Saturday, December 31, 2011

Dwarf Cichlids


Dwarf Cichlids

Dwarf cichlids are found in Africa and South America. The most well known dwarf cichlid species are the South American and belong to the genus Apistogramma
laetacara-curviceps-flag-acara-dwarf. These cichlids live in the Amazon region and some species have also been found in Venezuela. 

1. Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma agassizi)
1.     Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma agassizi)

2. Blue Apistogramma (Apistogramma trifasciata)
2.     Blue Apistogramma Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma trifasciata)

3. Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides)
3.     Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides)


4 Yellow Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma borellii)
4.     Yellow Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma borellii). Apistogramma dwarf cichlids are the most common type dwarf cichlids kept in the home aquarium. 

In the wild; Apistogramma dwarf cichlids habitat is in soft acidic waters, and you must keep the pH between 5.5 and 6.8 in the aquarium and make sure that the water is soft. 

 

The male Apistogramma cichlids will grow too approximately three inches or 7.62 cm and the females are usually one and half inches or 3.81 cm in size; this makes it possible to house dwarf cichlids in smaller aquarium minim size can be 30 gallon  or 114 liters any smaller you will be working yourself to death; remember the smaller the aquarium the more water changes and extreme upkeep is always required for small tanks; you should not house dwarf cichlids in any type of small aquarium water quality and pH is absolute must for this dwarf cichlid-Apistogramma cichlids and care would be exaggerated in small tank.

However most dwarf cichlids are extremely sensitive to water and pH quality than their larger cousins and it will be hard to keep the water quality fine enough in a very small aquarium. Due to their sensitivity Apistogramma Dwarf cichlids are never recommended to aquarists without previous aquarium experience.

Apistogramma dwarf cichlids are quite docile but they will defend their territory during spawning. Just like many other cichlids, Apistogramma species and are great parents will care for their offspring. 

The male Apistogramma will claim a territory and protect it, and several females will care for the fry in small nests within this territory. The nests are usually quite basic, like holes in the sand or a little pile of leaf litter. 

Each female will defend her own spawning site against all others. If you keep bottom dwelling fish species, like catfish, with your Apistogramma dwarf cichlids you must remove them from the aquarium when the dwarf cichlids begin to spawning. Dwarf cichlids are known to pick out the eyes of intruding fish species.

One of the most commonly kept dwarf cichlids from Africa is Pelvicachromis pulcher, the Kribensis cichlid. A male Kribensis can reach a size of 10 centimeters (4 inches) while the females 5 centimeters or (2 inches) and they always are much smaller than the males. 
African Dwarf Cichlid is Pelvicachromis pulcher- Kribensis cichlid
  1. African Dwarf Cichlid is Pelvicachromis pulcher- Kribensis cichlid
Unlike a lot of the commonly kept African cichlids, this cichlid does not originate from any of the Great Rift Valley lakes. Kribensis is instead found in the Pelvicachromis pulcher is native to southern Nigeria and to coastal areas of Cameroon, where it occurs in warm (24–26 °C or 75–79 °F), acidic to neutral (pH 5.6–6.2), soft water (12–22 mg L-1 CaCO3). 

Populations of P. pulcher prefers rivers with fast running shallow water;they also have occurred outside its natural range in Hawaii, as a USA by-product of the ornamental fish trade;
 

Pelvicachromis pulcher is native to southern Nigeria and to coastal areas of Cameroon, where it occurs in warm (24–26 °C or 75–79 °F), acidic to neutral (pH 5.6–6.2), soft water (12–22 mg L-1 CaCO3).

If you want to keep Kribensis cichlids, you should house them in a well planted aquarium with plenty of hiding places since this resembles the natural environment for Kribensis cichlids. 

