Breeding the paraguay eartheater
Delayed maternal mouthbrooder: the female spawns on a cleaned rock, guards the eggs for 1-2 days, then takes the hatching larvae into her mouth for about a week. The male plays no part in brood care.
Step by step
Keep a group of 6 and let a pair form, or one male with several females.
A 250 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, fine sand to sift, a few rocks and open swimming space.
Clean warm water, big regular water changes and varied protein foods.
200-500 eggs per spawning; they stay on the spawning site for 1-2 days before the female takes the hatching fry into her mouth for about a week.
The brooding parent holds eggs and fry, releasing them at about 1 cm; feed newly hatched brine shrimp.
- Coarse or sharp substrate
- Stressing the brooding fish
- Infrequent water changes
Male or female
Males are larger and more colourful, with pointed dorsal and anal fins; the dominant male develops a large nuchal hump, which can shrink if another male takes over.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Good for a first breeding project.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for mouthbrooders
- 21 days beforeGroup and condition
Usually one male with several females. Feed high-quality food.
- Day 0Spawning
The female takes the eggs into her mouth and stops eating.
- Day 21Release
After about 3 weeks the female releases fully formed fry. Many breeders move her to a quiet tank first.
- Day 21First food
Fry eat crushed flake and baby brine shrimp straight away.
- Day 90Grow-out
Fry are a few centimetres long after about 3 months.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Simulator: guided
Usually one male with several females. Feed high-quality food.
Simulator: try it yourself
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.