Red head Tapajos
Geophagus pyrocephalus
Also known as Tapajos red head, Redhead Tapajos, Geophagus sp. Tapajos
FreshwaterFish
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
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Rio Tapajos basin of Para and Mato Grosso, Brazil, in warm, soft clearwater rivers over sand.
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.
Did you know
It is a biparental mouthbrooder, laying eggs on the substrate and then carrying the developing young in the mouth.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Red head Tapajos 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.
Plain metynnis
Metynnis hypsauchen
Freshwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Largescale four-eyed fish
Anableps anableps
FreshwaterBrackish11.8 in (30 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)77–88°F (25–31°C)
Smoothcheek eartheater
Gymnogeophagus gymnogenys
Freshwater7.1 in (18 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)
Beardless barb
Cyclocheilichthys apogon
Freshwater7.9 in (20 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Giant river hatchetfish
Triportheus rotundatus
Freshwater9.8 in (25 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Gallagher's catfish
Rhinodoras gallagheri
Freshwater5.9 in (15 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Red head Tapajos need?
A Red head Tapajos needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Red head Tapajos need?
A Red head Tapajos is comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.
How big does a Red head Tapajos get?
An adult Red head Tapajos reaches about 6.3 in (16 cm).
Related species
6.7 in (17 cm)106 gal (400 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Brachybranchus eartheater
Geophagus brachybranchus
6.7 in (17 cm) · 106 gal (400 L)
6.7 in (17 cm)106 gal (400 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Cheekband eartheater
Geophagus taeniopareius
6.7 in (17 cm) · 106 gal (400 L)
5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Red hump eartheater
Geophagus steindachneri
5.9 in (15 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)
7.1 in (18 cm)106 gal (400 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Yellowhump eartheater
Geophagus pellegrini
7.1 in (18 cm) · 106 gal (400 L)
7.9 in (20 cm)106 gal (400 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Mirabilis eartheater
Geophagus mirabilis
7.9 in (20 cm) · 106 gal (400 L)
7.9 in (20 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)Sveni eartheater
Geophagus sveni
7.9 in (20 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)