Abalios eartheater
Geophagus abalios
Also known as Orinoco eartheater
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 77–84°F (25–29°C)
- pH
- 5.5–7.2
- Adult size
- 9.8 in (25 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 119 gal (450 L)
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Origin
- Orinoco basin
- Family
- Cichlidae
Overview
Keep Geophagus abalios in a group of five or six over a deep bed of soft, fine sand. Eartheaters feed by taking mouthfuls of sand and sorting food out through the gills, so the substrate is the single thing that matters most: sharp gravel wears their mouths and stops the behavior entirely. Give them a long tank with open floor and mid-sized peaceful company. Feed sinking granules and frozen foods, little and often. They are gentle for their size but crowd the bottom, so plan around that.
In the wild
Geophagus abalios sifts sand along the channels and lagoons of the Orinoco basin, in warm water that runs soft to neutral. Keep it at 25 to 29 degrees Celsius and pH 5.5 to 7.2, with several centimeters of fine sand and enough length for a 25 centimeter fish to work a feeding area without crossing its neighbors.
Good to know
Geophagus abalios reaches about 25 centimeters and was described in 2004 as part of the long-confused surinamensis group, which is why older imports arrived under other names. It is a delayed mouthbrooder: the pair spawns on a cleared surface and picks the eggs up after a day or so, then continues sifting sand while carrying.
Did you know
Abalios means without spots on the cheek, a species named for the marking it lacks.
Tank mates
Abalios eartheater is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.
Red fin cactus pleco
Pseudacanthicus pitangaFreshwater13.8 in (35 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Gold spot sailfin pleco
Pterygoplichthys joselimaianusFreshwater15.7 in (40 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Three beacon pleco
Leporacanthicus triactisFreshwater11 in (28 cm)106 gal (400 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
Royal pleco
Panaque nigrolineatusFreshwater16.9 in (43 cm)125 gal (473 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Threespot eartheater
Satanoperca daemonFreshwater9.8 in (25 cm)119 gal (450 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)Spiny monster pleco
Pseudacanthicus spinosusFreshwater11.8 in (30 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Abalios eartheater need?
An Abalios eartheater needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH do Abalios eartheater need?
Abalios eartheater are comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.
How big do Abalios eartheater get?
An adult Abalios eartheater reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- Imperial Tropicals Freshwater fish and inverts bred at a Florida hatchery
- The Wet Spot Tropical Fish Large selection of quarantined tropical freshwater fish, with live arrival guarantee and Next Day Air flat rate shipping to all US locations
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
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Related species
Dicrozoster eartheater
Geophagus dicrozosterFreshwater9.8 in (25 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Panama eartheater
Geophagus crassilabrisFreshwater10.2 in (26 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Neambi eartheater
Geophagus neambiFreshwater9.4 in (24 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Silverspot eartheater
Geophagus argyrostictusFreshwater9.4 in (24 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Winemiller's eartheater
Geophagus winemilleriFreshwater9.4 in (24 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Bigspot eartheater
Geophagus megasemaFreshwater9.1 in (23 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)