TankBud

Red hump eartheater

Geophagus steindachneri

Also known as Redhump eartheater, Colombian redhead eartheater, Geophagus hondae, Geophagus magdalenae, Red Hump Cichlid, Red hump geophagus

FreshwaterFish

Red hump eartheater (Geophagus steindachneri)
Imperial Tropicals · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Easy
Rarity
Very common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Magdalena, Cauca, and Sinu river systems of Colombia and the Maracaibo basin of Venezuela, in sandy forest streams and slow backwaters.

Overview

The red hump eartheater is a sand-sifting cichlid from Colombia and Venezuela that lives in groups. It is an easy fish to keep.

Did you know

The red hump eartheater hybridizes readily with related species, just as easily as it spawns with its own kind.

Caring for the red hump eartheater

Keep a group of red hump eartheaters in at least 53 gal (200 L). Give them a deep, soft sand bed and open swimming space, with some rocks and wood.

Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. They spend the day taking mouthfuls of sand and sifting out food, and a soft bottom lets them feed naturally. Feed sinking pellets and frozen foods as well.

They are mostly peaceful, but males chase rivals, so avoid keeping two males in a small tank. Keep one male to several females to spread out his attention.

Males develop a bright red or orange nuchal hump as they mature, which gives the fish its common name. It is one of the easiest eartheaters to breed and spawns readily. It is an immediate mouthbrooder, and the female holds the eggs in her mouth for around two weeks.

Good to know

Geophagus steindachneri is a cichlid of the family Cichlidae, in the steindachneri species-group rather than the true Geophagus. Other names for it include Colombian redhead eartheater, Geophagus hondae and Geophagus magdalenae.

In the wild

The red hump eartheater lives in the Magdalena, Cauca and Sinu river systems of Colombia, and in the Maracaibo basin of Venezuela. It prefers sandy stretches of forest streams and slow backwaters.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The red hump eartheater 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a red hump eartheater need?

A red hump eartheater needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a red hump eartheater need?

A red hump eartheater is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a red hump eartheater eat?

A red hump eartheater eats sinking pellets and frozen foods. It also takes mouthfuls of sand and sifts out food, so a soft sand bottom lets it feed naturally.

How big does a red hump eartheater get?

An adult red hump eartheater reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

How can you tell a male red hump eartheater from a female?

Males develop a bright red or orange nuchal hump as they mature, which gives the fish its common name.

How does a red hump eartheater breed?

The red hump eartheater is an immediate mouthbrooder, and the female holds the eggs in her mouth for around two weeks. It is one of the easiest eartheaters to breed and spawns readily.

Related species