Redstripe Eartheater Care Guide
Geophagus surinamensis is an eartheater cichlid endemic to Suriname and neighbouring rivers. A peaceful substrate sifter best kept in groups.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Geophagus surinamensis is a substrate-sifting cichlid known as the redstripe eartheater. According to FishBase it is restricted to the Saramacca and Suriname rivers in Suriname and the Marowijne (Maroni) river of Suriname and French Guiana. It is the type species of a wider group, and many similar Geophagus are sold under its name in the trade even though true G. surinamensis is rarely exported. The fish digs into the substrate with its protractile mouth in search of food, a behaviour typical of the eartheaters.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Geophagus
- Scientific name: Geophagus surinamensis
- Common names: Redstripe Eartheater, Surinam Eartheater
Habitat
Adults inhabit mud and sand-bottomed channels in the river systems of Suriname and French Guiana. These are freshwater environments where the species lives close to the bottom and forages over open substrate.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 400 L (about 106 gal)
- Temperature: 25-29 °C (77-84 °F)
- pH: 5.5-7.2
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- Group size: keep at least 5 individuals to spread aggression
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Diet
The species is an omnivore with herbivorous tendencies and feeds by sifting substrate. In the aquarium it accepts a varied diet of sinking prepared foods supplemented with small live and frozen invertebrates. A fine sand bed allows it to feed naturally without damaging its gills.
Compatibility
Geophagus surinamensis is generally peaceful for a cichlid of its size and forms a noticeable dominance hierarchy within a group. A minimum group of five or more is recommended, as weaker individuals can be harassed when kept in smaller numbers and the group may behave nervously. It should not be combined with very small tankmates that could be eaten, nor with overtly aggressive cichlids.
Breeding
It is a larvophilous mouthbrooder in which parents form pairs. Spawning occurs on flat stones or in shallow pits dug in the sand, and the parents take the larvae into their mouths to brood them after the eggs hatch.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2023). The species is taken in commercial fisheries and the aquarium trade across its range.
Geophagus surinamensis Breeding Guide
Overview
Geophagus surinamensis is an eartheater cichlid native to the Saramacca, Suriname and Marowijne river systems of Suriname and French Guiana, where it lives over mud and sand bottoms. According to FishBase it is a larvophile mouthbrooder that practises biparental care: the pair spawns on a flat surface and later transfers the developing young to the mouth. It belongs to the wider G. surinamensis species group, whose members are substrate-spawning, biparental mouthbrooders.
Sexing
Like other members of the group, this species shows almost no reliable external sexual differences. The female's ovipositor becomes visible only during spawning. The practical approach is to raise a group of young fish together and allow pairs to form naturally rather than attempting to sex juveniles.
Conditioning
There is no specific spawning trigger for the group; the main requirements are a good diet and a stringent maintenance regime with relatively large weekly water changes. A varied omnivorous diet and stable, clean water bring adults into spawning condition.
Breeding Setup
- Soft sand substrate for natural sifting and a flat stone or excavated pit as a spawning site
- Temperature: 22-25 °C (FishBase environmental range)
- pH: 6.0-8.0 (FishBase)
- Hardness: 5-19 °dH (FishBase)
- Large weekly water changes to maintain water quality
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Spawning occurs on a flat stone or in a hole dug in the sand. The pair deposits and fertilises eggs on the cleaned surface. No particular environmental trigger is required beyond good diet and consistent maintenance.
Egg & Fry Care
After spawning the parents take the eggs into their mouths, where hatching occurs about three days later (FishBase). As larvophile mouthbrooders the adults continue to shelter the young in the mouth, releasing free-swimming fry to forage and gathering them back when threatened. Fry accept powdered dry foods and Artemia nauplii once free-swimming.
Common Challenges
Accurate sexing is difficult, so a group is usually needed to obtain a compatible pair. In community tanks the brood is vulnerable to predation, so brooding fish are often best moved or the fry protected. Stable, clean water and a large footprint are essential for a species that reaches a substantial size.