Satanoperca jurupari Breeding Guide
Breeding Satanoperca jurupari, the jurupari eartheater, an ovophilous maternal mouthbrooder in which the female collects fertilised eggs in small batches.
Overview
Satanoperca jurupari is a peaceful eartheater from the Amazon basin that constantly sifts sand. According to Seriously Fish it is an ovophilous maternal mouthbrooder that has been bred in aquaria: the female immediately collects the fertilised eggs in small batches and eventually carries several hundred. The species record lists it as a biparental mouthbrooder, but the source describes a maternally dominated, female-mouthbrooding strategy with the male typically ejected after spawning; this guide follows the source.
Sexing
Accurate sexing is very difficult. Adult females tend to grow slightly smaller than males and become deeper-bodied when gravid, but the safest route is to grow on a group and let pairs form. Sexual maturity takes at least a year, often two or more.
Conditioning
No specific environmental trigger exists. The requirements are a good diet and a stringent maintenance regime involving relatively large weekly water changes.
Breeding Setup
- Soft sand with driftwood and flat surfaces; a large aquarium with a base of about 210 × 60 cm
- Temperature: 20-28 °C (Seriously Fish range)
- pH: 5.5-7.5 (Seriously Fish)
- Hardness: 36-215 ppm (Seriously Fish)
- Relatively large weekly water changes
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The male initiates courtship and paired individuals establish a territory around objects such as driftwood. Gravid females are courted, and when a pair forms they may defend the territory together for a few days before spawning. The female is typically ejected after spawning, though some males show extended brood care. No particular trigger is needed.
Egg & Fry Care
The female picks up fertilised eggs in small batches until she is carrying several hundred. Once the fry are free-swimming they readily accept good-quality powdered dry foods, Artemia nauplii and microworm. In community tanks the brooding female should be removed because the fry become vulnerable to predation.
Common Challenges
Sexing is unreliable and maturity is slow, so a group is needed to obtain a breeding pair. The species needs a very large footprint and soft, clean water; community predation pressure makes isolating the brooding female advisable for raising fry.