Looking into getting geophagus

[Lazybum34]

Hello, I have had my eye on 6 geophagus neambi for a few months now and I have decided im going to get the group. I would like to know what people's experiences have been with them (agression,tankmates, and max size). I plan on keeping them in a 72"x18"x24 aquarium with 2 upper jaw bichirs and 1 lower jaw bichir. Thanks in advance.

 

[duanes]

Especially with a less than mass produced species such as G neambi, your specific water parameters may be significant to its health
If your tap water ranges from 5 to 7, and has moderate hardness you may be golden.
If your tap water is 7.5 or above, with above moderate hardness, this species could be problematic.
This Geophagine is less sensitive than (for example) species from te Rio Negro or Orinoco that require more exacting parameters,
it is still not as tolerant as some more mass bred Florida variants, and less strict and sensitive water parameter types such as G pyrocephalus.

 

[neutrino]

Geophagus neambi have been in the hobby for years under other names, including 'altifrons sp. tocantins' and 'aereos' and, like several other geo species, are also sold as surinamensis, with some online photos of "surinamensis" actually borrowed stock photos of neambi, so it's hard to say what they're actually selling. (true surinamensis are actually very rare in the hobby) So it's only under the name neambi that they're somewhat uncommon in the US. I've yet to keep them personally, they're typically described as peaceful, but some say theirs were pretty aggressive for a geo-- but so were my sveni until they got a little older. They come from the same waters as sveni, Rio Tocantins, so no reason they shouldn't do fine into the mid 7s pH, which is how they're usually listed. Size is apparently similar also, 8 inches or larger-- both can be larger than sometimes listed, I've had 10" sveni, seen them larger and heard of something similar with neambi.

...The 'surinamensis type' geos aren't generally particularly sensitive fish, unlike some of the Satanoperca species. An exception regarding special care would be the fast water geos, which are also less common.