Pantanal Eartheater

About

The Pantanal Eartheater (Satanoperca pappaterra) is one of the more visually distinctive members of its genus, identifiable by a row of bold dark blotches running beneath the dorsal fin and a well-defined dark band along the flank. Features that set it apart from all other Satanoperca species at a glance. In the wild it ranges across sandy and muddy-bottomed streams and lagoons in the Guaporé River system of Brazil and Bolivia, as well as the Paraguay River drainage down into northern Paraguay. Its feeding behavior is classic eartheater: it plunges its protrusible mouth into soft substrate, takes in a mouthful of sand or mud, sifts out edible matter internally, and ejects the rest in a small cloud through the gill covers. This leaves characteristic pits and depressions across the bottom, so a deep sand bed is something this fish genuinely needs. Despite being listed as aggressive and territorial, outside of spawning periods this species is surprisingly tolerant of peaceful tankmates of appropriate size. It is gregarious by nature and should be kept in groups of five to eight, since smaller numbers tend to concentrate aggression onto weaker fish. A mouthbrooder with a reputation for being somewhat rare in the trade, S. pappaterra is a rewarding species that suits keepers who can provide the space and substrate it requires.