Edit Geophagus abalios

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Name

Scientific name

Geophagus abalios

Described by

Authority López-Fernández & Taphorn, Year 2004

Family

Cichlidae

Common names

Not recorded

Photograph credits

All 9 credited

Summary

Geophagus abalios is a cichlid from black and clear water tributaries of the río Orinoco in Venezuela, across the Llanos and south to the C…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

200mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 180 cm, Minimum depth 60 cm

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 26–32°C, pH 4–7

Hardness

1–10dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Peaceful

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Brazil, Venezuela, Aguaro, Apure, Capanaparo, Casiquiare, Caura, Cinaruco, Cojedes, Guariquito, Mavaca, Orinoco, Ventuari

Writing

Etymology

Geophagus: from the Greek geo, meaning 'earth', and phagos, meaning ' to eat'. abalios: from the Greek a, meaning 'not, without', and balios, meaning 'spotted'.

Distribution

Type locality is 'Laguna Larga, 6.5339°N, 67.4150°W, Río Cinaruco, Apure, Venezuela' but this species known to have a wider distribution within both black and …

Habitat

The Llanos is a vast, highly biodiverse system of tropical savannah grasslands, seasonally-flooded plains and forests covering an area measuring almost 600,000…

Aquarium size

A tank with a base measuring 180 ∗ 60 cm or more is required to house a group long-term.

Maintenance

The most essential item of décor is a soft, sandy substrate so that the fish can browse naturally (see 'Diet'). Coarser materials such as gravel or small pebbl…

Water conditions

Temperature: Prefers warm conditions within the range 26 – 32 °C. pH: 4.0 – 7.0 Hardness: 1 – 10 dGH

Diet

Geophagus spp. are benthophagous by nature, employing a method of feeding whereby mouthfuls of substrate are taken and sifted for edible items with the remaini…

Behaviour and compatibility

Unless breeding this species is surprisingly peaceful and will not predate on fishes larger than a few millimetres in length. Suitable tankmates are far too nu…

Sexual dimorphism

No external differences have been observed except during spawning when the ovipositor of the female is visible.

Reproduction

Substrate-spawning, ovophilous, biparental mouthbrooder that has been bred on numerous occasions in aquaria. There doesn't appear to be any particular trigger …

Substrate-spawning, ovophilous, biparental mouthbrooder that has been bred on numerous occasions in aquaria.

There doesn't appear to be any particular trigger for the spawning process with the main requirements being good diet and stringent maintenance regime involving relatively large weekly water changes.

Since accurate sexing is essentially impossible it's best to begin with a group of young fish and allow pairs to form naturally.

A degree of patience is also required since it can be at least a year until they become sexually mature.

Courtship is relatively unobtrusive consisting of fin flaring, circling, gaping and head jerking displays, and when ready to spawn a pair will select a suitable site.

This is normally a piece of décor such as a flat rock or section of driftwood although it's not unknown for the base of the aquarium to be used, and once chosent the area is then cleaned and defended against intruders.

Spawning occurs in typical substrate-spawning fashion with the female laying one or more rows of eggs before the male moves in to fertilise them, the process being repeated numerous times over a period of several hours.

Maximum brood size is around 200 eggs which are normally taken up by the female though on rare occasions both adults may be involved from the start.

Some males may become aggressive post-spawning and drive the female away to care for the eggs alone, but the most common scenario involves her holding the fry while he defends the surrounding territory.

Once the fry are swimming freely brood care is shared although this also varies depending on the male with some individuals becoming involved earlier and others not at all.

The parents may participate in mouthbrooding duties simultaneously or by exchanging the entire brood on a more-or-less daily basis.

The latter process normally occurs in a sheltered location such as a depression in the substrate.

When not brooding the adults will normally feed, and may even take some small morsels while holding fry.

At 25 – 28 °C77 – 82 °F the fry become free swimming at 8-11 days of age and the parents begin to release them to feed, initially with caution but for increasingly longer periods.

If danger is sensed the fry are shepherded back into the adults' mouths, with rapid movement of the ventral fins appearing to act as a signal.

As time elapses and the fry grow they may only return to their parents' mouths at night while the size of the territory becomes correspondingly larger.

They're easily-fed, accepting good quality powdered dry foods, Artemia nauplii, microworm, etc., as soon as the free-swimming stage is reached.

If maintaining the adults in a community situation it's recommended to remove brooding females as the fry become easy prey for other fishes, including conspecifics, once released.

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My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

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Notes

This species is one of the more commonly-traded members of the genus though rarely under the correct name and usually misidentified as G. altifrons or G. surin…

References

11 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References