| General Characteristics:
 G. Surinamensis
is a peaceful, relatively non-territorial cichlid, with beautiful, almost
iridescent patterns of blue, green and red markings. As their common
name suggests, they are ferocious diggers, foraging constantly for food
in the substrate. They are well designed for this, with a long, sloping
forehead and eyes placed high on their head. They are slower growing
than a lot of other SA cichlids and it does take them a while to get
to adult size.
Being more peaceful in nature than most cichlids of this size, they
are more suitable for large community tanks as they will not bother
smaller fish. However, this peacefulness makes them less suited to tanks
containing other large, more aggressive fish. When in situations like
this, they tend to spend a lot of time hiding and can become stressed
very easily.
Their juvenile coloration is considerably less dramatic that their
adult colours, but considering how beautiful they become as they grow,
it is well worth the wait. They are somewhat shy by nature and it can
take them a lot of time to be comfortable enough to come out and visit
their owners, but this will happen eventually and they can become quite
friendly.
Their preference, like many South American cichlids, is for softer
water and it has been many people's experience that hard water can diminish
their coloration, but I have not found this to be the case with mine.
They are hardy fish, tolerating a reasonable range of ph's, but are
most comfortable with a neutral ph.
Aquarium Set-up:
In the
wild, G. Surinamensis are found in quiet pools and backwaters in the
rivers they inhabit. Their natural habitat does not contain much in
the way of plants, but has more large root systems and rocky banks.
Substrate should be sand or very fine, well rounded gravel, as they
spend a lot of their time sifting through it searching for food, Larger,
sharper types of gravel should be avoided as it can cause injuries to
their face and mouth. Any plants that are included in the tank should
be well secured otherwise they will be consistently dug up and possibly
nibbled on occasionally.
As they grow to a reasonable size, a tank of 55 gallons or larger is
necessary for a pair. They are comfortable in larger groups, so they
do well in larger, species-only tanks, but care should be taken to make
sure there is enough room for each fish to dig without banging into
a tankmate. The tank should be wider rather than taller, giving as much
substrate surface as possible for foraging. G. Surinamensis are not
overly fond of large, open spaces, but this can be gotten around with
the addition of floating plants or large pieces of driftwood that allow
swimming space underneath. Caves are a good addition as well, as these
fish like to have somewhere secure to retreat to between feeding sessions
Good filtration is essential, as their constant digging will stir up
the substrate. Under gravel filters are not recommended, as they will
be uncovered on a regular basis. It is important to keep the water quality
high, as they are susceptible to HITH disease if kept in poor conditions.
Feeding:
G. Surinamensis
feed mainly on small crustaceans and substrate-dwelling creatures in
the wild. Their diet also contains a fair amount of vegetable matter.
Anything fed to them in an aquarium should sink, as their preferred
method of feeding is to sift through the substrate. They are fond of
foods such as whiteworms, bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp, but
animal proteins are not considered to be good for them. I currently
feed mine a mix of various small sinking pellets and a home-made mix
of green vegetables and shrimp, which they go crazy over. Spirulina
is a good addition to their diet, as it brings out their blue and green
coloration.
Compatibility:
These
fish are peaceful by nature, considering their size, and are suitable
for large-scale community set-ups containing smaller SA species, such
as Tetras and Corydoras catfish. They do not consider smaller fish to
be food, and generally will not pay them much attention. They also are
very tolerant of each other, so can be kept in larger groups if tank
size permits. However, they tend to do poorly when in tanks with more
aggressive species such as Oscars, as they prefer to run than to stand
and defend themselves.
Breeding:
Male G.
Surinamensis develop long extensions on their dorsal, anal and tail
fins. Females can also display extensions, but the males are usually
far more pronounced. They reach maturity at around 6", which is
approximately a year to a year and a half old. Eggs are generally laid
on a smooth piece of rock or a small pit dug into the substrate. Unlike
most SA cichlids, G. Surinamensis are partial mouthbrooders, either
parent will take the fertilised eggs in their mouth and hold them until
hatching which occurs around 3 days later. After hatching, the fry will
stay close to their parents, taking shelter in their mouths if danger
threatens. As with most cichlids, the parents will be very protective
while caring for a brood, and this is the only time that any serious
aggression will be shown. They breed more readily in softer water with
a neutral ph, and many people have had success using one of the "blackwater"
water conditioners that are available, as they simulate the fishes natural
habitat. I have had no success breeding my pair and I believe this is
due to the hard nature of my water. The picture above is of my male,
showing the long extensions on his fins
Personal experience:
I purchased
a pair of these fish a little over 2 years ago knowing next to nothing
about them. At first, I did regret this decision, as their juvenile
coloration was somewhat boring and they tended to hide a great deal.
However, once they reached maturity, I soon changed my mind. They are
truly spectacular fish, with dramatic coloration and a very good temperament.
Anyone looking for an attractive, large cichlid without the personality
problems that come with many of them should definitely consider these
as an alternative.
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