Ellioti cichlid

Care at a glance

Overview

A pair does well in a 200 liter tank at 24 to 28 C and pH 7.0 to 8.0 over soft sand. Feed sinking pellets, frozen foods, and live foods, which they pick from the substrate. They are mostly peaceful and work in a Central American community with similarly sized, calm tankmates. Both parents guard the eggs and fry.

In the wild

The ellioti cichlid comes from the Rio Papaloapan basin on the Atlantic slope of eastern Mexico. It lives over sand and rock in slow lower river valleys. Like its firemouth relative, it sifts fine sand for food, so a soft substrate matters. Give it open sand with scattered rocks and roots for cover.

Good to know

The valid name is Thorichthys maculipinnis, described by Steindachner in 1864, and Thorichthys ellioti is a junior synonym still used across the trade. It reaches about 15 cm and is less aggressive than the true firemouth. Males show red and blue spangling with a dark spot on the gill cover and flank.

Did you know

When threatened it flares its bright throat and gill covers to look larger, a bluff shared with other Thorichthys.

Related species

• 

  Firemouth cichlid

  Thorichthys meeki

  5.9 in (15 cm)30 gal (115 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Red hump eartheater

  Geophagus steindachneri

  5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Stripefin eartheater

  Gymnogeophagus rhabdotus

  5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)

• 

  Red head Tapajos

  Geophagus pyrocephalus

  6.3 in (16 cm)79 gal (300 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)

• 

  Sulphur-head hap

  Otopharynx lithobates

  6.3 in (16 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Bandit cichlid

  Guianacara geayi

  5.1 in (13 cm)40 gal (150 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)