Red head Tapajos

Geophagus pyrocephalus

Also known as Tapajos red head, Redhead Tapajos, Geophagus sp. Tapajos

FreshwaterFish

Red head Tapajos (Geophagus pyrocephalus) — Emőke Dénes · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 79–86°F (26–30°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 6.3 in (16 cm)
Minimum tank: 79 gal (300 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Common
Origin: Rio Tapajos basin of Para and Mato Grosso, Brazil, in warm, soft clearwater rivers over sand.
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

Keep a group in a tank of at least 300 liters at 26 to 30 C and pH 5.5 to 7.0, with a deep sand bed. Provide wood and rounded stones with plenty of open floor. Feed sinking pellets and frozen foods, plus whatever they sift from the sand. It is mostly peaceful, and pairs form on their own within a group.

In the wild

The red head Tapajos comes from the Rio Tapajos basin in Para and Mato Grosso, Brazil. It lives in warm, soft clearwater rivers over sand. It is a sand-sifting eartheater that does best in a group. Give it a deep, soft sand bed and open swimming space.

Good to know

This fish was formally described as Geophagus pyrocephalus only in 2022, after roughly three decades in the hobby as an undescribed species. It is a true Geophagus and reaches about 16 cm. The bright red head develops as the fish grows past about 8 to 10 cm. It is not Geophagus sveni, which is a separate species from the Tocantins.