Thicklip gymnogeophagus
Gymnogeophagus labiatus
Also known as Labiatus eartheater
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 61–79°F (16–26°C)
- pH
- 6.5–7.8
- Adult size
- 7.1 in (18 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 79 gal (300 L)
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Origin
- Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay drainages
- Family
- Cichlidae
Overview
A subtropical eartheater for the coldwater cichlid niche, and a fish that needs a genuine winter. Keep a group over sand with stones to probe, and let the temperature fall through the cool months. Males peak in red and blue after a proper cold season and stay dull without one. It is peaceful for an 18 centimeter cichlid. Feed sinking foods and frozen fare, tapering off as the water cools.
In the wild
Gymnogeophagus labiatus holds rocky, sandy streams in Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay, where the seasons swing hard. Keep it across 16 to 26 degrees Celsius through the year at pH 6.5 to 7.8. Holding it at tropical temperature year round shortens its life.
Good to know
Gymnogeophagus labiatus reaches about 18 centimeters and carries thickened fleshy lips it uses to probe crevices in stone for invertebrates, an adaptation shared with unrelated cichlids in Africa and Central America. It is a mouthbrooder, and males develop a nuchal hump with age.
Did you know
Its colors are winter-priced: skip the cold season and males never quite pay out in full.
Tank mates
Thicklip gymnogeophagus is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.
Brown pleco
Hypostomus plecostomoidesFreshwater10.2 in (26 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Whitespot eartheater
Satanoperca leucostictaFreshwater7.1 in (18 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–84°F (24–29°C)Macushi pleco
Hypostomus macushiFreshwater7.9 in (20 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)
Asian glass hatchetfish
Parachela oxygastroidesFreshwater7.9 in (20 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Giant river hatchetfish
Triportheus rotundatusFreshwater9.8 in (25 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Chameleon whiptail
Pseudohemiodon apithanosFreshwater6.7 in (17 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Thicklip gymnogeophagus need?
A Thicklip gymnogeophagus needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH do Thicklip gymnogeophagus need?
Thicklip gymnogeophagus are comfortable at 61–79°F (16–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.
How big do Thicklip gymnogeophagus get?
An adult Thicklip gymnogeophagus reaches about 7.1 in (18 cm).
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- Imperial Tropicals Freshwater fish and inverts bred at a Florida hatchery
- The Wet Spot Tropical Fish Large selection of quarantined tropical freshwater fish, with live arrival guarantee and Next Day Air flat rate shipping to all US locations
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Freshwater fish · Cichlids · Bottom dwellers · Coldwater fish
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Related species
Smoothcheek eartheater
Gymnogeophagus gymnogenysFreshwater7.1 in (18 cm)79 gal (300 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)La Plata eartheater
Gymnogeophagus australisFreshwater6.1 in (15.5 cm)66 gal (250 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)
Stripefin eartheater
Gymnogeophagus rhabdotusFreshwater5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)
Longbody eartheater
Gymnogeophagus mekinosFreshwater5.1 in (13 cm)66 gal (250 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)Tiraparae eartheater
Gymnogeophagus tiraparaeFreshwater4.7 in (12 cm)66 gal (250 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)
Meridionalis eartheater
Gymnogeophagus meridionalisFreshwater4.3 in (11 cm)53 gal (200 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)