# RE: Gymnogeophagus newb (help!)



## barqs (Mar 28, 2009)

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend good websites, articles, etc. where I can find out more about Gymnogeophagus husbandry? I know next to nothing about them.

In particular, if anyone can provide first hand info or point me in the right direction on the following, I'd b really grateful!

G. gymnogenys
G. labiatus
G. australis
G. n. sp. paso pache

How difficult are they to keep/breed (e.g. closer to discus or Rift Lake cichlid difficulty, just so I know what to expect)? Do they need low hardness to breed successfully (i.e. R/O water mix, etc)? What's the minimum tank size? Diet? Sandy bottom for "sifting"?

Thanks!


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## rsretep (Apr 12, 2007)

did you try the profile section????

very informative


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## morningsky (Apr 22, 2008)

I have been researching Geo's too. I believe a sand substrate is recommended for them. I have read on this forum recommendations that you start out with 4-5 of them. What size tank are you planning to put them in?


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## barqs (Mar 28, 2009)

> did you try the profile section????
> 
> very informative


Thanks for the helpful post....... :roll: .It was the first thing I checked, but I'm looking for more than a the skeleton info there. If you read my questions, the profile section doesn't answer any of them (except maybe the "3" for difficulty...whatever that means).



> I have been researching Geo's too. I believe a sand substrate is recommended for them. I have read on this forum recommendations that you start out with 4-5 of them. What size tank are you planning to put them in?


Thanks. I've read that some Geos need 5'x2' bottoms, but I'm not sure how hard & fast that rule is, and whether it applies to these particular species. I'm hoping to put them in a 65 gal. tank...probably half a dozen and let them pair off.


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## duaneS (Aug 31, 2006)

I've kept balzani, and labiatus without success because I tried to keep them in warm water too long(mid to upper 70s). The warmer the water, the more lathargic they became, and seemed to acquire stress related disease.
Last May, I aquired 6 Gymno sp paso pache , and kept them in the pond during the summer where they bred and did well (highest water temps in low 70sF).
This winter kept them in an unheated tank in the basement, temp hovered around 60-62'F, and they have done well. 
They will go back in the pond this summer.


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## edburress (Jun 9, 2007)

barqs said:


> G. gymnogenys
> G. labiatus
> G. australis
> G. n. sp. paso pache


All those species are maternal mouth brooders, with the possible exception of the last one. There is a mouth brooding and substrate spawning species from Paso Pache (Rio Santa Lucia), G. sp. "Paso Pache I" and G. sp. "Paso Pache II" respectively. Actually, this is the case in almost every river.

All of the _gymnogenys_-type _Gymnogeophagus_ (_G. gymnogenys, G. labiatus, G. australis_) tend to form harems.

Generally, all the _Gymnogeophagus_ are very hardy and tough fish.

All of the locations we collected from (Paso Pache, Aguas Blancas, Rio Cuaro, Rio Macedo, Rio Cuareim, Rio Uruguay, Rio Yi), the TDS tested between 80-150Âµm, so soft water is advantageous.

Tank size is a tough question, many people experience aggression from the _gymnogenys_-type _Gymnogeophagus_ and that is almost certainly because they are kept in too small of tank and/or kept too warm. And with all eartheaters, they do best in groups, though the rhabdotus-type (substrate spawners) were not collected this way (except with juveniles), so probably do fine as pairs. We seined a large male G. sp. "Paso Pache I" from underneath a overhanging tree with 4-5 females.

Since you used "G. n.sp." I assume you have visited Felipe Cantera's site, but if not then you can visit it and look at the different geopgraphical variants and their habitats.
http://www.aqvaterra.com/cichlids_other_fishes.php

Most of the habitats are sandy bottoms with lots of rocks and very few plants.

Diet should be a general eartheater-type diet... invertebrate-type foods like shrimp pellets, frozen shrimp, bloodworms, and vegetable matter, such as vegi-flakes, skinned peas and blanched zucchini.

Ed


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## barqs (Mar 28, 2009)

Hi duaneS,

Thanks for the info about the low temp requirements...That's definitely a plus for me up here in Canada...will save some $$$ on heating!

Hi Ed,

Thanks for all the great info! That's exactly what I was looking for. I noticed you referenced collecting them in the wild; that must've been quite an experience and definitely something I hope to do (some day)! From the pics I've seen of wild collecting online, it seems they are from blackwater rather than whitewater areas, is that correct?

Thanks again.


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## edburress (Jun 9, 2007)

Hi barqs,

Almost all of the rivers in Uruguay are clear water systems.

I did collect there last December, here is a link to a thread where I posted some photos from the trip. 
http://cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=185845

Ed


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## barqs (Mar 28, 2009)

Ed, great thread, thanks! :thumb:


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