Jewel Cichlid
The bright blue-green, iridescent scale tips of the Jewel Cichlid help make it an aquarium favorite. First described by Gill in 1862, the Jewel Cichlid is actually a Hemichromis bimaculatus . Found in the streams of Western Africa, the Jewel is somewhat peaceful unless spawning. It prefers an aquarium with dense planting and smaller rocks. It will burrow behind a rock to lay its eggs, and both parents will guard the egg clutch and the free swimming fry. They will often move the fry once they have hatched to a safer location. Their body has a red undertone with iridescent speckling near the gill, along with three black dots spaced out along the body and tail. While they make good parents, they are sometimes difficult to get to pair up, and there are no obvious ways to determine the sex of an individual. The Jewel is often kept with South American cichlids and other larger community fish, but rarely kept with the Lake Cichlids of Africa. Its close cousin, the Hemichromis lifalili can be distinguished by a more intense red coloration in the body. Hardy and an assertive eater, the Jewel Cichlid is an excellent choice to add diversity of color.
Approximate Arrival Size for Jewel Cichlid: 1 to 2 in.
Detailed Information about this species.