Drift wood and rocks can also be used to create hiding places. Kribensis cichlids will work well with each other or in a community aquarium. They will claim territories, but these are so small that territorial fights will be unusual. Unlike many larger African cichlids, Kribensis cichlids are not very found of digging.
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Set-Up New Aquarium Dwarf Cichlids

Set-Up New Aquarium Dwarf Cichlids

This article will only point out a few things that are important to keep in mind when you are about to set up a new aquarium. For more details, I recommend you download FREE the e-book called “Tropical Fish” from the forum,


Downloading the book is completely free of charge and will provide you with much more comprehensive information about how to set up and maintain an aquarium. By spending some time reading up on the subject you can save yourself a lot of problems (and money!) in the long run. A lot of new aquarists lose interest in the hobby when all the fish in their newly set up aquarium suddenly goes belly up, and this is sad because in most cases, this type of sudden fish death can be easily prevented. 

Location and surface

If you plan on using electrical equipment, e.g. airstones, heaters etcetera in your aquarium it must naturally be placed where you have access to electricity. Placing an aquarium where it will be exposed to sunlight is not a good idea since this will promote excessive algae growth. It is also important to keep in mind that a filled aquarium is really empty and normal your normal furniture may be not be strong enough to keep it up. Getting an aquarium stand or special aquarium furniture is therefore recommended for mid-sized aquariums and bigger.

Safety

Every thing that will go into your aquarium should be thoroughly washed to prevent disease and pollution from entering your aquarium. Use hot water and bleach rather than detergents, and meticulously wash away all traces of bleach afterwards. Gravel must be carefully rinsed unless you want the water to get really cloudy. Living things such as plants and fish can be dipped in saltwater to kill of external parasites and bacteria.

 

Water treatment
If you use chlorinated tap water you must add a dechlorinator before you use it for your aquarium since chlorine and chloramines damage the gills of your fish and kills of beneficial bacteria. You can purchase a dechlorinator intended for aquarium use in your local fish store. A less expensive way of treating the water is to mix a lot of air into it when you pour it into a bucket (e.g. by tilting the bucket) and then leave it to rest for 24 hours.
 
Filling the aquarium
Do not begin filling your aquarium anywhere else than in its intended place because it will become really heavy. When you have added the gravel, place a dish or similar on top of it and pour the water onto the dish instead of directly onto the gravel. This will divert the water and stir up less debris. Fill the aquarium half way up, plant any plants and add aquarium decoration, and then proceed to fill it all the way up.

Equipment

Connect all your equipment and leave the gadgets running for 24 hours. This will give you time to make sure that everything works as it should.

Cycling

Cycling is the process where you cultivate large amounts of beneficial bacteria in the aquarium. These bacteria will help you keep the water quality up by converting dangerous fish waste into a less dangerous substance and maintaining an aquarium without these helpful bacteria is really difficult. Many beginner aquarists are not aware of the necessity of cycling and this is one of the main reasons behind sudden fish death in newly set up aquariums. I therefore strongly advise you to read one of the articles about how to cycle the aquarium. It is not difficult at all and it will save you a lot of trouble in the long run. You can also download the FREE e-book “Tropical Fish” from the forum (for free) and follow the cycling guide.
 

Acclimatising your new fishes
Start by introducing a small number of fish during the cycling process (unless you opt for a fishless cycle) and then gradually introduce more and more fish over the course of several weeks. This will prevent the water quality in your aquarium to drop sharply. When you arrive home with a bag of fish, leave the bag floating in the aquarium to prevent sharp changes in temperature. After roughly 15 minutes, open the bag and pour some aquarium water into it. DO NOT allow any water from the bag to escape into your aquarium water since it can carry disease. After an additional 15 minutes, open the bag again and add some more water. This process will give the fish a chance to gradually grow accustomed to the water chemistry in your aquarium. Wait for 15 more minutes before you use a net to catch the fish and let it into the aquarium. Discard the bag with the pet shop water.
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Friday, December 23, 2011

Blue Dolphin Cichlids-Blue Moorii Lipid Metallic-Blue

 Blue Dolphin Cichlids-Blue Moorii Lipid Metallic-Blue
The Blue Dolphin Cichlid has a nuchal hump protruding from its forehead and it has Angelina Jolie bulging lips that extend from its face address with pink lipstick. Both of these physical characteristics combined resemble a dolphin. The nuchal hump on its head starts to develop as the fish develops and the nuchal hump becomes larger as Blue Dolphin Cichlid matures and ages further the nuchal hump develops in both male and female specimens.

