Black Acara

Black Acara (Cichlasoma Bimaculatum) Fish Description

The Black Acara has a dark beige to gray back with a dirty white underbelly. However, its most prominent feature is the black fading blotch that runs across its body. It also has a large black spot at the base of its tail fin. The Black Acara also has a black blotch right under its eye and has a blunted nose. However, the black markings only reach the body as its fins are a yellow to transparent color.

It has a long dorsal fin which is made of a combination of spines and rays. Most of the spines of the Black Acara are at the start of the dorsal fin. Its spines appear to be 80% of the dorsal fin with the rest appearing to be soft rays. The Black Acara has a convex head with a small mouth.

Diet and Size

Because of its small mouth, Black Acaras usually nibble on their food instead of inhaling it. Black Acaras are also known to not be picky eaters. They eat almost anything. However, people who keep Black Acaras usually feed them some fish flakes or some bloodworms. They also like having their daily serving of algae. Owners of Black Acaras even recommend rotating their food to keep them healthy.

Black Acaras on average is around 4-8 inches in length. However, there have been some reports of them being 10 inches. They’re quite small as a fish, not even weighing past 1 lb. The heaviest Black Acara on record was only four ounces.

Interesting Facts about the Black Acara

• Black Acaras in some places is considered an invasive species.
• Some people would catch Black Acaras and keep them as pets.
• Black Acaras are normally okay with other fish but they can be quite territorial if they know they’re bigger than the other fish.
• Black Acaras are known to burrow a lot if they’re in a tank. Make sure you have well-rooted plants before placing them in one.
• People don’t normally fish for Black Acaras because they’re too small to be enjoyed.
• Black Acaras are considered omnivorous.

Fishing Techniques: How to Fish for a Black Acara

When fishing for a Black Acara, they use a lightweight tackle. The fish barely weighs a pound so no need to bring in the heavy gear. The tricky part is finding out where the Black Acara stay. Usually, Black Acara love water bodies filled with algae since they eat them. They are also known to stay by the shallower parts of the water bodies since most of the deeper areas have bigger fish such as catfishes.

As for the hook, get the smallest one and then you can put a piece of bread on it. You can also try using bloodworms or dough to catch them. Their bites are feather-light so you’ll need a rod that’s sensitive enough to detect when they’re going to bite. Once they bite, you’ll notice that they’ll start kicking a fuss in the water before you can finally pull them out. Don’t pull them out right away; lightly drag them through the water and tire them out before bringing them up.

Do be careful though. They have a tendency to play possum when they’re caught. Once you take out the hook, make sure you have a good grip on them. Otherwise, they’ll just jump back into the water.

Black Acara Habitat and Distribution

Black Acaras are usually found in South America. They usually stay in Orinoco River Basin which is in the Rio Caroni in Venezuela River. They also stay in the Guianas from the Essequibo River. But Black Acaras are usually in places with slow flows. They like places such as lakes and canals, so long as there is a lot of vegetation for them to feed on. 

They appear also to have a liking for rocky bottoms where they can blend and prevent themselves from being found.