Red Horseface 6cm

Red Horseface

The Red Horseface genus is a fan favourite among South American cichlid keepers for its gentle personality, natural beauty, and highly interactive behaviour. Of the species available, the Red Horseface stands out for its larger adult size and stunning colour potential when fully matured. Like its relatives, this species is an “earth-eater,” meaning it takes mouthfuls of substrate and sifts through it to find food, helping keep the tank base clean and reducing detritus buildup.

What really sets the Red Horseface apart is its elongated, sloping face and the soft reddish hue that washes over the head and flanks of mature fish, giving it the “red horseface” nickname. Juveniles often appear quite plain, but with time they grow into large-bodied fish with beautiful iridescent scales that shimmer in blue, green, and gold tones across their flanks. Long, trailing pelvic and dorsal fins further enhance their graceful appearance, while their active foraging behaviour brings movement and purpose to the lower half of any aquarium.

Breeding Red Horseface cichlids in the aquarium is quite common. They are mouthbrooders, where the male will dig a small pit to attract the female to lay eggs. The male then fertilises the eggs, and either the male or female will take the eggs into their mouth to safeguard the fry for around three days. Males and females do have distinguishing features, with males typically displaying more vibrant colours and longer fins compared to females.

Tank Recommendations for Your Red Horseface (Surinamensis)

As a fairly large-growing South American cichlid that can reach up to 15 cm, the Red Horseface requires an aquarium with a minimum capacity of 200 litres. This species prefers to be kept in groups of three or more, which is why a larger aquarium is always recommended.

A sand substrate is ideal due to its constant sifting behaviour. Additional décor, such as smooth river stones and driftwood, is also beneficial. As a South American species, the Red Horseface prefers softer water with a pH range of approximately 6.0–7.0.

Suitable Tank Buddies

The Red Horseface is a relatively peaceful fish that can be kept in a community aquarium. It is best practice to avoid fish that are small enough to fit in their mouth; however, there are many reports of Red Horseface being successfully kept with nano tank mates.

Usually Compatible
Angelfish, corydoras, severums, discus, blue acara, and a range of small to medium community fish.

Sometimes Compatible
Semi-aggressive South American species such as convict cichlids, firemouths, and similar fish.

Rarely Compatible
Large and aggressive species such as dovii, which are far too aggressive, and invertebrates like shrimp, which would be prey for the Red Horseface.

Feeding Your Red Horseface (Surinamensis)

Like many other South American cichlids, the Red Horseface is very easy to feed. Due to their bottom-dwelling nature, care should be taken to ensure food reaches them before being eaten by tank mates. Sinking pellets or flakes supplemented with frozen foods are ideal to maintain optimal health. A fun feeding option is live blackworms, which encourage the Red Horseface to naturally sift through the substrate in search of food.