Golden-Headed Acara Care Guide
Nannacara aureocephalus is a dwarf cichlid endemic to the Approuague basin of French Guiana, with golden head coloration in males.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Nannacara aureocephalus is a dwarf cichlid of the family Cichlidae endemic to French Guiana, specifically the Approuague River basin. Males show brilliant golden head coloration. It is a hardy, peaceful species.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Nannacara
- Scientific name: Nannacara aureocephalus
Habitat
The species occupies shallow water near the edges of swamps and areas of stagnant water in forest creeks within the Approuague basin. These are sheltered, slow or still waters with cover.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L
- Temperature: 23-28 °C (73-82 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.2
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- Water flow: low
- Lifespan: 4-6 years
A sand substrate with planting and cave-like retreats suits this species and provides spawning sites and territorial boundaries.
Diet
An omnivore in the aquarium that accepts small live, frozen and prepared foods, fed about twice daily.
Compatibility
A peaceful, mid-water dwarf cichlid suited to community tanks with small tetras, pencilfish, corydoras and otocinclus. It should be kept away from tiger barbs and aggressive cichlids.
Breeding
A substrate spawner with breeding difficulty considered intermediate. As in related Nannacara, the female typically guards eggs and fry after spawning on a chosen surface.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern.
Nannacara aureocephalus Breeding Guide
Overview
Nannacara aureocephalus is a dwarf cichlid from French Guiana, specifically the Approuague and Maroni river basins (AquaInfo). It is reported to spawn in burrows, depositing eggs on the ceiling of a small cave (AquaInfo). While the KB record labels the species a substrate spawner, the consulted source describes cave spawning, and this guide follows the source.
Sexing
Males reach approximately 12 cm and develop intense golden-yellow colour on the head, cheek, area behind the eye, preoperculum and operculum, while females reach around 6 cm and have a sturdier, less laterally compressed build (AquaInfo).
Conditioning
The KB record classifies N. aureocephalus as an omnivore fed twice daily. A varied diet supports breeding condition; no special species-specific conditioning protocol is documented in the source.
Breeding Setup
Provide enclosed cave-like spawning sites. Breeding water parameters are 23-30 °C, pH 5.0-6.0 and GH 1-8 °dH (AquaInfo). The KB record lists a minimum tank volume of 100 L.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The female prefers to spawn in a burrow, laying eggs on the ceiling of a small cave; clutch size is 80 to 150 eggs (AquaInfo). The female is very territorial and guards the spawning site.
Egg & Fry Care
Brood care is female-dominated; the female guards both eggs and young (AquaInfo). Eggs hatch within 3 to 5 days depending on temperature, and fry become free-swimming about 7 to 10 days after hatching (AquaInfo). Initial fry food is infusoria or finely ground dry food, progressing to Artemia nauplii and finely ground cyclops as they grow (AquaInfo).
Common Challenges
The chief challenge is meeting the soft, acidic water requirement (pH 5.0-6.0) and managing the territorial brooding female. The KB record rates breeding difficulty as intermediate.