The Blue Dolphin Cichlid is lipid metallic-blue in color and may or may not have a scattering of black splotches all over their bodies and as they age the top of their head will appears brown or moss algae green. This lipid blue male species can grow to be a maximum size of 12” inches in length although the females are predisposed to approximately 8” inches and she will always be slightly smaller than males and they can live for 12 to 15 years. The Blue Dolphin Cichlid is slow growing and this fish takes at least two and half too three year old to reach sexual maturity.

High Protein Diet-Live Food Is Required and Preferred

Blue Moorii Cichlids can be considered micro-predators because of their hunting habits in the wild. By following substrate diggers they can feast on the micro-organisms that get stirred up into the water. In captivity, this carnivore will accept a number of live foods such live brine shrimp, prawns, bloodworms, white worms, aquatic fleas. crickets, frozen brine shrimp. NEVER EVER FEED beef heart which has to much fat and can cause bloating which is fatal. Further do not feed them Tubifex worms the Tubifex worms have been linked with the appearance of bacterial diseases in Malawi cichlids.
 There is not much need for green foods in their diet but they are likely to accept it as a dietary option if nothing else is available”. However Blue Moorii Cichlids Requires very high protein diet this is absolutely necessary for their overall health to thrive, grow, mature and breed.
 
 Blue Dolphin Cichlid Behavior and Fish Tank Compatibility

This relatively peaceful cichlid fish is as non-violent as one can expect from an African cichlid. But don’t let that fool you because they can and will still be capable of eating any fish that is small enough to be eaten. The Blue Dolphin should not be in the same community aquarium as small, non-aggressive fish such as goldfish, beta, tetras, guppies, angelfish but they make great tank mates with species such as Plecos, Synodontis catfish. 
 
They do really well in species tanks as long as there are more females than males for breeding purposes. The male needs to have opportunities for breeding just in case one of the females is not ready to lay eggs just yet. Malawi Blue Dolphins can become very aggressive while spawning or when it comes to territories if there are not enough space or females for each male; each male needs at least three females, so be sure to provide sufficient swimming space to prevent disputes. Blue Dolphin Cichlid does not require hiding places they prefer wide open space for their territory so if you desire rocks place the rocks in the back corners along with rock along and against the back glass for the protection of your catfish. Remember their natural habitat is in shallow sandy areas of their lake environment and they do not go into rock areas ever unless they are panicked and pursued by a predator.
 



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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

“Eggs Everywhere What Do I Do- Jack Dempsey Cichlids

“Eggs Everywhere What Do I Do” 2 Jack Dempsey Cichlids
Question:
“Eggs Everywhere What Do I Do” Jack Dempsey Cichlid Laid Eggs


Answer
Eggs are not everywhere they are on flat rock. If you discover your Jack Dempsey cichlids have laid eggs, just leave them alone to care for eggs and fry. Jack Dempsey fish are superb parents from egg laying right on through to about 6 weeks when the immature Jack Dempsey can care for themselves.

If the aquarium is housing only the two parents, then you’re in good to go. If other fish are housed in this aquarium then you need to take other precautions.

  • Step 1: Remove all fish other than the Jack Dempsey Cichlids parents leave them with their eggs they are great parents
  • Step 2:  Make sure the rock where the female Dempsey deposited her eggs are at a 45 degree angle.
  • Step 3: Place air stone close to the 45 degree flat rock the air bubbles will help the female cichlid keeping debris off her eggs you will notice she fans the eggs this is the keep the eggs clean.
  • Step 4: Make sure your aquarium heater is set for 80 degrees water temperature your water should be approximately 78 to 80F (26-27C)
  • Step 5: It’s very important to keep the water very clean when eggs are developing.
  • Step 6: Invest in UV Filer or Ozone Generator this is must for egg protection from bacteria infection which kills eggs.  
With only the two parents housed in the aquarium, leave them to care for the eggs they will hatch in about 3 days and the fry once they hatch Jack Dempsey fish eggs they will continue to care for the fry.

