Sveni Eartheater

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the Rio Tocantins basin in Brazil. Discovered relatively recently, it inhabits both the main river channel and the calm, coastal waters rich in very fine quartz sand bottoms and submerged forests.

Taxonomy and Morphology: G. sveni. Belongs to the "surinamensis" group. Fish with an unmistakable silhouette, with a gently arched head profile and elongated body. The unpaired fins present extreme filaments that double the apparent length of the fish. Easily reaches 25 cm (10 inches).

Social Behavior: Absolutely peaceful, majestic and strictly gregarious (insert in groups of minimum 5-6 specimens). They are not true aggressors: they resolve hierarchical disputes by opening their gills out of all proportion in visual parades without biting each other. They work the sand incessantly all day.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: The most colorful and desired Geophagus in modern aquarium hobby. Coppery or metallic green background with five flashy vertical bands along the body. It is studded with electric blue and ruby red iridescence on scales, cheeks and fins. Evident black spot in the center of the flank. Slight dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Monumental dimensions (minimum 150 cm / 5 feet / 400 liters). FINE SAND is the only allowed bottom, otherwise they cannot filter food and injure themselves. Arrange numerous intertwined manzanita branches to shield the light, without sharp rocks. They do not destroy robust plants (Echinodorus).

Diet and Feeding: They suck in huge mouthfuls of sand in which the feed is deposited, retain it by filtering it with their gills and spit it out from the gill slits. Strictly offer soft sinking food: bloodworms, tubifex and high quality pellets no larger than 2mm. They ignore floating flakes.

Water Quality: Stringent requirements: they love very warm water (27-30°C / 81-86°F), acidic or neutral (pH 6.0-7.5) and very clean. They tolerate nitrates above 25ppm very badly (which cause lethal corrosion of the very long fin filaments and ulcers). Mechanical filtration must be excellent (they suck and move a lot of sand).

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Among the most peaceful cichlids ever. Excellent with large schools of Characins (Lemon Tetras, Giant Cardinals), herbivorous Loricariids (Panaque, Baryancistrus) or Symphysodon (Discus), with whom they share the warm habitat. Bellicose Central American cichlids absolutely to be avoided.

Aquarium Breeding: Delayed biparental Mouthbrooders. They lay their eggs on a substrate (a stone or wood); once hatched, the tiny larvae are sucked into the mother's mouth (and sometimes also the male's) for weeks, being released in safe clouds only to eat.

Risks and Diseases: The most lethal mistake for this species is the use of gravel, sharp quartz or granular allophanic soils: they get stuck in the mouth and lacerate the gills, slowly killing it. Very susceptible to hole in the head disease (Hexamita) if stress increases or nitrates rise.