Redhead Tapajos
Geophagus sp. 'Red Head Tapajos'
The Redhead Tapajos (Geophagus sp. 'Red Head Tapajos') is a peaceful fish that's best left to experienced keepers. Give it a tank of at least 300 litres (79 US gallons), water held at 81-86°F, and a pH of 6-7.5. Always keep a group of at least 5 - they feel safest in numbers.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
South America (Rio Tapajós, Brazil)
- South America
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Redhead Tapajos Tank Setup
Give them at least 300 litres (79 US gallons). Cichlids are territorial and produce plenty of waste, so strong filtration and some rocks or wood to break up sight lines both help. Aim for 81-86°F and a pH around 6-7.5. Always keep a group of at least 5 of their own kind - kept alone or in pairs they tend to turn shy, nippy, or wash out in colour. They reach about 20 cm as adults, so don't be misled by the small juveniles sold in stores.
What Do Redhead Tapajos Eat?
They're not fussy eaters - feed a varied diet, rotating good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods rather than the same thing every day, and match the food size to their mouths.
Redhead Tapajos Tank Mates
An eartheater (Geophagus group) - sifts sand substrate through its gills all day looking for food, so fine sand rather than gravel is essential. Best kept in a small group of 5+ rather than a pair or single fish, which reduces stress and aggression. Needs a large, mature, well-filtered tank with excellent water quality; sensitive to poor water conditions despite its size. The Redhead Tapajos is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. At around 20 cm fully grown, it needs tank mates that can hold their own against its size and appetite. It's a shoaling fish, so settle a group of 5 or more of its own kind before adding anything else - a stressed, lonely fish is far more likely to nip or hide. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Redhead Tapajos Good for Beginners?
Not a sensible first purchase. Get the tank cycled, keep easier fish stable for a year, then revisit if you still want the extra work this species demands.
Redhead Tapajos - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Redhead Tapajos need?
Redhead Tapajos need a tank of at least 300 litres (79 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
How many Redhead Tapajos should I keep together?
Keep a group of at least 5. Redhead Tapajos are a shoaling species and become stressed, lose their colour, or hide when kept singly or in pairs.
What water parameters do Redhead Tapajos need?
Keep them at 81-86°F with a pH of 6-7.5, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Redhead Tapajos eat?
Redhead Tapajos are omnivores and aren't fussy eaters. Feed a varied mix of good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods, and match the food size to their mouths. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Redhead Tapajos good for beginners?
Redhead Tapajos are not a beginner species. They need precise conditions and consistent maintenance, so build experience with hardier fish before keeping them.
Common mistakes with Redhead Tapajos
- Buying fewer than 5 - Redhead Tapajoss need a proper school to feel secure; isolated individuals hide, fail to colour up, or become stressed.
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 300 litres (79 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
- Cool tap water - this species needs 81-86°F; cold acclimation suppresses immune response and often triggers disease outbreaks.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Check Redhead Tapajos against any other fish → Compares water parameters, predation risk, fin nipping and tank size, and draws both at life size.
Fish to avoid mixing with Redhead Tapajos
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- Plakat BettaFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
- Cardinal TetraSize risk - Redhead Tapajos will likely eat Cardinal Tetra at adult size
- Common GoldfishGoldfish - prefer cooler, harder water that tropical fish cannot tolerate
