In view of these peculiarities in the behavior of the fry, it would not surprise me to discover that, in nature, the Rainbow Eartheater moves into areas characterized by reduced densities of potential fry predators to breed. I have found that pairs of G. australis lose interest in their fry between 14 and 21 days posthatching, the point at which the female seems to begin ripening another batch of eggs. La Corte, on the other hand, reports that parental care can persist much longer, the presence of the fry apparently serving to inhibit further spawning. The interaction of water temperature and availability of food in nature probably determine the duration of the period of parental care. In captivity, there is little practical purpose served in prolonging the association of parents and offspring much beyond the third week in any case.
Fry growth appears rather slow for the first four to six weeks, then accelerates considerably.
With frequent feedings and partial water changes, the fry can measure 1.5 cm-2.0 cm SL by the eighth week postspawning. Sexual maturity is attained between the sixth and eighth month postspawning, at c. 6.0 cm SL for males, 5.0cm SL for females. I anticipate a future in the hobby for the Rainbow Eartheater as dazzling as its color pattern. Hardy, unaggressive and modestly proportioned, G. australis combines the iridescent brilliance of a Lake Malawi Haplochromis with the fascinating behavior of a biparental substratum spawning cichlid. This species enjoys only limited commercial availability at present.