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Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Redstriped eartheater
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Redstriped eartheater

Geophagus surinamensis · Geophagus surinamensis, Red striped eartheater, Surinam geophagus

Peaceful with other large peaceful fish; may eat very small fish.

Fish sold as "surinamensis" are usually Geophagus abalios or G. dicrozoster. True G. surinamensis is rare in shops.

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25 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–25 °CTemperature ✓
6–8pH ✓
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Not recommended
  • Redstriped eartheater eats animals up to about 4 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Redstriped eartheater eats animals up to about 4 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Redstriped eartheater eats animals up to about 4 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
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

262 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 ✓5–19 dGH
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ?Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–8 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful with other large peaceful fish; may eat very small fish.

  • sand

Food

Sinking pellets, bloodworms, brine shrimp, and some greens.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

MaleLarger with longer fins and a bigger hump
FemaleSmaller and plainer
TipMales have longer fins
How hard to tellModerate

Health

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

Breeding

Mouthbrooder · Hard

Pairs spawn on a flat stone or in a pit in the sand; the parents then take the eggs or larvae into their mouths (larvophile mouthbrooder), and the young shelter in the mouth at night or when in danger, with parental care lasting several weeks.

Pairing

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

Setup

A 300 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

Eggs hatch about three days after spawning (in the parents' mouths). FishBase uses a fecundity of about 250 eggs.

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

RegionGuianas – Suriname, Guyana & French Guiana
Rivers and lakesCoastal rivers of Suriname and French Guiana
HabitatSlow rivers over sand
Native rangeAbout 500 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the redstriped eartheater

A large eartheater from Suriname and French Guiana that digs in mud and sand for food. Most fish sold as 'surinamensis' are actually related species such as G. abalios or G. dicrozoster.

Bloch described this eartheater in 1791, originally in another genus. Many fish sold as 'surinamensis' are in fact other Geophagus species. The true species comes from the Guianas.

First described by Marcus E. Bloch in 1791.

  • Many aquarium 'surinamensis' are actually related species from Brazil.
  • It filters sand through its gills.
  • It is a mouthbrooder.

Sources

11 facts checked with sources