Red hump eartheater

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep a group in a tank of at least 200 liters at 22 to 28 C and pH 6.0 to 7.5, with one male to several females to spread out his attention. Give them a deep sand bed and open swimming space with some rocks and wood. They eat sinking pellets, frozen foods, and anything they sift from the sand. They are mostly peaceful, but males chase rivals, so avoid keeping two males in a small tank.

In the wild

The red hump eartheater lives in the Magdalena, Cauca, and Sinu river systems of Colombia and the Maracaibo basin of Venezuela. It prefers sandy stretches of forest streams and slow backwaters. These fish spend the day taking mouthfuls of sand and sifting out food. A soft sand bottom is important so they can feed naturally.

Good to know

Geophagus steindachneri belongs to the steindachneri species-group rather than the true Geophagus. Mature males develop a bright red or orange nuchal hump, which gives the fish its common name. It is an immediate mouthbrooder, with the female holding eggs in her mouth for around two weeks.

Did you know

It is one of the easiest eartheaters to breed and will spawn readily, though it hybridizes just as easily with related species.

Related species

• 

  Red head Tapajos

  Geophagus pyrocephalus

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

• 

  Pearl eartheater

  Geophagus brasiliensis

  11 in (28 cm)75 gal (284 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)

• 

  Eartheater cichlid

  Geophagus altifrons

  9.8 in (25 cm)115 gal (435 L)79–90°F (26–32°C)

• 

  Ellioti cichlid

  Thorichthys maculipinnis

  5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Firemouth cichlid

  Thorichthys meeki

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

• 

  Stripefin eartheater

  Gymnogeophagus rhabdotus

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