page_title: Redhump eartheater
section_title: Reproduction
hierarchical_section_title: Redhump eartheater / Reproduction
caption_attribution_description: English: Red Hump Eartheater Geophagus steindachneri Eigenmann &amp; Hildebrand, displaying male
context_page_description: The redhump eartheater is a species of eartheater cichlid from freshwater habitats in northwestern South America.
context_section_description: Redhump eartheaters are immediate maternal mouthbrooders.  These fish grow relatively quickly, and can be sexed as subadults. Sexual dimorphism is clear - males have a large, red nuptial hump on their heads and grow larger than the females.  Mature males develop an iridescence on the scales on their sides and very large humps.  Males will display to females by opening their mouths and flaring their gills.  Nonreceptive females may be driven from the spawning area.  Spawning takes place on a smooth rock or clean sand bed.  The female lays one or two eggs, then the male fertilizes them.  The female immediately takes the fertilized eggs into her mouth and proceeds to lay more eggs.  This  continues until spawning is completed.  The female  carries the eggs until they are free-swimming and have absorbed their yolk sacs, about 2–3 weeks.  She eats little to no food during this period.  Eventually, she releases them and allows them to search for food, taking them back into her mouth when she feels threatened.  The brooding female  often signals to her fry when danger is present, and shuts her fry out of her mouth when encouraging then to forage.
caption: Displaying male
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