BLUE JEWEL CICHLID

Scientific Name : Hemichromis bimaculatus

Common Names : Jewel fish, African Jewelfish, Two Spotted Jewel Fish, Green Jewel, Blue Jewel

Care Level : Easy to Moderate

Size : 5.5 inches (14 cm)

pH : 7 - 7.5

Temperature : 70°F - 74°F (21°C - 23°C)

Lifespan : 5 years or longer

Origin / Habitat : African rivers

Temperament / Behavior : Can get aggressive when forming pairs.

Breeding : May get better results with slightly increased (a degree or two) water temperature. The female will lay the eggs on a flat surface. After 2 to 4 days, the eggs hatch and the parents will move them to another location for another couple of days until the babies are swimming. These jewel cichlids are great parents. Get your fry foods ready and plan on feeding finely crushed flake foods, baby brine shrimp or other fry foods.

Aquarium Size : 30 gallon minimum for a pair, much larger for multiples to limit aggression.

Tank Mates : Not recommended for community tank type setups. They can get very aggressive with tank mates when ready for breeding.

Fish Disease : Freshwater Fish Disease - Diagnose, Symptoms and Treatment. This cichlid is very hardy but you'll still need to slowly acclimate them to your quarantine tank. Watch for several weeks before introducing to your display tank.

Food : Should accept flakes and pellet fish foods. The Jewel Cichlid will go after algae wafers and shrimp pellets too, so make sure your bottom feeders are getting enough to eat if they are housed with this cichlid.

Tank Region : Will roam all over the tank. Likes to guard a chosen spot in the tank around spawning time.

Gender : Difficult to determine, but males may become even more brilliantly colored when breeding. If you're interested in breeding them it may be advisable to get a group of six or more and wait for them to pair off. Once a pair is formed, remove the others from the tank to prevent fighting.

Photo Credit : Photos copyright JJPhoto.dk

Site References :
Fishbase
Wikipedia

Fish Lore Forum : Jewel Cichlid Forum