(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Geophagus brasiliensis
Common Name: Pearl Cichlid, Pearlscale Cichlid, Mother of Pearl Cichlid, Pearl Eartheater
Adult Size: 10 inches
Life Expectancy: 10 - 15 years
Habitat: Amazon
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 78°F
- pH Range: 7.0 - 8.0
- Water Hardness: 5 - 20
Temperament: Can be aggressive if not given a large enough aquarium.
Diet & Nutrition: Omnivore, will eat flakes, pellets, freeze dried and live foods. Give them a varied diet with lots of protein.
Breeding & Spawning: Easily bred; juveniles reaching 2 to 3 inches will begin pairing off and can be moved to a separate tank. They are a substrate spawner, and both parents will take part in caring for eggs and raising fry. Whey they are ready to spawn they will clean a spot on smooth rock or a flat piece of driftwood. The female will lay 150 to 200 eggs which the male will fertilize. The parents will guard the eggs until they hatch and the fry become free swimming. The fry need to be well fed, and water should be changed regularly. They can consume a range of foods including prepared fry food, blanched and cooled vegetables such as cucumber, and frozen meaty foods. While the adult parents will look after the fry until they become free swimming, the parents should be moved to another tank while their fry mature.
Gender: Males grow larger than females, often significantly so, and most dominant specimens develop a nuchal hump to some extent.