Red Hump Eartheater (Geophagus steindachneri)

Choose the Red Hump Eartheater, a mouthbrooding Geophagus from Colombia

The Red Hump Eartheater, 'Geophagus' steindachneri, is a sand-sifting cichlid from the Río Magdalena basin of Colombia, including its great tributary the Río Cauca, the Río Sinú in the north-west of the country and the Río Limón basin of north-western Venezuela, which drains into Lake Maracaibo. Its common name comes from the mature male: he grows a rounded hump on the forehead, coloured red in many fish. Our photographs show such a male, with a red hump, a silvery body dotted with rows of red-orange spots, a few dark smudges along the flank and long, pale blue fins.

Seriously Fish notes that the species gives its name to the 'G.' steindachneri group, together with 'G.' crassilabris and 'G.' pellegrini. These fish form a lineage whose place in the classification is still unresolved, which is why the genus name is often written in quotation marks. Colour forms differ from one locality to another, and some may eventually be described as separate species. The species is named after Franz Steindachner, an Austrian zoologist.

Check the names on the label

Where most eartheaters spawn on a stone or carry the brood with both parents, this one is a maternal mouthbrooder: the female alone carries the eggs and young in her mouth. That, a manageable adult size and a striking male make it one of the most rewarding eartheaters for a UK keeper with a large, well-filtered aquarium. FishBase calls it a peaceful species, and the IUCN Red List rates it Least Concern (2021).

Know exactly what you receive

One purchase supplies one live Red Hump Eartheater. The size option is "Standard": the fish is sent at the size currently available, which is a young fish below adult size. Sex is not chosen or guaranteed, and young fish do not yet show the hump, which develops only in sexually mature males.

The photographs show an adult male of the species, not the individual you will receive. Females and young fish are plainer, colour varies between localities, and any fish looks paler for a few days after travelling.

Decide how many to order

• One fish: a single eartheater is the simplest choice for a community aquarium.
• A harem: Seriously Fish recommends one male with three or more females, so that his attention is spread when he comes into breeding condition.
• Several youngsters: because young fish cannot be sexed, a group bought young will probably include more than one male. Plan where extra males will go before they mature, because rival males are aggressively territorial.

Before you order, read our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee information, and make sure the aquarium is matured and at temperature.

Plan the aquarium around a 15–20 cm adult

Seriously Fish gives a maximum of 150 mm standard length, measured from the snout to the base of the tail, and FishBase records 19.8 cm total length, tail included. Adult males are larger than females and have longer lobes on the dorsal, anal and tail fins.

Seriously Fish asks for an aquarium base of at least 120 × 45 cm, about 243 litres. OATA gives at least 300 litres for American cichlids over 15 cm. For a single fish, the Seriously Fish base is the minimum; for a male with three or more females, we suggest working towards 300 litres so that females can keep out of the male's way.

Run a three-step space check

1. Measure the floor: a long, deep base matters most, because the fish feeds on the sand and the male defends a patch of it.
2. Plan the group: decide between one fish and a harem before you buy, and check the numbers with our stocking calculator.
3. Keep a spare tank in mind: breeders usually move a brooding female to her own aquarium, and an extra male may need rehoming.

Stand the aquarium away from radiators, windows and draughts, keep it out of direct sunlight, and heat it all year round, as OATA advises.

Build a dim, sandy forest-stream layout

Seriously Fish describes its wild habitats as varied but mostly forested streams, tributaries and backwaters with sandy beds. The most essential item of décor is a soft, sandy substrate, so that the fish can browse naturally. Gravel or small pebbles can stop it feeding, damage the gill filaments and even be swallowed, with a risk of internal damage or blockage.

Divide the floor by function

Set rocks on the glass before adding sand so the fish cannot undermine them, and keep plants to tough species in pots or on wood. Leave the front of the tank as clear sand so you can watch the sifting and the male's displays.

