TankBud

Threespot eartheater

Satanoperca daemon

Also known as Three-spot eartheater, Demon eartheater, Geophagus daemon

FreshwaterFish

Threespot eartheater (Satanoperca daemon)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
79–86°F
26–30°C
pH
4.5–6.5
Adult size
9.8 in
25 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Blackwater of the Rio Negro basin and upper Orinoco in Brazil, Venezuela, and Colombia, over clean sand in soft, acidic water.

Overview

The threespot eartheater is a peaceful but demanding cichlid for a large blackwater tank. It is a delicate specialist and a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

Unlike its relatives in the jurupari group, which brood their young in the mouth, the threespot eartheater nests in the sand. That nesting method is unusual among the eartheaters.

Caring for the threespot eartheater

Keep a group of threespot eartheaters in a tank of at least 119 gal (450 L). Give them a deep sand bed, with wood and leaf litter.

It suffers in hard water or a new tank, so give it mature, pristine water. Keep the water soft, at 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C) and a pH of 4.5 to 6.5, and keep nitrate low. Feed sinking foods and frozen foods.

The threespot eartheater is peaceful, so choose only very peaceful tank mates. Like the rest of the daemon group, it is a substrate spawner that buries its eggs under a layer of sand. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The threespot eartheater, Satanoperca daemon, was described by Heckel in 1840. It is named for the dark blotches along its flanks and tail base. It is also known as the demon eartheater and as Geophagus daemon.

In the wild

The threespot eartheater lives in blackwater of the Rio Negro basin and upper Orinoco, in Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. The water there is soft, acidic and stained with tannins, over clean sand.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The threespot eartheater is a 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 threespot eartheater need?

A threespot eartheater needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a threespot eartheater need?

A threespot eartheater is comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.5.

What does a threespot eartheater eat?

A threespot eartheater eats sinking foods and frozen foods.

How big does a threespot eartheater get?

An adult threespot eartheater reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).

How does a threespot eartheater breed?

The threespot eartheater buries its eggs under a layer of sand, like the rest of its group. Breeding it is hard.

Related species