Geophagus Proximus 6-7cm
Geophagus proximus is a striking species of cichlid from South America, belonging to the group of so-called “Earth Eaters”. The name “Geophagus” literally means “earth eater”, because these fish take sand in their mouths and sift it for food.
Aquarium size: At least 400 liters for a group.
Temperature: 24–28 °C
pH: 5.5 – 7.0 (prefers slightly acidic water).
Hardness: Soft to medium (2–10 dGH).
Substrate: Fine sand, so they can sift through the substrate without getting injured.
Decoration: Roots, wood, leaves (blackwater conditions). Plants should be sturdy or well-established, as they often uproot them by digging.
Compatibility: They can coexist with other peaceful South American species (e.g. Uaru, Severum, Silver Dollars, Plecos, Corydoras). Avoid very small fish, as they may be considered food.
Behavior & Peculiarities:
They constantly dig the substrate, so the use of sand is essential.
They become more impressive in groups, as they develop social behavior.
Reproduction: In this species, females often take on mouthbrooding (they hold the eggs and larvae in their mouths until they hatch).
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Family: Cichlidae
Origin: South America, mainly in the Amazon basin and in rivers of Brazil.
Size: 20–25 cm. (in an aquarium, depending on conditions).
Appearance: Elongated body, with impressive color reflections of green, red and blue on the fins.
Behavior: Peaceful towards similar sized fish, schooling fish (best kept in groups of 5+ individuals).
Diet:
In nature they feed on microorganisms, insects, larvae and plant material that they find by sifting through the sand.
In an aquarium they accept:
Quality sinking pellets & granules for cichlids
Frozen foods (bloodworms, artemia, mysis)
Vegetables (peas, spinach, zucchini) for a balanced diet
Geophagus proximus is ideal for large South American aquarium compositions (Amazon biotope), where it shows all its beauty.
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