Thick-Lip Eartheater (Geophagus crassilabris) Care Guide
Geophagus crassilabris is a Panamanian eartheater from flowing waters of central and eastern Panama.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Geophagus crassilabris is a Central American eartheater cichlid native to Panama. FishBase records a maximum standard length of about 24.0 cm. As an eartheater it feeds by sifting substrate, and it is one of the few Geophagus species occurring outside South America.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Subfamily: Geophaginae
- Genus: Geophagus
- Scientific name: Geophagus crassilabris
Habitat
According to FishBase the species occurs on the Pacific and Atlantic slopes of central and eastern Panama. It prefers flowing waterways over substrates of small stones, sand, rocks and leaf debris fallen from the forest canopy.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 350 L
- Temperature: 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- pH: 6.5–7.8
- GH: 5–15 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8–12 years
Diet
As a substrate-sifting eartheater, the species is an omnivore that takes up mouthfuls of substrate to extract small invertebrates and organic material. In the aquarium it accepts fine-grade prepared foods alongside small live and frozen items.
Conservation status
The IUCN Red List classifies Geophagus crassilabris as Least Concern (assessed 2 August 2019).
Geophagus crassilabris Breeding Guide
Overview
Geophagus crassilabris is an eartheater endemic to the Pacific and Atlantic slopes of central and eastern Panama, including the Rio Chagres, Bayano and Tuira. According to Seriously Fish it is an ovophilous, maternal mouthbrooder forming weak pair bonds during the spawning process only, and the species is polygynous, ideally kept as one male with two or more females.
Sexing
Sexually mature males grow larger, develop a nuchal hump and have longer unpaired fin lobes, while females remain considerably smaller. This makes adult males relatively easy to identify compared with most congeners.
Conditioning
A good diet and a stringent maintenance regime keep the fish in spawning condition. Because adult males are highly aggressive toward one another, especially while courting, only one male should be present to avoid combat.
Breeding Setup
- Soft sand with flattish, water-worn rocks as spawning sites; a tank base of at least 180 × 60 cm
- Temperature: 22-30 °C (Seriously Fish range)
- pH: 6.0-8.0 (Seriously Fish)
- Hardness: 36-179 ppm (Seriously Fish)
- One male with two or more females to spread aggression
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
As a maternal mouthbrooder, the female collects the fertilised eggs and broods them alone; the pair bond lasts only through spawning. Females are often harassed by other fish during breeding, so most breeders isolate the brooding female.
Egg & Fry Care
Seriously Fish does not list a specific egg count, incubation duration or detailed fry-rearing protocol for this species. As with related maternal mouthbrooders, isolating the brooding female protects the young, which are reared on standard small live and powdered foods once released.
Common Challenges
Strong male-on-male and male-on-female aggression is the main difficulty, requiring careful sex ratios and refuges. The species is rare in the hobby and tolerates harder water, but still needs space and a sandy bottom for natural behaviour.