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Cichlids
/ Africa / Jewel Cichlid
Jewel Cichlid, Two-spotted Jewel Cichlid
Hemichromis bimaculatus | Pictures
Synonyms:
Hemichromis fugax
Physical description: An elongated cichlid with a sloping forehead.
The upper part of the body is light
olive green while the lower part is red or orange.
The lips are usually bright red as are the cheeks and lower jaw.
In
this area are small iridescent spots that are yellow to turquoise in coloration.
A large black spot marks the fill cover.
The
body has two black spots; one located around the mid-section and the other on the caudal penuncle.
The
fins are olive to red with a bright red edge.
During the spawning season the body becomes darker red with the small
iridescent spots covering the entire body.
Size/Length: To 6" (15 cm)
Similar species: Other Hemichromis
species.
Habitat: Western Africa; found in forested streams in the Niger River Watershed in Guinea,
Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, and Sierra Leone.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: A tank of 30" (76 cm) with a capacity of 20-25 gallons (75-98 L) is sufficient for
fish to 4" (10 cm).
Larger fish become even more territorial and should be moved a tank measuring at least
48" (122 cm) with a volume of 50 gallons (190 L).
The tank should be heavily planted with tough, well-rooted plants such
as Vallisneria
and
Anubias.
These plants must be well-planted or be weighted,
as the Jewel Cichlid is a digger and tends to uproot most any plant.
Provide hiding places with large roots,
caves, rocks, and wood.
Use strong filtration.
Water chemistry: pH 6-7.8 (7.2), 4-18 dH (10), 72-82°F (22-28°C)
Social behavior: A territorial species that becomes very aggressive and intolerant with the arrival
of spawning.
The
Jewel Cichlid is relatively peaceful towards other species outside of the spawning time.
Best
kept in pairs, although if the pair is incompatible, the weaker fish will likely be killed.
Pairs form monogamous bonds and make
fine parents who care for the young in a nuclear family.
Suggested companions: Hemichromis,
Steatocranus, Tilapia, Synodontis, Polypterus, Distichodus, "Cichlasoma," Pimelodids,
Loricarids (Plecos).
FOOD: Live; small fish,
Tubifex, aquatic insects, crustaceans, insect larvae;
pellets; flakes; tablets.
SEX: It is difficult to distinguish between the sexes.
Males are darker with less color and
slightly larger.
Breeding techniques: The most difficult part in breeding the Jewel Cichlid is finding a compatible pair.
This
is easiest done by obtaining a group of youngsters and waiting until they pair up.
Often this is a slow and arduous process.
Once
a pair is established, they should be moved to their own tank with a similar set-up to the one mentioned above.
Be
sure to provide plenty of hiding places for the female.
The tank should have properties of a pH from 6.5-7.2, a water hardness
from 4-12 dH, and a temperature from 75-82°F (24-28°C).
The pair selects a rock and cleans it just prior
to spawning.
Up to 500 eggs are laid and carefully guarded.
The eggs hatch after 3-5 days and the fry are
moved to a shallow pit.
The fry may be moved to different pits as they develop.
The parents carefully guard the fry
until they reach 0.4" (1 cm).
Start feeding with small live and dry foods.
Jewel Cichlids can be bred in a community
tank, although it is not recommended because of their highly aggressive brood care.
Occasionally a male may get to aggressive
towards the female.
In this case, he should be removed.
Breeding potential: 6.
Breeding is moderately difficult because of the problems with pairing.
Remarks: The Jewel Cichlid's colors become much enhanced during spawning.
Most fish available in the hobby are
captive-bred.
Difficulty of care: 5.
An potentially aggressive fish that is especially intolerant during spawning.
Otherwise
it is a hardy fish.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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