Suriname eartheater

Care at a glance

Overview

The Suriname eartheater is a peaceful bottom-dwelling cichlid for a long tank floored with fine sand. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Caring for the Suriname eartheater

Keep a shoal of five or six Suriname eartheaters in at least 119 gal (450 L), with a long open floor. Lay a deep bed of fine sand, several centimeters thick. Sharp substrate is the one thing that will not work.

Hold the water at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.2. Feed sinking granules and frozen foods in small, frequent amounts.

The Suriname eartheater is mostly peaceful, so pick calm, mid-sized tank mates. It is a delayed mouthbrooder, and breeding it is of medium difficulty.

Good to know

The Suriname eartheater's scientific name, Geophagus surinamensis, was stamped for decades on almost any striped eartheater arriving from South America. Much of the older aquarium literature under that name describes other species entirely.

In the wild

The Suriname eartheater is found only in Suriname, in the Suriname and Marowijne river systems. It is not spread across the continent, as its trade use implies.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  Maroni eartheater

  Geophagus harreri

  8.7 in (22 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)

  8.7 in (22 cm)119 gal (450 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)106 gal (400 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)

• 

  Sveni eartheater

  Geophagus sveni

  7.9 in (20 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)

  7.9 in (20 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)

• 

  Bigspot eartheater

  Geophagus megasema

  9.1 in (23 cm) · 172 gal (650 L)

  9.1 in (23 cm)172 gal (650 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)

• 

  Neambi eartheater

  Geophagus neambi

  9.4 in (24 cm) · 172 gal (650 L)

  9.4 in (24 cm)172 gal (650 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)

• 

  Silverspot eartheater

  Geophagus argyrostictus

  9.4 in (24 cm) · 119 gal (450 L)

  9.4 in (24 cm)119 gal (450 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)