Andinoacara

The blue acara, Andinoacara pulcher, is a cichlid native to Trinidad and Tobago and parts of Venezuela. It occupies a variety of habitats, from murky still waters to clear streams. A mainstay of the hobby for many years, it is one of the easiest substrate-spawning cichlids to breed. Captive breeding has narrowed the gene pool, so most fish in the hobby are pale imitations of wild ones, and some are hybrids with related species. It was previously known as 'Aequidens' pulcher.

The green terror cichlid, Andinoacara rivulatus, is a large cichlid from extreme northern Peru and the coastal drainages of western Ecuador. Generally aggressive and territorial, it is best kept alone or as a mated pair unless the tank is enormous. Males grow substantially larger than females and develop a nuchal hump when mature. Fish from the northern end of its range may represent a different species.

Andinoacara sp. 'Orinoco' is an apparently undescribed cichlid from unspecified localities in the Río Orinoco basin, presumably in Venezuela. It was traded as 'Aequidens' sp. 'Orinoco' and, following Musilová et al. (2009), appears to be a member of Andinoacara. Relatively peaceful for a cichlid of its size, it is a biparental substrate spawner and relatively simple to breed.