Geophagus Questions

Hey, all. Just a few questions pertaining to Geo's as I'm currently considering going in a different direction with my 100 gallon tank. I've never had Geo's before, but they definitely appeal to me. I've heard a few things, though, that I want to check on before I proceed.

First and foremost, do ALL Geo's ABSOLUTELY NEED sand substrate? I keep hearing that sand is necessary, and I have gravel, so before going any further, I need to find out if this is a MUST, or if it's just an ideal, but not a must, and of course, if it's across the board, or if the answer differs depending on the actual type of Geo.

Do JuruparI have to be in a group, or would they be fine as a single specimen in an otherwise community tank? Lastly, I've seen very low PH requirements for at least the Red Heads, if not for several types of Geo. Is this necessary, or would they be ok in my mid 7's PH?

 

There are tons of Geophagus and Mikrogeophagus, some like it more than others. Geophagus means eater of earth, so I think you should keep them with sand or fine gravel.

 

Thanks for the info. So far, these guys aren't looking like the fish for me. Hoping to get several replies, though.

 

Thanks for the info. So far, these guys aren't looking like the fish for me. Hoping to get several replies, though.

I hope you find some that don’t need sand or at least something else that would work in your tank

 

Thanks! I'm trying here...

 

Geophagus and related Eartheaters like Satanoperca jurupari would do fine in your water, but they love to sift the substrate and if the gravel is too big they will suffer for it. The are almost all best kept in groups, with the exception of the brasiliensis complex.

 

chromedome52, thank you! How do I go about deciding if my gravel would be ok, or not? I have regular gravel, and I'm not sure it's fine nor large. Are you familiar with Severums? If so, would you consider Severums or Geophagus to be more likely to fit the bill of a peaceful cichlid?

 

chromedome52, thank you! How do I go about deciding if my gravel would be ok, or not? I have regular gravel, and I'm not sure it's fine nor large. Are you familiar with Severums? If so, would you consider Severums or Geophagus to be more likely to fit the bill of a peaceful cichlid?

I know you didn’t ask me but I think it depends on the fish. I had a brasiliensis and he was a terror. He tried to fight with everything even my Severums I had to re-home him. I am sure chromedome52 would know a better overall opinion than me though since I only have the experience of 2 eartheaters.

 

I wasn't only looking for an answer from one person, and I appreciate your input. I already have the Severum, and at this point, I want the best shot at a peaceful tank, so I'm willing to consider options, and I want to make a good choice.

 

If you wanted some smaller geos, you could do Geophagus Steindachneri, or Red Hump geos. Although you need to only have 1 male and the rest females. They get pretty aggressive with other males. Or if you want a peaceful big fish, you could do a Threadfin Acara.

 

The brasiliensis complex and the Red Hump complex both tend to be more aggressive than most Eartheaters. The others are definitely more peaceful than my Severums.

I have an old photo showing the difference between #30 red flint and #20, which is what used to be regular gravel. I wouldn't use anything larger than the #20.

#30 is on the left, this is what many Geophagus specialists recommend. It is roughly the same size as the Black sand blasting material.The #20 on the right is about the size of what most people here call "pool filter sand", which isn't really sand but small gravel. I have found it to be adequate for maintaining most Eartheaters.



The terms "sand" and "gravel" have gotten quite confused of late, but there actually is a standard for which is which. #30 is considered very fine gravel or coarse sand. The Red Flint river substrate was used in water filtration systems.

 

Thanks for the info! Unfortunately my phone didn't alert me to the messages, so I'm just now seeing them. As I think I mentioned, I currently have a Severum, so I may keep him until he's a bit bigger to see if he develops into a bully or not. My gravel is definitely bigger than the pics above. I don't know if an Internet search can be done to see if it's appropriate or not, but I use the Imagitarium brand gravel.

Here's a quick photo showing the gravel I use, if it helps anyone to tell me if it would be ok for any Geo species.

 

Here's a quick photo showing the gravel I use, if it helps anyone to tell me if it would be ok for any Geo species.View attachment 486294

I think it is to large for a geo

 

Oh no! Strike 1!

I'll likely move on from the Parrots, and keep the Severum, and hope he doesn't become aggressive with added size, too. But, I'm wondering if there are any other thoughts on the gravel before I decide for sure.

 

Chromedome52 is gone now I hope someone else chimes in.

 

I hope so, too. I definitely trust your judgement, but wanted a few other opinions.