Albino Red Head Tapajos

Remarks: These red head Tapajos have the albinism mutation resulting in coloration that is quite different from their usual. Upon maturity, they have bright yellow or cream bodies along with vibrant yellows, reds, and oranges in their fins and faces. Some still have some blue iridescence in their fins that shimmers in the light. They look absolutely stunning against dark backgrounds and among normal red head Tapajos. Due to being albino, they are more sensitive to light so their lighting should be kept a bit more subdued and a dark hiding spot should be provided.

  Possibly one of the most beautifully colored Geophagus known in the hobby, the red head Tapajos has certainly made its mark on the hobby. It was first collected from the Rio Tapajos by German aquarists  Christop Seidel and Rainer Harnoss in the early 1990s after which it became a highly desired import. As it was not described and given a scientific name until 2022, the red head Tapajos was typically imported and referred to as Geophagus sp. ‘Rio Tapajos’ or Geophagus sp. ‘Red Head’. These temporary placeholder names are in reference to the native range of these beautiful eartheaters as well as the bright orange/red heads that mature fish develop. Both males and females show this coloration, but it is more intense in males. Males will also grow elegant streamers on the tips of their fins and dominant males will sometimes grow a nuchal hump. The vibrant orange/red coloration on their heads is the perfect complement to their metallic green and blue colors present across the rest of the body and fins. Juvenile fish will be completely olive green or gray in color.

  The native range of the red head Tapajos is exclusively the Rio Tapajos in Brazil. Their habitats are like that of most Geophagus where the water is warm, clean, soft, acidic, full of botanicals, and possess a substrate of soft sand or mud. The substrate is very important for the survival of the red head Tapajos as it is an eartheater meaning its main mode of feeding is taking mouthfuls of sand or mud and sifting it for any edible morsels while expelling anything inedible through their gills. The red head Tapajos thrives best in captivity when all aspects of its natural habitat are replicated, but it requires a soft substrate to survive at all. Being kept on other substrates such as gravel poses a risk to the fish in the form of choking, gill damage, and starvation as some will refuse to feed all together if not kept on soft sand or mud. Their earth eating habits can be of benefit to the home aquarium as they can aid in keeping the substrate clean and prevent ammonia pockets from forming from detritus building up. It can also be a fascinating display of natural behaviors for the aquarist to observe. Feeding them a high-quality omnivorous diet with plenty of variety along with keeping them in the right parameters will help bring out the best colors in the red head Tapajos.

  Red head Tapajos are generally peaceful when not spawning. They will ignore fish that are not small enough to be swallowed but can grow shy if kept around overly aggressive or nippy species. They are best kept in groups of five or more especially when young. Gradually they will pair off to spawn which can be easily induced just by proper care. Red head Tapajos will choose a flat surface to lay their eggs which take about two to three days to hatch. Upon hatching, which the adults will sometimes assist with by gently scraping the eggs, the pair will take the newly hatched fry into their mouths until they are free swimming. This process of brood care is called larvophilic mouthbrooding. The red head Tapajos is notably easy to breed and raise compared to other Geophagus so this combined with their beautiful colors, high desirability in the hobby, and manageable size makes them excellent breeding project for both beginners and novices alike.