Red jewel cichlid size?

[Acorno]

I’m wondering how big you have seen blood red jewel cichlids get. I’ve been doing research on it but I’m getting a lot of conflicting answers.

 

[Wills]

There are a few species and also a few hybrids of these species around so hard to judge but I’ve seen some big ones at about 6 inches though I can imagine the odd specimen getting bigger.

Check out the Turkana jewel if you can looks amazing and a bit calmer than the other species - also quite a new species to the hobby so less chance of hybrids etc

 

[Acorno]

It’s going into a semi aggressive 50 gallon tank. So the aggression is required.

 

[Acorno]

Will it get bigger than a fire mouth?

 

[ChasingFish]

according to this website, they get to about 4 inches

Hemichromis lifalili (Blood-Red Jewel Cichlid) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

 

[GaryE]

according to this website, they get to about 4 inches

Hemichromis lifalili (Blood-Red Jewel Cichlid) — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

lifallili, if you get the real thing, is the smallest Hemichromis (jewel). The others get larger.

Whatever species or hybrid you get, it will be an African river fish, and will be much tougher than the average firemouth. It will have exactly the same territorial needs, as an open spawner. That creates conflict with other fish who want the same things in life.

I like the jewel group, but they can be very rough. I had one pair of probably H. lifallili that always announced they had bred by the female showing up with no tail. It always grew back, and they spawned like machines in a 60 gallon, heavily planted tank. That fire engine red is an aggression warning, and they can be very rough indeed.

I could never give the fry away away. Everyone in my aquarium club ran away when they saw bags of one inch juvies. That was my experience with at least 5 different pairs from the jewel group. So beautiful. So brutal.

 

[Wills]

Yeah I agree with what Gary said - when I say the Turkana Jewels are more peaceful its still a tough fish with a lot of attitude but more manageable than regular Jewels which are usually pretty problematic.

 

[Acorno]

Yeah I agree with what Gary said - when I say the Turkana Jewels are more peaceful its still a tough fish with a lot of attitude but more manageable than regular Jewels which are usually pretty problematic.

Would one work with tiger barbs?

 

[Wills]

Would one work with tiger barbs?

Potentially - what size tank, what other tank mates you mentioned a Firemouth too?

Wills

 

[Ichthys]

Firemouths are substrate sifters with weak mouthparts not made for fighting… except other Firemouths if needed. They wouldn’t last one minute against an angry Jewel. They also live in small groups, so a single firemouth would just be stressed generally.
A Jewel might work with tiger barbs, but any other cichlids would be just asking for trouble in a 50g. The worst fish to keep with aggressive cichlids are other cichlids.

 

[Acorno]

The tank currently has three other cichlids 1 very aggressive firemouth 1 pink convict and 1 rainbow cichlid. It also contains 6 Beunos Aires tetras.

 

[GaryE]

You have 3 Central American species. Stay within the region - they understand each other.

 

[Acorno]

Sorry I forgot to mention I have a pair of neolamperolgus gracilus.

 

[Acorno]

I have the jewel and will watch it for over aggression. It’s out if any of the tankmates disappears or is damaged.

 

[Acorno]

Thank you for all the advice.