as supposedly it can be caught easily with the hands.

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It's broadly similar in appearance to the closely related L. curv iceps , with juveniles of the two species in particular often being confused in stores. If in doubt, examine the lateral patterning of the fish. L. curv iceps possesses a dark lateral stripe that extends along the entire length of the body. In Laetacara dorsigera this stripe terminates at the midlateral blotch, being replaced by five or more vertical stripes in the rear half of the body. This difference should be apparent even in quite young fish. The species are easier to distinguish as adults. L. curv iceps has an overall blueish colouration whereas Laetacara dorsigera is predominantly red, particularly on the ventral surface. This profile is not yet complete. Please have patience - we are working on all of the incomplete profiles and expect to have them done in the very near future. If you need more information about this species, we can probably still help. Contact us here or check our tropical fish forums. Alternatively, if you think you can provide us with accurate information about this species, please don't hestitate to contact us here.

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