[3] They are part of a group popularly known as eartheaters and mostly feed by picking up mouthfuls of sediment to sift out food items such as invertebrates, plant material and detritus.

[3] The largest species reach up to 28 cm (11 in) in standard length.

[4] Geophagus surinamensis was an invasive species in Malaysia, recently found in Putrajaya, the populations are now controlled by giant snakeheads.

Some cichlids previously included in this genus have been reallocated to Biotodoma, Gymnogeophagus or Satanoperca.

[5] Even with these as separate genera, Geophagus is currently polyphyletic and in need of further taxonomic revision.