Sveni Eartheater
Geophagus sveni
Cichlidae
About
The Sveni eartheater is a peaceful, sand-sifting cichlid from the middle Rio Tocantins drainage in Brazil, one of the popular "red head" Geophagus of the hobby. It spends the day taking mouthfuls of fine sand and expelling it through the gills to extract tiny food items, so a deep, soft sand bed and a group of five or more are essential to natural behaviour and calm temperament.
Care
Keep a group of 5+ over a deep, soft sand bed in a spacious 300 L+ tank with warm, soft to neutral water, gentle to moderate flow and strong filtration. Mild-mannered but needs room and clean, oxygenated water.
Diet
Micro-omnivore that sifts sand for invertebrates, detritus and biofilm; feed sinking pellets and granules alongside frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (24)
Possible with care (75)
Avoid (22)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.