Care guide · Freshwater · fish
Tapajós red head eartheater
Geophagus pyrocephalus
The Tapajós red head eartheater is a social cichlid that sifts the substrate. It was long known in the aquarium trade as “Geophagus sp. Tapajos red head” and was formally described as Geophagus pyrocephalus in 2022. It needs a spacious, stable aquarium with fine sand, excellent water quality and conspecifics. This guide explains old trade names and supported care. You will see why group size must be considered together with the substantial floor area, and why fine sand supports natural foraging. The guide also covers broad water ranges, filtration, varied small meals and reproduction. One older source gives an unusually large size that conflicts with the recent species treatment, so it is not repeated as a dependable maximum. No named tankmates or current suitable products are recommended without individual verification.
Plan your aquarium →At a glance
- Temperature
- 26–30 °C
- pH
- 4.5–7.5
- GH
- 1–10 °dGH
- Aquarium length
- At least 180 cm
- Minimum aquarium volume
- At least 648 L
- Adult size
- Up to 16 cm
- Group size
- At least 5 individuals
- Temperament
- Peaceful, Territorial
About this species
Geophagus pyrocephalus belongs to Cichlidae. Mature fish develop an orange-red head; both sexes can show this colour. The 2022 description uses colour, body bars, caudal-fin pattern and genetic evidence to distinguish the species. Not every fish sold as “orange head” is automatically this taxon: historic trade names have been inconsistent.Natural habitat
The species was described from Brazil’s Tapajós River basin. The aquarium profile records the lower Tapajós, including the Rio Arapiuns. Older trade labels sometimes claim an Araguaia form, but the specialist source says this locality may be mistaken. A label without reliable provenance does not establish a separate geographic form.Aquarium and layout
For a group kept long term, Seriously Fish recommends a base of at least 180 × 60 cm, about 648 litres. Treat this as a spacious species aquarium; volume does not replace floor area. Fine, soft sand is essential for substrate sifting. Add secure wood and flat stones but retain open sand. Provide strong biological and mechanical filtration for fine particles, avoid forceful flow, and use only a fully mature aquarium. The source recommends weekly 50–70% water changes.Water conditions
The aquarium profile gives 26–30°C, pH 4.5–7.5 and 1–10°dGH. These are broad limits, not values to fluctuate between. Keep water clean and stable; no reliable KH range was established. Tapajós origin does not require forcing extreme acidity. Avoid abrupt changes.Behaviour and group size
Outside breeding the species is described as relatively peaceful and social. The specialist recommends five to eight fish; smaller groups may leave subordinate fish exposed to aggression or nervousness. This is not a stocking plan for a small aquarium: the same source recommends a 180 × 60 cm base for a long-term group. Spawning pairs defend a site. Avoid aggressive or territorial bottom-dwellers and fish needing harder water. No named tankmate is linked because matching pH and temperature alone cannot establish safe compatibility.Feeding
This omnivore sifts sand for food. The specialist reports small invertebrates, seeds, plant matter and organic material in the natural diet. Offer fine complete foods and vary them with small portions of frozen or live Artemia, bloodworm or Tubifex. Include some vegetable-rich dry food such as spirulina; several small meals suit its browsing behaviour. No exact existing catalog product with an approved current match was verified, so no product card is shown.Breeding
Eggs are laid on a stone or similar surface. After roughly two to three days, parents free near-hatching larvae from their egg envelopes with the mouth and brood them orally. Both sexes may participate. Older aquarium observations describe variable male involvement, so biparental care is possible, not guaranteed. Give a formed pair a quiet defended area; timing is approximate.Sources & review
This care guide draws on several specialist sources and was last checked on .
View the sources
- Creative Commons — Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
- Journal of Fish Biology / PubMed — A new species of Geophagus: naming the aquarium-trade Tapajos red head
- NCBI — Geophagus pyrocephalus — NCBI Taxonomy
- Seriously Fish — Geophagus sp. orange head — aquarium profile
- Aquarium Glaser; text and photos by Frank Schäfer — Geophagus pyrocephalus (= Tapajós Red Head)
- Wikimedia Commons; Mattia Nocciola on behalf of the museum — Geophagus pyrocephalus — Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa