Greenstreak Eartheater (Biotodoma cupido) Care Guide
Biotodoma cupido is a peaceful sand-sifting eartheater cichlid from the Amazon and Essequibo basins, suited to soft, warm community tanks.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Biotodoma cupido is a cichlid (family Cichlidae) originally described in 1840 by Heckel as Geophagus cupido and later placed in the genus Biotodoma. According to Wikipedia it is native to the Amazon and Essequibo basins in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana and Peru. It is a sand-sifting eartheater sometimes seen in the aquarium trade.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Biotodoma
- Scientific name: Biotodoma cupido
- Common synonym: Geophagus cupido (Heckel, 1840)
Habitat
According to Seriously Fish, given its wide natural range the species is likely a habitat generalist that avoids torrential conditions, occurring in clear, often tannin-stained waters subject to seasonal flooding. The type locality is given as the Rio Negro and Rio Guaporé in Mato Grosso, Brazil.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 26-30 °C (79-86 °F)
- pH: 5.0-6.8
- GH: 1-5 °dGH
- Lifespan: 6-10 years
- Substrate: soft sand for sifting
Diet
Biotodoma cupido is an omnivorous sand-sifting substrate feeder. Seriously Fish recommends a varied diet of high-quality fine-grade prepared foods plus live or frozen chironomid larvae (bloodworm), Tubifex, Artemia and mosquito larvae.
Compatibility
A bottom-dwelling species. Seriously Fish describes it as surprisingly peaceful outside breeding, not predating on fishes larger than a few millimetres, and living in loose groups that form dominance hierarchies. It suits peaceful tankmates with similar water needs; aggressive or hard-water fish should be avoided.
Breeding
Biotodoma cupido is a biparental substrate spawner. According to Seriously Fish it prefers rocks partly buried in the substrate as a spawning site, and sexual maturity appears to be reached at around 18 to 24 months of age.
Biotodoma cupido Breeding Guide
Overview
Biotodoma cupido is a peaceful eartheater from the Amazon basin, ranging from Peru through Bolivia, Brazil and Guyana, with much aquarium stock originating from Santarém. It is a biparental substrate-spawner that deposits eggs on rocks. Breeding is moderately challenging, and the species reaches sexual maturity at around 18 to 24 months.
Sexing
Sexual dimorphism is subtle and unreliable. Males tend to grow a little larger, are deeper-bodied, and develop longer filamentous extensions on the dorsal and caudal fins than females. Head-stripe patterns were once thought diagnostic but proved inconsistent.
Conditioning
Conditioning can simulate a seasonal change: alternate a stable phase with relatively few water changes against a phase of daily 20-25 percent water changes using rainwater or softened tap water, with increased turbulence. Many fish dig before they are mature enough to spawn successfully.
Breeding Setup
- Soft, acidic water, with incubation reported at 23-24 °C.
- Open, flat rock surfaces that a pair can clean and use as a spawning site.
- Fine sand substrate, since the species is a sand-sifter.
- Stability and good water quality, alternated with the conditioning regime above.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Females initiate courtship by digging pits, swimming head-down with darkened colouration, and lip-locking. The female cleans a rock surface by moving away the sand, then deposits the entire batch of eggs over several hours before the male fertilises them in a single pass — an unusual pattern in which the female lays all the eggs before allowing fertilisation.
Egg & Fry Care
The female tends and protects the eggs while the male patrols the surrounding area. Eggs incubate for 3-4 days at 23-24 °C; after hatching, fry remain in a prepared pit for about four days while absorbing their yolk sacs. Both parents then share guarding duties equally for a further six weeks, consistent with a biparental larvophile that relocates fry to pits.
Common Challenges
Immature fish often dig without spawning successfully, and soft, acidic water is needed for good results. The record lists this species as a substrate-spawner, matching the biparental substrate-spawning behaviour described by the source.