Remarks:  The red striped eartheater is a rare, close relative of Geophagus sveni and looks very similar to them as well as a number of other species of Geophagus. This has resulted in them frequently getting misconstrued with one another. According to taxonomic literature, adult specimens can be identified by having four, faint, vertical, parallel bars on the body when stressed or deceased. Hobbyists have also claimed they can be identified by these fish having stripes rather than spots in their caudal fin, no dark markings on the head, and the black spot on the lateral line always being present even if just faintly. Similar to G. sveni, the red striped eartheater is a slow grower but makes it worth the wait in the end. As an adult and if in the right conditions, they display bright blue and red horizontal stripes across their bodies accented by a golden sheen. This combined with the elegant streamers the males develop results in an absolutely beautiful looking fish.

  Like all Geophagus, red striped eartheaters require a sandy substrate due to their earth-eating habits. They sift mouthfuls of sand through their gills, pulling out bits of food to eat. Gravel presents a very high probability of choking or refusing to eat. Also like their close relatives, these fish do best in groups of 4 or more but can also do well in single male and female pairs. Due to their large size, adult red striped eartheaters should be kept in an aquarium that is at least 90 gallons if kept as a single, breeding pair, but 125 gallons or more is needed if they are to be kept with other fish. When spawning, they can become territorial as they are protective parents and they have a good chance of swallowing tank mates that can fit in their mouths. These behaviors should be taken into consideration when planning a tank for these wonderful fish.

  We imported these fish as Geophagus surinamensis but it is very rare to actually get the true species due to how uncommon they are and the fact they look similar to many other species of Geophagus when young and even as adults. Due to this, we do not feel it is right to guarantee these are for sure Geophagus surinamensis  at their current size. Therefore, there is NO GUARANTEE these are this exact species.