All fish / Cichlidae

Gymnogeophagus pseudolabiatus

Gymnogeophagus pseudolabiatus

Also known as gymnogeophagus sp. quarai, gymnogeophagus cf. labiatus, gymnogeophagus cuaro grande, pseudolabiatus eartheater

A subtropical eartheater from southern South America, described in 2015, with thick lips, a brownish body with iridescent blue spots and lines on the head and fins, and a fatty hump on the forehead of mature males. Keepers value it for its colourful males and its interesting habit of sifting sand for food.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

16 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.8

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

A pair or a group with more females than males

Diet

Omnivore: sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, mysis and small invertebrates

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Rio Quaraí basin, middle Uruguay River drainage (Brazil and Uruguay)

Breeding

Belongs to the labiatus group, which are thought to be mouthbrooders like close relatives; the female picks up the eggs and broods them in her mouth. It is not commonly bred in captivity, but conditions mimicking a cooler winter followed by warmer water can trigger spawning.

Good to know

Needs a soft sand substrate and benefits from a cooler seasonal period; kept permanently warm it may be shorter lived. Males can be territorial when breeding, and it is rarely available outside specialist breeders.