Edit Biotodoma wavrini
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Name
Scientific name
Biotodoma wavrini
Described by
Authority Gosse, Year 1963, Bracketed
Family
Cichlidae
Common names
Orinoco Eartheater
Photograph credits
All 8 credited
Summary
The Orinoco eartheater, Biotodoma wavrini, is a geophagine cichlid from the Orinoco and rio Negro basins of Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil.…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
100mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 150 cm, Minimum depth 45 cm
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 20–30°C, pH 4–6.5
Hardness
1–5dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Peaceful
Social needs
A shoal or group
Community suitability
Community-safe
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Casiquiare, Cinaruco, Negro, Orinoco, Ventuari
Writing
Etymology
Biotodoma: from the Greek 'βίοτος', meaning 'living', and 'δῶμα', meaning 'house', in allusion to the adults carrying fry in their gills. This behaviour is not…
Distribution
Currently known from the middle and upper rio Negro basins in Brazil and Colombia, the Casiquiare system in Brazil and Venezuela, and the Orinoco watershed in …
Habitat
A natural habitat of this species is the Río Cinaruco, a low nutrient, blackwater tributary of the Orinoco in southwestern Venezuela which comprises a meanderi…
Aquarium size
Base dimensions of 150 ∗ 45 cm or more are recommended.
Maintenance
Ideally a soft, sandy substrate should be used since members of this genus are largely benthophagous. Additional décor is largely a case of personal taste, but…
Water conditions
Not written yet
Diet
The diet should contain a variety of high quality, fine-grade prepared foods plus live or frozen chironomid larvae (bloodworm), Tubifex, Artemia, mosquito larv…
Behaviour and compatibility
Unless breeding this species is surprisingly peaceful and will not predate on fishes larger than a few mm in length. Suitable tankmates are therefore too numer…
Sexual dimorphism
Unconfirmed, though males supposedly grow larger than females and may develop slightly more-extended fins.
Reproduction
Information is very scarce and the species may never have been bred in aquaria. The congener B. cupido is a biparental substrate spawner and presumably this sp…
Notes
Populations known in the aquarium trade include 'Cuao', 'Orinoco', 'San Antonio', and 'Sipapo Ventuari'. B. wavrini and its congener B. cupido can be separated…
References
References
5 on this profile