Demon Eartheater

About

The Demon Eartheater (Satanoperca jurupari) earns the first half of its name from folklore rather than behavior. This fish is actually one of the more sociable cichlids you can keep, outside of spawning season. Found across a broad sweep of the Amazon basin, from the Peruvian and Colombian headwaters all the way to the river's mouth, it typically inhabits slow-moving waters with muddy or sandy substrates, which it constantly sifts through in search of seeds, insects, and crustaceans. That feeding behavior, taking a mouthful of substrate, filtering it, and spitting out the debris, is the real show, and it's endlessly watchable. Coloration is relatively subdued, a soft greenish-grey body sometimes described as 'green horse face', with a small dark spot at the upper base of the tail fin being one of the more reliable identification markers. The species is frequently confused in the trade with Satanoperca leucosticta, which carries white spots on the head that jurupari lacks. In the aquarium, these fish are best kept in groups of five or more, since smaller numbers often lead to one or two weaker fish being bullied relentlessly by dominant individuals. A spacious, well-maintained tank with soft substrate lets them do what they do best. Breeding involves maternal mouthbrooding and can take patience. Sexual maturity often doesn't arrive until the fish are one to two years old.