Water temperature should be between 75–80F (24-27C). The warmer the water the eggs will hatch a bit sooner. It’s important to keep a gentle current of water moving across the eggs.

Use air stone with a gentle flow of bubbles nearby the eggs is good. This will help keep debris from settling on them. You’ll notice that the female almost constantly fans the eggs to keep off any debris that might settle on the eggs.

This debris can often infect the eggs, causing a white fungus growth on them. The female will usually remove those eggs before others nearby are infected as well.

Some eggs will always turn bad, even if your water is very clean. When the male fertilizes the eggs he seldom gets every single one of them and that eggs will die. 

It is best if the surface that she lays her eggs on is at or near a 45 degree angle so this helps avoid anything from settling on those eggs. If she has laid them on a flat surface in the aquarium, try to carefully slant the rock at an angle near the nesting site.

Transferring Eggs To The Nursery

If the Jack Dempsey’s laid their eggs in an aquarium with other fish then you’ll need to remove the eggs to a nursery tank before they hatch.  Even cat fish or Plecos will be a danger to the eggs and hatchlings they certainly are in danger and can and will be eaten at the egg stage or the hatchling level.

Use 5 or 10 gallon tank is the best size for the original nursery so that the young fry will have an easier time finding food on the bottom. 
 
It’s best that you not place gravel on the bottom for ease of cleaning and the fry find food faster. If possible, place the female in the nursery with the eggs. This is NOT necessary but her care is beneficial to a high percentage of hatchlings.

Remove water from the original aquarium  

And place in nursery tank before moving the eggs.  Be sure the temperature and pH are very close to that of the original environment before placing eggs in this nursery
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Sunday, December 18, 2011

C. Frontosa Cichlid Can't Deal With Loneliness

C. Frontosa Cichlid
 Cyphotilapia frontosa 
Is a fish from the cichlid family native to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. C. frontosa lives in Lake Tanganyika and is widespread in the northern half of the lake, whereas the closely related Cyphotilapia gibberosa inhabits the southern half of the lake.

Unlike many cichlid species C. frontosa is a pelagic fish (Science Dictionary
pelagic (pə-lāj'ĭk) pronunciation is the key relating to or living in or on oceanic waters. The pelagic zone of the ocean begins at the low tide mark and includes the entire oceanic water column. The pelagic ecosystem is largely dependent on the phytoplankton inhabiting the upper, sunlit regions, where most ocean organisms live.
Big Boy C. Frontosa Cichlid
Biodiversity decreases sharply in the unlit zones where water pressure is high, temperatures are cold, and food sources scarce. Pelagic waters are divided, in descending order, into the epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, abyssopelagic and hadopelagic zones) and they rarely ventures close to the shoreline.

The species generally resides at greater depths of 98 feet to 164 feet (30–50 metres sub-surface) (1 Feet (ft) = 3.28083 Meters (m)) (30 meters = 98’ ) to  (50 meters= 164’) than most other cichlids and rises to shallow waters in the early morning to feed on shoaling fish such as Cyprichromis species. C. frontosa can grow to a significant size even captive specimens can grow to 35 cm in length or 1’.15” and this fish can live for over 25 years old.



C. frontosa has distinct markings 
They have 6-7 black vertical bars adorning a white or blue body and head and trailing fins with a distinct blue hue. The species also develops a nuchal hump that is more pronounced as they become older specimen in other words the older the fish the bigger the hump becomes

C. frontosa is a sexually monomorphic species 
Although the hump is occasionally are more pronounced in males. (Monomorphic is talking about the secondary sex characteristics are features that distinguish the two sexes of a species, but that are not directly part of the reproductive system. Example the male peacocks tail feather are tied to attraction; male lions mane long and full is more attractive to the lioness the mane is tied to attractiveness; the proboscis monkeys  bigger his nose the more attractive he is to the female proboscis monkey; in humans, visible secondary sex characteristics include enlarged breasts of females and facial hair and adam's apple on males.

