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Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Threadfin eartheater
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Variations

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Threadfin eartheater

Satanoperca daemon · Satanoperca daemon, Three-spot eartheater, Threespot geophagus, Daemon eartheater

Peaceful; keep in a group in a roomy sandy tank.

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25 cmBody length, without tail ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
3.5–6pH ✓
756 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Threadfin eartheater eats animals up to about 4 cm. Neon tetra only grows to 2.5 cm.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Not recommended
  • Threadfin eartheater eats animals up to about 4 cm. Cardinal tetra only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • Threadfin eartheater eats animals up to about 4 cm. Black neon tetra only grows to 3.2 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 6.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 6.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

76 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 ✓1–5 dGH
Group size ✓5 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Hard
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 5–8 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful; keep in a group in a roomy sandy tank. Adults can eat small fish.

  • sand

Food

Pellets, bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Very hard to sex: no external differences except that gravid females look somewhat deeper-bodied, and the female's ovipositor shows during spawning.

Health

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

Breeding

Substrate spawner · Hard

Biparental substrate spawner, rarely bred in aquaria: the pair digs a large pit, lays eggs on a cleaned solid object and covers the brood with leaves, wood or substrate. It is not a mouthbrooder.

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

200 or more eggs; they hatch after about 3 days (70 hours at 27°C) and the fry swim freely about 48 hours later.

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

RegionNorthern South America – Orinoco & Rio Negro
Rivers and lakesUpper Orinoco and Rio Negro
HabitatBlackwater rivers with sandy bottoms
Native rangeAbout 900 km across
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The story of the threadfin eartheater

The threespot eartheater from Rio Negro and upper Orinoco blackwaters. It has two dark blotches on each flank plus an eyespot at the top of the tail base, which separates it from S. lilith (one blotch). Common in the trade but not easy to keep.

Heckel described this eartheater in 1840, originally in Geophagus. It lives in blackwater rivers of the Orinoco and Rio Negro and is known for three dark spots on its sides. It is considered one of the more delicate eartheaters to keep.

First described by Johann J. Heckel in 1840. Named for Daemon refers to a demon.

  • It has three dark spots along its sides.
  • It needs very soft, acidic water.
  • It sifts sand for small prey.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources