2x Red-crested Ground Eater - Geophagus steindachneri - DNZ 5 cm

The eye-catching red-crested earth eater, also called red humped cichlid, originating from Venezuela, is also found in Colombian waters and its scientific species name is Geophagus steindachneri- after the ichthyologist Franz Steindachner. Their unique appearance clearly distinguishes them from other cichlids, moreover they have been delighting perch fans since the '70s, which is why it is almost the most popular species among Geophagus.

You can get our Red-crested Eartheaters in pairs in a size of about 5 cm, furthermore they are German offspring.

Red-crested Eartheaters have the typical perch body with high back. The head slopes steeply and ends in an underslung and conspicuously large mouth with thickened lip bulges. In the basic color they seem silver to olive-green, partly they show shimmering metallic effects in different colors distributed over the body. Also the transparent pointed fins show turquoise and red speckles and lines. Males in particular develop more intense colors, as well as the namesake reddish forehead hump, once they are sexually mature. Females, on the other hand, remain somewhat paler and have round fins. They can be kept in pairs, but also in a harem. With a final size of just under 18-20 centimeters, however, they tend to require a large aquarium of at least 250 liters.

In the aquarium breeding of these mouthbrooders is possible. For this purpose the animals clean flat stones, on which the female deposits her red-golden eggs and hatches them after fertilization in the mouth. Approximately after three weeks, she releases between 60-80 fry, but they continue to seek shelter in her mouth for up to 14 days. Red-crested scuds become aggressive and territorial in places during spawning season, otherwise they behave rather peacefully. The young can be fed with freshly hatched Artemia nauplii.

Sand is excellent as substrate in the aquarium for red humped cichlids. With stone structures secured against falling over, a great reef can be built. One should not disregard the preference for digging and sand chewing - hence the name "earth eater" - of these great animals - under certain circumstances decorations could collapse, which is why these should be well secured. If plants are placed in clay pots, they are safe from the fish's design rage, otherwise they could be dug up. Even though they are quite uncomplicated to care for, their aquarium water should still have an adequately sized filter to remove the swirled up dirt they produce while burrowing, this should also have good flow and oxygenation. Your aquarium water should have a total hardness between 5-15 °dGH and pH values between 6.5-7.5. The animals feel most comfortable at a temperature of 22 and 30 °C.

The peaceful Red-crested Eartheater can be well socialized with other larger and peaceful fish that come from similar water parameters. A socialization with shrimps or crayfish should rather be refrained from, because these would supplement the diet of the animals.

As omnivores that feed on small crustaceans and worms in their habitat, but also on growth, red-crested terrestrials can also be well fed in the aquarium. The perches can be fed with conventional dry food, flake food, cichlid sticks or granulates without any problems. From time to time they may also be fed with live and frozen food, such as Gammarus, cyclops, mysis, but also krill, Daphnia and Artemia be spoiled.

Our food recommendation: NatureHolic Cichfeed is a great staple food for all carnivorous cichlids in the aquarium, which perfectly meets their requirements for food composition. The tasty pearls are also very well eaten by larger cichlids. Thanks to their soft texture, NatureHolic Cichfeed food pearls are gentle on the mouth and can be eaten very well by the fish.

Our plant recommendation: Use for the planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.