Set water values where the sources agree

Seriously Fish gives 20–30°C, pH 6.0–7.5 and 2–12 dGH. FishBase lists a narrower 24–26°C, pH 6.5–7.0 and 5–15 dH. The two ranges overlap at 24–26°C, pH 6.5–7.0 and 5–12 dGH, and that is what we suggest you aim for. It also sits inside OATA's general guidance for American cichlids of 22–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and 4–12 dGH.

Match your water to the targets

UK tap water varies from soft in much of Scotland, Wales and north-west England to hard in much of the south and east. Moderately hard water usually needs no adjustment for this fish; in a very hard-water area, blending tap water with reverse-osmosis water lowers the hardness, and a steady blend matters more than an exact figure. Treat all new water with a conditioner, as OATA advises, to remove chlorine or chloramine. Our water matcher compares your supply with this range, and our water chemistry guide explains pH, GH and KH.

Filter fine particles and change water weekly

Seriously Fish warns that these cichlids are susceptible to deteriorating water quality and should never be introduced to a biologically immature aquarium. It suggests changing at least 40–70% of the water every week, and mechanical filtration designed to trap the fine particles the fish stir up, because sand running through a filter blocks and wears it. For a tank of about 243 litres, its equipment note suggests a filter rated around 970–1,215 litres per hour.

Follow a weekly routine

1. Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH; OATA advises testing at least once a week.
2. Change 40–70% of the water with conditioned water at the same temperature; OATA's minimum is 25%.
3. Siphon waste from the top of the sand, especially in front of rocks and roots.
4. Rinse the mechanical media in old tank water, never under the tap, to keep the filter bacteria alive.
5. Check filter intakes for sand and clear them.

New to large aquariums? Our nitrogen cycle guide explains how to mature the filter before any fish arrive.

Feed fine foods in several small meals

This eartheater is a bottom feeder by nature. It takes mouthfuls of sand, sifts out edible items and passes the rest out through the gills and mouth. Seriously Fish reports that wild fish mostly eat small aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, plant material such as seeds, organic detritus and sediment, and that even adults seem unable to swallow larger items properly. Once settled, it rises into open water at feeding time but goes back to sifting afterwards.

Build one measured meal

• Staple: a variety of high-quality, fine-grade sinking foods.
• Small frozen or live foods: bloodworm, brine shrimp and mosquito larvae.
• Homemade option: gelatine-bound mixes of dry food, puréed shellfish, fruit and vegetables, cut into bite-sized discs, which Seriously Fish says work well.
• Timing: three to four small portions a day rather than one large meal, which Seriously Fish links to the best growth and condition.
• Portion: each meal eaten within a few minutes, with leftovers siphoned from the sand.

A brooding female eats little or nothing while she holds eggs, which is normal; resume normal feeding once she releases the fry.

Introduce it to a mature aquarium

Ammonia and nitrite must read zero and the temperature must be steady before the fish arrives. Use OATA's floating-bag method: switch the lights off, float the sealed bag for about 10 minutes, add small amounts of tank water to the bag over up to 20 minutes, and release the fish with as little bag water as possible. Our guide on how to acclimatise new fish takes you through it, and our cichlid care guide covers the basics for all cichlids.

Use a first-week checkpoint plan

Hiding and pale colour for a day or two are normal. Gasping, clamped fins or a fish lying on the sand are not, and call for an immediate water test.

Choose open-water tank mates

Seriously Fish names pelagic characins, fish that swim in open water above the bottom, as ideal tank mates, and advises avoiding aggressive or territorial bottom-dwelling species. Adult males are aggressively territorial towards rival males, especially when breeding, so keep only one male in all but the largest aquariums.

Screen each companion

For other humped eartheaters, compare the Paraguay Eartheater, a cooler-water mouthbrooder, and the larger Pearl Eartheater; keep only one of these sand-sifters unless the floor is very large. Check any mix with our tank mates tool, browse all South American cichlids, the South American cichlid category and our Geophagus and eartheater range, or see our other bottom-dwelling fish.

