# Found perfect ray tankmates today



## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

There are called eartheater cichlids. I forgot their real name but its commonly sold as that. They are a schooling cichlids that are peacful. They are also filter eaters for the most part. They grab a bunch of sand and filters out the sand through the gill area. This is great because sometimes my ray tends to spit out small pieces of food and the eartheaters will pick them right up off the floor. Did i mention they are pretty? They swim all levels of the tank =)


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)




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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

is this it?


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

The Eartheater family is quite large. Some of the well known groups are Satanoperca (like the S. leucosticta pictured above), Gymnophagus, and Geophagus...

I used to think they made good Ray tankmates too, until my Rays got large enough to pounce and destroy...


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

that looks like one, but is more colourfull than any I have seen.

the scientific name is _Satanoperca jurupari_ - Eartheater

heres a handy link
heres another handy link


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

dracofish said:


> The Eartheater family is quite large. Some of the well known groups are Satanoperca (like the S. leucosticta pictured above), Gymnophagus, and Geophagus...
> 
> I used to think they made good Ray tankmates too, until my Rays got large enough to pounce and destroy...


 Well said, but dont hold me to this but i think i have a Geophagus. I will post up pics when i get a chance.

I believe the one i have grows to 10"? A motoro grows to 18"


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## JesseD (Mar 26, 2003)

sounds like a good pick up to me









i wanna see some pics too


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

dracofish said:


> The Eartheater family is quite large. Some of the well known groups are Satanoperca (like the S. leucosticta pictured above), Gymnophagus, and Geophagus...
> 
> I used to think they made good Ray tankmates too, until my Rays got large enough to pounce and destroy...


 good call









_Satanoperca leucosticta _
heres a handy link 
heres another handy link


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Innes, the fish pictured above is not a S. jurapari. It is an S. leucosticta. S. jurapari do not have pearls to such an extent, especially on the cheeks.

Here is my S. leucosticta:









Here is a one of my S. juraparis:









Eric, if your fish looks anything like what is shown above, then it is Satanoperca, not Geophagus. A few years ago the name "Geophagus jurapari" was changed to Satanoperca jurapari. Too many stores are still calling them Geos (in fact, I though so too, until I was corrected by some ichthyologists...as you can see, my file name still says geo, but it is really satanoperca).

Here is a picture of my Geophagus steindachneri, which is a true Geophagus:








Another common Geo is G. surinamensis.

For anyone seriously interested in Eartheaters should pick up the book "South American Eartheaters" by Thomas Weidner. It's a must have. Most Eartheaters can reach 10", but it's very uncommon because they grow very slowly. The largest I have seen was about 6". They grow even slower than Rays. Once my Rays started to outpace them, they were pouncing all the time. Just because a fish can't be swallowed whole, doesn't mean that the Ray still won't pounce and do some mondo damage.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

o snap its eric said:


> i think i have a Geophagus


heres a handy link
heres another handy link

OK I have been so confused while looking up these links as it seems that the science behind eartheaters is pretty poor









here is a very handy link


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## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

Is this them?


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Innes, the first two links show S. leucosticta, not S. jurapari. They are wrong...

The third link shows a mix of S. jurapari and S. leucosticta...

Don't feel bad, 99% of the "Juraparis" I have seen for sale in stores are really Leucostictas.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

dracofish said:


> Innes, the first two links show S. leucosticta, not S. jurapari. They are wrong...
> 
> The third link shows a mix of S. jurapari and S. leucosticta...
> 
> Don't feel bad, 99% of the "Juraparis" I have seen for sale in stores are really Leucostictas.


 what is going on with this?

why is it so fucked up?









continue the science talk here

back you Eric and his ray tankmates


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

mine looks like a S. leucosticta but the mouth from mine is more towards the bottom.


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## Honda99_300ex (Apr 18, 2003)

How many are you planning to get?


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

i got 3 already


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