As is the case with many of the cichlid species found in Lake Tanganyika, parallel evolution between distinct breeding colonies has resulted in several different color variants developing.

C. Frontosa in the Home Aquarium
 C. frontosa is popular aquarium fish and several naturally occurring color morphs are frequently available for sale to hobbyists. Due to its size C. frontosa needs a relatively large aquarium; however, it behaves relatively sedately and is tolerant of both con- and heterospecifics. To house a single frontosa you need at minim of 29 gallon tank however frontosa do not like being alone and they will not thrive alone they require additional C. Frontosa. 

A Single C. frontosa Requires Cave 
Cave is a must for your frontosa to live in; this will ensure the frontosa feels secure. If a cave is not present to satisfy the frontosa's need for security it will begin to attack the other fish in the tank and this is especially true with male frontosa however the female frontosa are more likely to be satisfied with ground territory and they are best kept with other cichlids or semi-aggressive fish.

C. frontosa are best kept in at least 150 gallon tank (550 L);  
The 150 gallon tank can house 6-8 frontosa. Their water chemistry and temperature should mirror those found naturally in Lake Tanganyika and the PH should be 7.8 to 9.0 and the temperature of the water should be 79 to 82 F (26-27 C).

In addition to rocks or other ornaments such as pipes which allow the fish to hide and reduce stress.

C. frontosa is an opportunistic feeder in the wild:
Their diet in the home antiquarian should consist of good quality prepared foods like frozen foods such as krill and earthworms occasionally, crickets, white worms, water fleas.

C. frontosa when spooked or frightened:
They have been known to break thermometers, filters, and even crack tanks. Frontosa do not grow to the size of the tank, they will grow to about 10-14” (25–35 cm). The C. frontosa these majestic giants have roamed the depths of Lake Tanganyika for millions of years and only within the last three decades have we come to know them as King of the Aquarium.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Cyphotilapia frontosa

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:     Animalia
Phylum:       Chordata
Class:          Actinopterygii
Order:          Perciformes
Family:        Cichlidae
Subfamily:   Pseudocrenilabrinae
Genus:         Cyphotilapia
Species:       C. frontosa
Binomial name
Cyphotilapia frontosa
Boulenger, 1906

Bigirimana (2005). Cyphotilapia frontosa. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and a brief justification of why this species is of least concern

"Cyphotilapia frontosa". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 18 April 2006.

Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Cyphotilapia frontosa" in FishBase. November 2005 version.

Maréchal, C. and M. Poll, 1991. Boulengerochromis.. p. 27-28. In: J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, G.G. Teasels and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 4.




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Friday, December 16, 2011

Congress Chooses Hell's Fury


Lake Tanganyika

US Government Decided Export Climate Change to Africa  

Destroying Fish Stocks' in Lake Tanganyika and this US export started in the 60’s.  A warming climate is the culprit and not local fishermen over fishing is not to blame for the falling fish harvests in Lake Tanganyika, according to new research findings published in the British journal Nature.
     
Lake Tanganyika has 18% of the world's fresh water the lake yields 200,000 tones of fish annually however sardines down by about 50% since 1970s the shortfall threatens the diets of the lake's shoreline countries of Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 Catherine O'Reilly of New York's Vassar College.  
The study was carried out by a team of researchers led by Vassar College. Lake Tanganyika, the second largest lake in the world, yields 200,000 tones of fish a year, an important source of food and revenue for the shoreline nations. The scientists found out that the harvest of sardines, the lake's main commercial fish, has declined by as much as 50% since the 1970s.

Cyphotilapia frontosa
Poor mix: 
This was caused by increased climate warming - air temperatures over the lake have increased by about 1.5 degrees Celsius, while wind speeds have diminished. With the temperature of deeper water rising less dramatically, this has resulted in less mixing of the layers, and algal growth has dropped by 20%.

This in turn has led to reduced food for several important fish species, such as sardines. As temperatures increase, the decline in the lake's productivity is expected to continue, according to Ms O'Reilly and her team of researchers.

Scientists have already predicted that central Africa's Great Lakes region, where Lake Tanganyika is situated, may face a temperature increase of up to 1.7 degrees Celsius over the next 80 years, suggesting a greater shortfall in fish harvests.

Other Lakes: "The human implications of such subtle, but progressive environmental changes are potentially dire in this densely populated region of the world, where large lakes are essential natural resources for regional economies," the researchers say.

They say the study shows that global climate change has had a greater impact on Lake Tanganyika than local human activity, such as farming. Lake Tanganyika, 650 kilometers long and 50 km wide, contains 18% of the planet's fresh water. 

The researchers say that other lakes might be undergoing similar changes.

Like  Lake Malawi and Lake VictoriaWhy should I care I don't like sardines, well this is more than sardines or a lake. This all about the cichlid Cyphotilapia frontosa and this animal could become extinct in 80 to 100 years in the wild let me show you what your are not interested in.

Frontosa

This fish lives at depth of 100' in Lake Tanganyika and rises from the depths to the surface every morning to feed and it's food is becoming more difficult to find  because of climate change are you really willing to see this beautiful animal become extinct in the wild? 
 


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Monday, December 12, 2011

African Jewelfish, Diet, Reproduction, pH Requirements

African Jewelfish, Diet, Reproduction, Water pH Requirements
African jewelfish Habitat and Ranges 

African jewelfish from the Nile River in the north, Niger River to the Southwest and the Congo River to the west although the 3 rivers that do not intersect, drain, or flood into one another. The burning question becomes; how did African jewelfish become so widely disbursed with virtually no change in reproduction, spawning or behavioral patterns from Africa, South America, Iran, North America.

African jewelfish and Continent of Gondwana

Gondwana included most of the landmasses in today's Southern Hemisphere, including Antarctica, South America, Africa, Madagascar and the Australian continent, as well as the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent, which have now moved entirely into the Northern Hemisphere. The great breakup in Gondwana began to break apart 184 million years ago and was completed by 110 million years.

Continent of Gondwanaland before the Big Breakup  
The adjective --Gondwanan is in common use biogeography when referring to patterns of distribution of living organisms, typically when the organisms are restricted to two or more of the now-discontinuous regions that were once part of Gondwana, including the Antarctic flora. For example, the Proteaceae, a family of plants known only from southern South America, South Africa and Australia, are considered to have and " The African jewelfish, has the Gondwanan distribution"; this pattern is often considered to indicate an archaic or relict, lineage.
Continents of Gondwanaland after the Big Breakup and the African jewelfish
So why isn’t the African jewelfish all over Africa?
Eonile is the explanation the present Nile is at least the fifth river that has flowed north from the Ethiopian Highlands. Satellite imagery was used to identify dry watercourses in the desert to the west of the Nile. An Eonile canyon, now filled by surface drift, represents an ancestral Nile called the Eonile that flowed during the later Miocene (23–5.3 million years before present). The Eonile transported clastic sediments to the Mediterranean; several natural gas fields have been discovered within these sediments.
Eonile Canyon 8200 feet beneath Cairo
During the late-Miocene Messinian salinity crisis, when the Mediterranean Sea was a closed basin and evaporated to the point of being empty or nearly so, the Nile cut its course down to the new base level until it was several hundred feet below world ocean level at Aswan and 8,000 feet (2,400 m) below Cairo. This created a very long and deep canyon which was filled with sediment when the Mediterranean was recreated. At some point the sediments raised the riverbed sufficiently for the river to overflow westward into a depression to create Lake Moeris.

Lake Tanganyika drained northwards into the Nile until the Virunga Volcanoes blocked its course in Rwanda. The Nile was much longer at that time, with its furthest headwaters in northern Zambia.
 
The African jewelfish, also known as Jewel Cichlid 
JewlFish, is from the family cichlidae, and can grow up to 6 inches long however they usually do not exceed 5 and half inches in most home aquariums and keep the pH-value in the 6.5-7.5 range and the water temperature between 23-27 degrees C (74-80 degrees F) and max temperature (82 degree F-if breeding). 