Watch for problems early

OATA describes a healthy fish as having clear, bright eyes, undamaged fins, intact scales, no ulcers or bumps, normal swimming and steady breathing; clamped fins, flicking against décor and shimmying are warning signs. With a territorial mouthbrooder, many problems are social rather than medical, so watch how the fish behave as well as how they look.

Pair each sign with an action

Test the water first whenever something changes; most health problems in cichlids follow a fall in water quality.

Breed a maternal mouthbrooder

Seriously Fish describes 'G.' steindachneri as an ovophilous maternal mouthbrooder: the female takes the eggs into her mouth soon after they are laid and broods them alone. The pair bond is weak and lasts only for spawning, and males are polygamous, breeding with several females in a season. The species becomes sexually mature at a relatively small size, and mature males grow the nuchal hump, which can be very pronounced in some individuals.

Set up for a spawning

1. Build a harem: one male with three or more females, in a tank large enough for the females to rest out of his sight.
2. Offer hard surfaces: a flat rock inside the male's territory, where the female lays small batches of eggs.
3. Watch the spawning: courtship can last several hours; the female picks up each batch of eggs, and the male releases milt in front of her mouth to fertilise them.
4. Move the female: most breeders transfer the brooding female to a separate aquarium once spawning is over.
5. Raise the fry: she incubates for 10–14 days, and the fry may return to her mouth for a further week or more. Feed brine shrimp nauplii and microworm once they swim freely.

Return the female to the group only when she has recovered condition, and make sure the male has other females to court.

Answer Red Hump Eartheater buying questions

What is a Red Hump Eartheater?

It is 'Geophagus' steindachneri, a sand-sifting cichlid from the Magdalena and Sinú river systems of Colombia and the Río Limón basin in north-western Venezuela. Mature males grow a rounded hump on the forehead, which in many fish is red, hence the name. It is a maternal mouthbrooder: the female carries the eggs and young in her mouth.

Is Geophagus hondae the same fish?

Yes. Geophagus hondae Regan, 1912 is a synonym of 'Geophagus' steindachneri, and Seriously Fish notes that some colour forms still appear on trade lists under that name. Colour varies with locality, and some forms may one day be described as separate species.

How big does the Red Hump Eartheater grow?

Seriously Fish gives a maximum of 150 mm standard length, measured without the tail, and FishBase records 19.8 cm total length. Males grow larger than females.

What size aquarium does it need?

Seriously Fish asks for a base of at least 120 × 45 cm, about 243 litres. OATA advises at least 300 litres for American cichlids over 15 cm, so for a male with three or more females we suggest working towards 300 litres.

Can I keep more than one male?

Only in a very large aquarium. Seriously Fish says adult males are aggressively territorial towards rival males and recommends a single male with three or more females, which spreads his attention when he comes into breeding condition.

What water conditions does it need?

Seriously Fish gives 20–30°C, pH 6.0–7.5 and 2–12 dGH; FishBase gives a narrower 24–26°C, pH 6.5–7.0 and 5–15 dH. Aim for 24–26°C, pH 6.5–7.0 and 5–12 dGH, where both agree, with zero ammonia and nitrite.

What does it eat?

It sifts sand for small invertebrates, seeds and detritus and cannot swallow large food properly. Offer fine-grade sinking foods plus small frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and mosquito larvae in three or four small meals a day.

How many fish come with one purchase?

One live fish of the standard size currently available, normally a young fish. Sex is not chosen or guaranteed, and young fish do not yet show the hump.

Consult the care references

• Seriously Fish: 'Geophagus' steindachneri — names and synonyms, distribution, habitat, size, aquarium base, water values, maintenance, diet, behaviour, sexing and maternal mouthbrooding.
• FishBase: Geophagus steindachneri — maximum recorded length, environment values, distribution and IUCN status.
• OATA: How to look after American cichlids — UK group-level guidance for American cichlids: water values, tank sizes, substrate, heating, acclimatisation, health checks and weekly maintenance.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy — current dispatch days and Live Arrival Guarantee terms.