Bandit cichlid
Guianacara geayi
Also known as Geayi cichlid, Geay's cichlid
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 5.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 5.1 in
- 13 cm
- Minimum tank
- 40 gal
- 150 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Coastal rivers of French Guiana and adjacent Brazil, in calm creeks and back-eddies near cascades over sand and rock.
Overview
Keep a group of five or more young fish in a tank of at least 150 liters at 24 to 28 C and pH 5.5 to 7.5, letting them pair off on their own. Provide sand for sifting and plenty of structure for territories. Feed sinking pellets, frozen foods, and live foods. It is mostly peaceful and only turns territorial around a spawning cave.
In the wild
The bandit cichlid comes from coastal rivers of French Guiana and adjacent Brazil. It lives in calm creeks and back-eddies near cascades over sand and rock. It is a secretive cave spawner that likes overhangs and hollows. Provide sand, wood, and caves in a tank with some open swimming space.
Good to know
Guianacara geayi was described by Pellegrin in 1902 and reaches about 13 cm. It is marked by a bold black bar running through the eye, which gives it the bandit name, plus a dark mid-body blotch. Most fish sold as geayi are actually the closely related Guianacara sphenozona.
Did you know
Pairs spawn inside a cave or under an overhang, and both parents share guard duty over the fry.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Bandit cichlid is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Golden curimata
Cyphocharax multilineatus
Freshwater4.3 in (11 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Celebes halfbeak
Nomorhamphus liemi
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)
Flagtail catfish
Dianema urostriatum
Freshwater4.9 in (12.5 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)77–82°F (25–28°C)
Debauwi cat
Pareutropius debauwi
Freshwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Forest halfbeak
Hemirhamphodon pogonognathus
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 34 gal (130 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Spotted hoplo
Megalechis thoracata
Freshwater5.9 in (15 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Bandit cichlid need?
A Bandit cichlid needs at least 40 gal (150 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Bandit cichlid need?
A Bandit cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.
How big does a Bandit cichlid get?
An adult Bandit cichlid reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).
Related species
5.1 in (13 cm)66 gal (250 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Owroewefi guianacara
Guianacara owroewefi
5.1 in (13 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)
5.5 in (14 cm)66 gal (250 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Teardrop guianacara
Guianacara dacrya
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5.1 in (13 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Black calvus
Altolamprologus calvus
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5.1 in (13 cm)74 gal (280 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Gertrude's peacock
Aulonocara gertrudae
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5.1 in (13 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Heterodon hap
Otopharynx heterodon
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