Mirabilis eartheater

Geophagus mirabilis

Also known as Aripuana eartheater, Spotted-face eartheater

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 77–84°F (25–29°C)
pH: 5.5–7.2
Adult size: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Minimum tank: 106 gal (400 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Origin: Rio Aripuanã, Brazil
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

One of the most striking eartheaters, and worth setting a tank up around. Keep five or six over deep, fine sand in soft, gently acidic water, which is what brings out the freckled pattern across the face and flanks. Give it a long open floor and calm mid-sized company. Feed small sinking foods frequently rather than in large amounts, since it eats by sorting sand more or less continuously through the day.

In the wild

Geophagus mirabilis sifts dark sand in the Rio Aripuanã, a clearwater tributary in the southern Amazon. Keep it at 25 to 29 degrees Celsius and pH 5.5 to 7.2. Soft, warm water and a dark substrate show the spotting far better than bright sand and neutral water do.

Good to know

Geophagus mirabilis reaches about 20 centimeters and was described in 2014. The scattered iridescent freckling over its head and flanks is unique in the genus and is what the name refers to. It is a delayed mouthbrooder, like the rest of the surinamensis group.

Did you know

Mirabilis means wondrous, and the describers meant the star-map on its cheeks.

Tank mates

Mirabilis eartheater is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.