TankBud

Demon eartheater

Satanoperca jurupari

Also known as Jurupari eartheater

FreshwaterFish

Demon eartheater (Satanoperca jurupari)
Imperial Tropicals · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
7.1 in
18 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Amazon basin

Overview

The demon eartheater is a peaceful Amazon cichlid that lives on the bottom of a big, sandy tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

The demon eartheater feeds by sifting sand. It takes a mouthful of substrate, sorts out the worms, insect larvae and bits of food inside, then spits the cleaned sand back out.

Caring for the demon eartheater

Keep demon eartheaters in a group of five to eight, which settles into a gentle pecking order. Give them at least 119 gal (450 L). A fine, soft sand bed is not optional, since they sift the bottom for most of the day. Open swimming space over the sand matters more to them than heavy planting.

Keep the water warm, soft and acidic to neutral, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Feed sinking foods such as pellets, frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp that settle onto the sand where they can find them.

They are peaceful for their size and will not eat any fish too large to swallow. They mix well with other calm, similarly sized fish that share their water needs.

Demon eartheaters are maternal mouthbrooders, and the female holds and protects the eggs and fry in her mouth. They breed best with mature fish in stable water, and breeding is of moderate difficulty.

Good to know

The demon eartheater, Satanoperca jurupari, is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae. A healthy adult can live several years in good conditions.

In the wild

Demon eartheaters come from the slow, sandy-bottomed rivers and flooded forest channels of the Amazon basin. There they spend their day combing the substrate for food.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The demon eartheater is a 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a demon eartheater need?

A demon eartheater needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a demon eartheater need?

A demon eartheater is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

What does a demon eartheater eat?

A demon eartheater eats sinking foods such as pellets, frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp that settle onto the sand. It finds them by sifting the bottom.

How big does a demon eartheater get?

An adult demon eartheater reaches about 7.1 in (18 cm).

How does a demon eartheater breed?

Demon eartheaters are maternal mouthbrooders, and the female holds and protects the eggs and fry in her mouth. They breed best with mature fish in stable water.

Related species