Origin African jewelfish is in the Nile River, Niger River and Congo River

There are many different species of the jewelfish all of the different species from the
turquoise jewelfish cichlid, red jewelfish, blue, green or stripped jewelle,  behave the same way and they all have the same proclivities regarding behavior. The African jewelfish is not a community fish and you cannot have any other fish in a tank with them. Because of their beauty many people desire them as pets unfortunately this fish is omnivore with carnivorous tendencies, the jewelfish is predatory, extremely aggressive, territorial, and will always kill other fish. So if you want African jewelfish than keep only the same species in their aquarium.  

African jewelfish Habitat
The African jewelfish's origin is in Africa, hence its name. They are found in high numbers in the rivers of West Africa, but have also spread to areas of the Middle East, such as Iran, and also to parts of South America. Just recently, they have been discovered in areas of North America around the Gulf Coast, in states such as Florida and Alabama.
 
African jewelfish was artificially introduced in the hot springs of Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Naturally they can be found in creeks, streams, lakes, and rivers. Because African jewelfish is from Africa, they needs a soft and a bit more acidic water in order to stay alive in captivity.

African jewelfish lives in water that is partly salt water and partly fresh water and is in a tropical location because it prefers a water temperature of 75 to 85 F. When in captivity, the African jewelfish should be kept only with members of the same species. Aquarium size should be no less than 55 gallon 208.1976479 liters or 209 liter. Minim 55 gallon fish tank; the outside dimensions 48 1/4 x 12 3/4 x 21 (78 pounds when aquarium is empty)-(aquarium weight when filled 625 pounds) construction would be tempered glass.

African jewelfish Reproduction, Fry

When the African jewelfish is ready to breed, females will turn a deep red color to let the male know and swim very close to the male. The male and female will bond or jaw lock and the male will release sperm on the eggs once the female deposits her eggs lay the eggs on a you must provide flat surface for spawaning purposes. The female will protect her eggs and will kill anything that comes in close proximity and they sometimes eat their own fry. In a couple of days the eggs will hatch and the female will still protect them. The female can reproduce every three weeks. Jewel fish are 3 to 4 to 10 cm long.
 
African jewelfish Diet

The African Jewelfish are omnivorous. They feed on insects, crustaceans, and Caridina. Caridina are associated with shrimps and prawns. African Jewelfish can also eat some plants, such as algae and other weeds, as well as debris. When in captivity, African jewelfish can live by you feeding them varied diet of frozen or live food, flakes and pellets as they usually accept mostly all forms of fish food. They also eat algae wafers and shrimp pellets. They can be easily compared to the bottom feeding fish in an aquarium, as they like to eat the algae and other debris that forms in the fish tank. African jewelfish are also known to eat their own young practicing filial cannibalism.
 
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
By Maryana Pinchuk

African jewelfish
Scientific classification
Kingdom:   Animalia
Phylum:      Chordata
Class:         Actinopterygii
Order:        Perciformes
Family:       Cichlidae
Subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
Tribe:         Hemichromini
Genus:        Hemichromis
Species:      H. bimaculatus
Binomial name: Hemichromis bimaculatus
Described: Gill, 1862

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hemichromis bimaculatus
http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/african-cichlids/blue-jewel/100150.asp Jewel Cichlid

Further Reading
Robins, Richard C., Reeve M. Bailey, Carl E. Bond, James R. Brooker, Ernest A. Lachner, et al. (1980). A List of Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States and Canada, Fourth Edition. American Fisheries Society Special Publication, no. 12. American Fisheries Society Bethesda, Maryland.
Riehl, R., and H. A. Baensch. (1989). Aquarium Atlas. Hans A. Baensch. Melle, Germany. ISBN 3-88244-050-3.
    http://www.aquariumfish.com/aquariumfish/Breed_Profiles.aspx?aid=6263&cid=3680&search=African jewelfish
http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Cichlid,%20Jewel.htmJewel-Fish


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