The blue acara is a very colorful freshwater fish in the cichlid family. This fish can be found in various freshwater habitats, ranging from standing water to flowing streams, in Venezuela and Trinidad. They can reach lengths of 16 cm. The scientific species name is indicative to its looks; pulcher meaning "beautiful" in Latin. The blue acara is a common cichlid sold in many aquarium stores, and is sometimes confused with the larger green terror.