Surinam Geophagus (Geophagus surinamensis)

Choose an eartheater with an adult plan

Surinam Geophagus, Geophagus surinamensis, is a freshwater South American cichlid also known as the Redstriped eartheater. It comes from the Saramacca and Suriname Rivers in Suriname and the Marowijne River in Suriname and French Guiana. FishBase lists this species in the family Cichlidae and gives a maximum length of 17.2 cm standard length. It suits a keeper prepared to provide a spacious, filtered aquarium with accessible substrate and measurable water targets. Use the 17.2 cm figure as the adult planning reference.

The eartheater name describes an important feeding behaviour. The overview of the Geophagus genus explains that these fish pick up mouthfuls of sediment and sift out invertebrates, plant material and detritus. That natural history makes accessible substrate, suitable food and controlled waste central to the aquarium plan.

OATA’s American-cichlid guidance gives 22–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and at least 300 litres for larger species over 15 cm; these are broad group figures rather than a species-specific optimum. FishBase places this species in an environmental range of 22–25°C, pH 6.0–8.0 and 5–19 dH. Use the overlap of 22–25°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and 5–12 dH for routine aquarium care, while regular testing tells you whether the aquarium remains stable.

This fish suits a keeper prepared to plan around its adult size, sediment-sifting behaviour and cichlid compatibility rather than its dispatch measurement alone. A mature biological filter, measurable water targets and enough space to reassess tank mates as they grow are essential parts of that plan.

Read the offer before choosing a size

One purchase supplies one Surinam Geophagus from the size selected. The distinct size labels are 4–5 cm, 5–6 cm, 7–9 cm and XL. Use the live size selector to choose the dispatch size.

The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size. The bounded centimetre sizes describe the fish at dispatch. XL is also a dispatch size, not a numerical adult measurement. Compare every choice with the 17.2 cm standard-length reference and prepare the adult aquarium before ordering rather than expecting the selected size to remain unchanged.

Keep the offer details separate

• Purchase unit: one animal in the selected size.
• Dispatch size: the size chosen in the live selector.
• Adult planning reference: a maximum of 17.2 cm standard length.
• Sex: determined only by an explicitly sexed option.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Surinam Geophagus listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

The gallery images are representative of this type of animal rather than photographs of the exact animal supplied, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal.

Use the selector for the dispatch choice, then check the aquarium against the adult-size, water and compatibility decisions on this page. For transport arrangements, dispatch days and the Live Arrival Guarantee terms, read our delivery and live-arrival policy before ordering.

Plan floor space around the adult reference

Build the aquarium plan around the 17.2 cm maximum standard length listed by FishBase. It is a planning reference for a substantial cichlid that feeds around the bottom and lower water levels.

The 300-litre figure is an at least value for American cichlids over 15 cm. It is a starting baseline, not an instruction to fill every 300-litre aquarium in the same way. OATA explains that a larger aquarium helps keep temperature and water quality more stable, while compatibility still depends on the number, size and temperament of all residents.

Compare dispatch size with adult planning

For scale, a fish dispatched at 5 cm is less than one-third of the 17.2 cm standard-length reference. That comparison shows why a tank that appears roomy around a newly introduced fish may not provide the same margin later. It does not predict an individual growth rate or final measurement.

Judge usable space as well as nominal litres. The fish needs accessible substrate for sifting, while the filter, cover and other occupants all use parts of the aquarium. If adding more cichlids, assess the resulting adult stocking plan before purchase instead of assuming that spare litres automatically create a workable social arrangement.

Audit the footprint before committing

Sketch the aquarium floor as open substrate, cover and equipment rather than treating every litre as interchangeable space. If decorations and other bottom-oriented residents leave only a narrow feeding strip, the nominal volume overstates the useful sifting area. Rework the layout or reduce the stocking plan before adding another fish.

Repeat that audit as residents grow. A plan that leaves clear routes between feeding areas and shelter gives you more options than one crowded with fixed obstacles. The purpose is not to produce an empty aquarium, but to make every major part of the footprint perform a defined job.

Give sediment-sifting behaviour room

Make sand or fine aquarium gravel the functional base of the layout. OATA recommends fine gravel or sand because many American cichlids dig or sift the substrate while feeding or breeding. For an eartheater, an accessible sediment area also supports the mouthful-and-sift feeding behaviour described for the Geophagus genus.

The aim is not a decorative strip of sand that the fish cannot reach. Keep a meaningful part of the floor accessible so food can be sought and sediment can be moved. When deciding where cover belongs, preserve enough open substrate for this behaviour instead of filling every lower-level area.

Build the layout around three jobs

• Feeding area: retain accessible sand or fine gravel where the fish can sift.
• Cover: include shelter without removing the usable feeding floor.
• Maintenance access: leave areas where solid waste can be removed during the weekly water change.

Expect planting decisions to be affected by cichlid behaviour. OATA notes that American cichlids may dig up or eat live plants and suggests plastic plants as one way to provide cover. Treat any live planting as part of a working cichlid layout rather than assuming that rooted plants will remain undisturbed.

Substrate movement can also place solid waste in hollows or against decorations. A siphon is useful during the partial water change because it removes collected debris before it breaks down. Combine that physical cleaning with biological filtration; substrate cleaning alone does not process dissolved ammonia or nitrite.

Review the layout after introduction. If accessible sediment has become blocked by cover, or waste repeatedly settles where it cannot be reached, adjust the arrangement while preserving shelter. The practical test is whether the fish can reach the substrate and whether you can maintain it without dismantling the aquarium every week.

Use the first month to refine the layout

• After the first feeding: note where food settles and whether the fish can reach it.
• At the first water change: identify hollows where debris collects beyond the siphon’s reach.
• After several weeks: check whether digging has displaced cover or exposed planted areas.
• After each adjustment: preserve both an accessible feeding floor and a sheltered area.

Small layout changes are preferable to repeated complete rearrangements. Move only what blocks feeding, traps waste or removes useful cover, then observe how the fish uses the revised space before changing another part.

Hold water inside measurable ranges

For routine aquarium planning, use 22–25°C, pH 6.5–8.0, general hardness of 5–12 dH and carbonate hardness of 3–10 dKH. FishBase places Geophagus surinamensis in freshwater environments of 22–25°C, pH 6.0–8.0 and 5–19 dH. Keep the aquarium within a stable part of the routine range rather than repeatedly moving values towards opposite limits.

Ammonia and nitrite are immediate stop signs for introduction because their target is zero. Nitrate is judged against the normal level in the tap water used for changes; the aquarium should not exceed that baseline by more than 20 mg per litre. Measure the tap water as well as the aquarium so the comparison uses real values.

Use our water matcher to compare measured aquarium values with these ranges. Enter test results rather than estimates, and keep dated results so gradual movement is visible before it becomes a sharp change.

If the aquarium sits within the stated ranges and the fish behaves normally, consistency is more useful than chasing a particular edge value. A larger water volume can make conditions more stable, but it still requires filtration, weekly testing and water changes. Capacity reduces the speed of some changes; it does not replace maintenance.

Respond according to the reading

• Ammonia or nitrite above zero: pause livestock additions, inspect filter operation and review the recent feeding and stocking load.
• Nitrate rising faster than usual: check for uneaten food, trapped debris and missed maintenance.
• pH or hardness drifting: compare the aquarium with the replacement water and look for a trend across dated tests.
• Temperature moving between limits: restore a stable point within the planned range rather than repeatedly chasing opposite edges.

A single result is most useful when placed beside earlier readings. Record what changed before the test, including a new resident, altered feeding amount, filter cleaning or delayed water change, because that context helps identify the practical cause of the movement.

Mature the filter before introduction

No aquarium for this fish should operate without a well-set-up and maintained filter. The RSPCA’s aquarium guidance explains that fish release toxic ammonia and that a working biological filter supports bacteria which convert ammonia to toxic nitrite and then to the safer nitrate.

This biological process is why a running filter and a mature biological filter are not automatically the same thing. Beneficial bacteria must become established, and their capacity has to match the waste produced by the aquarium’s occupants and feeding routine.

Complete these checks before adding the fish

1. Run and mature the aquarium’s biological filter.
2. Test the aquarium and confirm ammonia is zero mg per litre.
3. Confirm nitrite is zero mg per litre.
4. Check temperature, pH and hardness against the planned ranges.
5. Review the adult stocking plan, not just the space around the new arrival.

Our first tropical aquarium guide explains how to prepare and mature a system before livestock arrives. Complete that process before choosing a dispatch date; adding a fish is not the step that should begin filter maturation.

Increase the aquarium population slowly. OATA warns that beneficial bacteria need to increase as more fish and food are added. Adding too many fish too quickly can cause new tank syndrome because the established bacterial population cannot process the extra waste, allowing ammonia and nitrite to rise.

Filter capacity must therefore be considered whenever stocking or feeding changes. A zero result before introduction is essential, but continue weekly testing afterwards because a larger waste load can exceed the capacity that previously handled a lighter population.

Treat every addition as a new load

When one animal joins an established aquarium, both waste production and feeding increase. Keep the normal routine steady around that change so test results remain interpretable. Adding several residents, increasing portions and cleaning filter media heavily in the same period makes it harder to identify why a reading moved.

Confirm normal filter flow each day during the early settling period and test on the regular weekly schedule. If ammonia or nitrite appears, stop further additions and examine the biological load, filter function and feeding amount together rather than assuming that a previously mature aquarium has unlimited capacity.

Use a weekly maintenance cycle

Carry out a partial water change of 25% at least once every week. Use a siphon to remove solid waste from the substrate, especially where sediment movement has collected debris. Treat replacement tap water with conditioner to remove harmful chlorine or chloramine before it enters the aquarium.

Test the water at least weekly for ammonia and nitrite, and keep both at zero mg per litre. Track nitrate against the normal tap-water value so it remains no more than 20 mg per litre above that baseline. Our water chemistry guide explains what these measurements mean and why trends matter.

Follow the same sequence each week

1. Observe first: note swimming, breathing, colour, feeding and interactions before disturbing the aquarium.
2. Test: measure ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and compare the result with earlier weeks.
3. Change water: remove 25% while siphoning accessible solid waste, and do this at least once every week.
4. Condition replacement water: neutralise chlorine or chloramine before addition.
5. Check the filter: inspect it for blockages and confirm normal operation.
6. Record the result: keep the date, readings and any behavioural change together.

If filter media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in aquarium water removed during the water change. Do not rinse it under the tap because chlorine or chloramine may kill beneficial bacteria living in the media. The aim is to clear obstructive debris without stripping away the biological population responsible for processing waste.

Respond to a non-zero ammonia or nitrite result as a water-quality problem rather than waiting for visible illness. Review recent additions, feeding and filter operation, then continue testing as conditions recover. If nitrate rises faster than usual, examine uneaten food, solid waste and the interval between water changes.

Review the monthly pattern

After four weekly cycles, compare the readings rather than judging each week alone. Repeated zero ammonia and nitrite readings show that the routine is maintaining those targets under the present load. A steady nitrate rise, increasing trapped waste or declining filter flow points to a maintenance or feeding issue that needs attention.

Keep changes proportionate and measurable. If you adjust the portion size or improve waste removal, record the date and compare the following results. This approach links an action to its outcome and prevents several simultaneous changes from hiding the cause of a problem.

Feed a controlled cichlid diet

Use specialised cichlid pellets or granules as the regular aquarium food and supplement them with frozen or freeze-dried items. OATA describes American cichlids as generally omnivorous, often with a preference for meaty foods. Its examples include daphnia, brine shrimp and bloodworm for smaller fish, and cockles, lance fish or prawns for larger fish.

The natural feeding context explains why variety matters. Geophagus fish sift sediment for food items that include invertebrates, plant material and detritus. That observation describes feeding in nature; the controlled aquarium routine remains a prepared cichlid diet supplemented with suitable frozen or freeze-dried foods.

Use time, not guesswork, to set the portion

• Feed once a day.
• Offer only what the fish can eat within a few minutes.
• Watch the complete meal rather than adding food and walking away.
• Reduce the next portion if food remains after the feeding period.
• Check that established residents do not monopolise the meal.

Overfeeding creates two related problems: excess faeces and uneaten food. Both add material that breaks down and releases toxic waste into the water. A large meal that disappears from view is not automatically harmless, especially when food settles into substrate or inaccessible gaps.

Link feeding decisions to the weekly water results. If ammonia, nitrite or nitrate moves in the wrong direction after larger portions or additional residents, review the food quantity alongside filtration and maintenance. Do not try to compensate for an overloaded feeding routine simply by adding more food at a different time.

Changes in feeding response are also health signals. Reduced intake or a loss of interest in food belongs with observations of breathing, swimming, colour and condition. Check water quality first when the normal feeding response changes.

Adjust one meal at a time

Start with a portion you can watch completely. If food remains after a few minutes, remove accessible leftovers and make the next day’s portion smaller. If another resident takes most of the food, change how the approved food reaches the feeding area rather than increasing the total amount without limit.

Use the substrate as part of the check. Food trapped beyond the fish’s reach still contributes to waste even when it is no longer visible from above. During the next water change, note whether uneaten material appears in hollows; recurring leftovers mean the portion or feeding placement needs adjustment.

Introduce slowly and build a baseline

Introduce this fish only to an aquarium with a mature filter, zero ammonia, zero nitrite and values inside the planned temperature, pH and hardness ranges. Adding livestock slowly gives the biological filter time to develop enough bacterial capacity for the increased waste and feeding load.

Before introduction, observe the existing residents and note their normal swimming, feeding and use of space. That baseline helps distinguish a new interaction from behaviour that was already present. Review the aquarium’s adult stocking plan at the same time, especially when another cichlid or lower-level fish is already present.

Use an observation sequence

Healthy fish should have clear, bright eyes, undamaged fins, intact scales and appropriate swimming behaviour. Watch for hanging at the surface, sitting unusually on the bottom, erratic swimming, a marked change in colour, increased hiding, altered aggression, faster or slower gill movement, white spots, fluffy growths, lost fins or scales, changing body condition and reduced feeding.

When a change appears, test water quality first because even small amounts of ammonia can stress American cichlids. Check the filter for blockages, compare the result with the aquarium’s baseline and inspect interactions during feeding. Contact us for further health guidance if the change persists or the fish’s condition concerns you.

Do not respond to every change by adding another fish or increasing food. Behaviour, water chemistry, filtration and compatibility need to be considered together before changing the stocking or feeding plan.

Separate normal settling from a worsening pattern

Use repeated observations rather than a single glance. Record where the fish spends time, whether breathing changes, whether it reaches food and how established residents react. A behaviour that improves while water tests remain on target calls for continued observation; a change that intensifies or appears alongside damaged fins, lost scales or reduced feeding needs prompt investigation.

Keep the first month predictable. Change 25% of the water at least once every week, test on schedule and avoid adding more livestock while the filter load and interactions are still being assessed. That stable routine makes a genuine change easier to recognise and gives the biological filter time to respond to the new waste load.

Choose a social plan before buying more

Do not apply one generic cichlid grouping rule to this aquarium. OATA notes that most American cichlids do better singly or in pairs, while some species need a group or at least a pair. Temperament and sexing also vary between species, so decide between a single fish, pair or larger social arrangement only after assessing the intended occupants and adult space.

The purchase unit does not settle that social decision. One selection supplies one animal, while an aquarium containing more than one animal requires a separate adult stocking assessment. Do not choose two or three simply because the dispatch fish appear small beside the tank.

Assess these factors together

• Adult size: use the 17.2 cm standard-length reference for each Surinam Geophagus in the plan.
• Aquarium capacity: begin with at least 300 litres and account for every resident.
• Usable substrate: retain enough accessible floor for sediment-sifting behaviour.
• Temperament: review each cichlid species rather than assuming all American cichlids behave alike.
• Filtration: increase livestock slowly so biological capacity can respond to the extra waste.
• Observation: reassess hiding, aggression, feeding access and condition after any addition.

A litre figure cannot describe how residents divide the aquarium. Cover may create shelter but also reduces open substrate, while several lower-level fish may seek the same feeding area. Consider these competing uses before increasing the number of fish.

If the aquarium already contains American cichlids, write down each species, current number and adult-size reference before planning another. That simple inventory exposes conflicts that are easy to miss when each fish is considered separately.

Use a written stocking example

For each intended resident, add one row covering adult-size reference, usual water range, temperament guidance, feeding level and space used. Then compare the rows as one aquarium rather than approving each fish separately. Two residents may both fit the water range yet still compete for the same substrate or require conflicting social arrangements.

Revisit the inventory after every addition and as fish grow. If hiding increases, feeding access narrows or aggression changes, the social plan needs reassessment even when the nominal aquarium volume has not changed.

Screen every tank mate conditionally

American cichlid compatibility can be difficult because size and temperament vary widely. OATA says calmer species may fit a robust community with larger shoaling fish, while more aggressive species must be kept alone or with equally aggressive cichlids. Apply that rule conditionally rather than treating a named species as a universal companion.

Run the same screen for every proposed resident

Use behaviour after introduction as a continuing compatibility test. Increased hiding, altered aggression, reduced feeding, damaged fins, lost scales or changing condition all require prompt attention. Test water quality at the same time because poor chemistry can affect behaviour and health across the aquarium.

For a stocking and compatibility assessment, contact us with the aquarium volume, measured water values, filter status and the species and numbers already present. Those details allow a conditional decision; a simple list of fish names does not describe the space, waste load or interactions.

You can browse South American cichlids for comparison, but collection placement is not a compatibility recommendation. Screen any fish from that collection using the same adult-size, water, temperament, feeding-space and filtration checks.

Recheck compatibility after introduction

A match that passes the planning screen still needs observation in the aquarium. Compare feeding access, hiding, aggression and physical condition with the baseline recorded before the addition. Also test ammonia and nitrite, because a new biological load can affect several residents at once.

If one fish repeatedly controls the feeding area or another begins hiding and missing meals, treat that as a practical incompatibility warning. Reassess usable space, cover and the complete stocking arrangement rather than assuming the behaviour will resolve because the water values overlap.

Answer the key buyer questions

How big does Surinam Geophagus get?

Surinam Geophagus reaches a listed maximum of 17.2 cm standard length. Plan every dispatch size around that FishBase adult reference.

What size aquarium does Surinam Geophagus need?

Plan at least 300 litres for Surinam Geophagus. OATA gives that minimum for American cichlids over 15 cm, while the layout must also retain accessible sand or fine aquarium gravel and support a mature biological filter.

How many Surinam Geophagus should I keep together?

Choose single, pair or group keeping only after assessing adult space, temperament and every intended resident. OATA says most American cichlids do better singly or in pairs, while some species need a group or at least a pair, so there is no universal number for Surinam Geophagus.

Is Surinam Geophagus suitable for beginners?

Surinam Geophagus suits a keeper able to prepare at least 300 litres, maintain a mature biological filter, keep ammonia and nitrite at zero mg per litre and assess cichlid compatibility. It is not suited to an unfiltered, immature or undersized aquarium.

What does Surinam Geophagus eat?

Feed Surinam Geophagus specialised cichlid pellets or granules supplemented with suitable frozen or freeze-dried foods. Offer only what it can eat within a few minutes once a day; its recorded natural diet includes invertebrates, plant material and detritus sifted from sediment.

What temperature and pH does this fish need?

Keep it at 22–25°C and pH 6.5–8.0, with general hardness of 5–12 dH and carbonate hardness of 3–10 dKH. These routine values are the overlap between FishBase’s species environmental range and OATA’s American-cichlid guidance.

Is this fish aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Do not assume one temperament for every American cichlid. OATA says their temperament varies widely; avoid combining a clearly aggressive cichlid with calmer residents, and monitor hiding, aggression, damaged fins, lost scales and feeding access after introduction.

What kinds of animals can it live with?

Screen every proposed companion for adult size, overlapping water ranges, temperament, lower-level feeding space and total filter load. OATA says calmer American cichlids may fit a robust community with larger shoaling fish, while more aggressive cichlids must be kept alone or with equally aggressive cichlids.

How does this fish arrive alive in the UK?

Someone must be present to receive the parcel. Start filming every delivery while the parcel is still sealed, continue without interruption as it is opened and show the fish still inside the sealed bag; then float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish, and never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

References for identity and care

• FishBase: Geophagus surinamensis — scientific identity, family, distribution, environmental values and maximum standard length.
• Wikipedia: Geophagus — genus distribution and sediment-sifting natural history.
• OATA: How to look after American cichlids — UK group husbandry, feeding, maintenance, introduction and compatibility guidance.
• RSPCA aquarium environment guidance — biological filtration and the aquarium nitrogen cycle.