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Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Paraguay eartheater
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Variations

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Paraguay eartheater

Gymnogeophagus balzanii · Gymnogeophagus balzanii, Balzani

Peaceful with other cool-water fish; males squabble.

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20 cmBody length, without tail ✓
21–25 °CTemperature ✓
6.5–7.5pH ✓
140 LSmallest tank ✓
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Not recommended
  • Paraguay eartheater eats animals up to about 3 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Paraguay eartheater eats animals up to about 3 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Paraguay eartheater eats animals up to about 3 cm. Ember tetra only grows to 2 cm.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

307 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓5–15 dGH
Group size ✓3 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–8 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful with other cool-water fish; males squabble.

  • sand

Food

Pellets and frozen foods with some greens.

Tap a food to see what it is.

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.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Mouthbrooder · Moderate

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.

Pairing

Keep a group of 6 and let a pair form, or one male with several females.

Setup

A 250 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, fine sand to sift, a few rocks and open swimming space.

What starts it

Clean warm water, big regular water changes and varied protein foods.

Eggs

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.

Raising the fry

The brooding parent holds eggs and fry, releasing them at about 1 cm; feed newly hatched brine shrimp.

Common mistakes
  • Coarse or sharp substrate
  • Stressing the brooding fish
  • Infrequent water changes
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouth America – Paraguay & Paraná basins
Rivers and lakesRío Paraguay and Paraná river systems
HabitatSlow, shallow rivers and lakes
Native rangeAbout 800 km across
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The story of the paraguay eartheater

A subtropical eartheater from the Paraná and Uruguay basins whose dominant males grow a big square head hump. It prefers cooler water than most South American cichlids and does best with a 3-4 month cool 'winter' at 16-18°C.

Italian zoologist Alberto Perugia described this species in 1891, originally in Geophagus. Males develop a large forehead hump. It is a mouthbrooder.

First described by Alberto Perugia in 1891. Named for Named after Italian naturalist Luigi Balzan.

  • Males develop a large forehead hump.
  • It prefers cooler water than most tropical cichlids.
  • It is a mouthbrooder.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources