Green Horse Face (Satanoperca Leucosticta)

Green Horseface

Satanoperca Leucosticta

A popular and commonly traded species of earth eater, Green Horsefaces attain a manageable size whilst having a relatively peaceful temperament, like many eartheaters.

Locale: Much of South America such as Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana and Brazil - found in slow moving sandy river sections heavily scattered with wood and leaf/seed detritus.

Fun fact: The genus Satanoperca, translates roughly to Devil Perch, a name coined due to the first Satanoperca being collected from a cave pool at the end of a river branch, the scientists described them as ‘Devils’ as they came from a water body that was underground.

Care:

Care difficulty - Intermediate

Temperament - Semi-aggressive, best kept with other similarly sized eartheaters, relatively peaceful for a cichlid

Adult size - 24-26cm

Diet - Omnivorous; These fish pass sand through their mouth and out thorough the gill slits, separating any microorganisms from the sand in the process. Best fed a staple diet of small pellets and wafers, with high protein foods as a dietary supplement once or twice a fortnight

Habitat - A sandy substrate coupled with small rocks and larger driftwood is an easy way to replicate the natural environment, adding some leaf litter and botanicals is also beneficial.

Optimal Water Parameters:

Temperature: 24-28°c

pH: 5.5-7.0

GH: 3-10

KH: 1-3

Fish size, sex, exact colour and patterning may vary from photo.