# Cichlid ID- Jewel?



## Vermifugert (Jun 15, 2006)

I was sold this fish as a Jewel cichlid but it looks nothing like what i have seen on line. can somone give me some ideas?










it's about 5" long and seems to be VERY healthy.


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## Laura Ann (May 3, 2006)

Definatly not a jewel... beautiful guy though...

Maybe a SA cichlid?


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## craftyflalady (Jan 25, 2006)

*Don't look like any Jewel I have seen, but no idea what it is except very pretty! ;-) Good luck! *


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Not a jewel, maybe Aequidens, maybe curviceps maybe nanocara anamola. Look for s.a. dwarfs list. Mostly peaceful, and like soft water.


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

it IS a JEWEL ... a turquoise jewel variaty ... there are several color variations go here and scroll down about 10 pictures and then a little further there are several pics of the turquoise jewel as well as some of the other variations
http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Cichlid, Jewel.htm


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## Vermifugert (Jun 15, 2006)

joe kool said:


> it IS a JEWEL ... a turquoise jewel variaty ... there are several color variations go here and scroll down about 10 pictures and then a little further there are several pics of the turquoise jewel as well as some of the other variations
> http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Cichlid, Jewel.htm


After looking at that site i'm sure it is a turquoise jewel. thanks alot. i wish there was more info available on them i have no idea how to sex it.


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

male dorsal fins will be a bit more elongated and pointed toward the rear. the females will have a more rounded appearance. I'm sure if you just search "jewel cichlid sexing" alot will come up probably more indepth than I can give you as I've only kept a hand full and never attempted to breed them. They are just a little too aggressive for most other african cichlids so I got away from them


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Yep it is a jewel, Joe hit that one right on the head. A nice fish, but very aggressive. Best kept with a mate with no other fish. Or in a large tank with other paired cichlids.
What are you keeping it with and in what sized tank?


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

I almost forgot ... venting may be an option on this one espicially at the adult size as this one is. You catch the fish turn it upsid down and look at teh ventral area (anus and the other hole) there will be 2 holes there on both male and females. the hole furthest from the anal fin is the anus the other is the urogenital opening. This opening will be smaller to close to the same size in males as the anus. Females will be bigger to close to the same size (yes confusing I know but sometimes it's hard to tell truthfully) Just think of it like this ... males have to pass urine and sperm through it ... not a very large opening required for that huh ... females pass urine and eggs. now depending on the species some fish eggs are quite substantial (salmon come to mind) while others are almost microscopic ( neons or darters) so they have quite a good sized object to get through there (versus the liquid the males pass anyway  )


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## Vermifugert (Jun 15, 2006)

Cichlid Man said:


> Yep it is a jewel, Joe hit that one right on the head. A nice fish, but very aggressive. Best kept with a mate with no other fish. Or in a large tank with other paired cichlids.
> What are you keeping it with and in what sized tank?


This fish has been in my community tank for about 4 months now. 

55 Gallon 'all glass' 
fluval 305 canister filter
Tetra Whisper 60 air pump

1 Metriaclima lombardoi (Kenyi) (F)

2 Pseudotropheus socolofi (Powder & Electic blue) (unsexed)

1 Melanochromis cyanerhabdos (maingano) (m)

1 Hemichromis bimaculatus (Red Jewel) (m)

1 Electic Blue Lobster.... male? no clue. he does a better job cleaning the tank then the pleco.

The Turquoise jewel is very shy. it rarely shows itself unless it's feeding time. It hasn't show any aggression and it appears to be an adult now. it is probably 6" from tail to nose. Roughly equal in size to my Jack Dempsey (another tank!) 

I recently added a pleco to the tank since my needle nose gar fish committed suicide. Not sure of the type I believe it may be called a 'high fin'


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

EEEKKK!!! ... I hope you have a good hiding place the crayfish can get into that the fish can't becouse the first time he sheds his exoskeleton those cichlids will make short work of him. espicially the bigger jewels. The 6" jewel probably stays hidden not becouse he's shy but becouse he's the meanest in the tank and keeps the best hiding spot LOL the dominate fish in a tank usually camps out in the best "hidey hole" in the tank then everyone else tries to find the next best thing


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Vermifugert said:


> 55 Gallon 'all glass'


Oh really? I thought they were still making those wooden tanks.lol

As long as you're not seeing any territorial problems then I guess there's not much to worry about. 
My only critisism would be that jewels prefer a more acidic aquarium while the others like harder water. If the water is nuetral in ph, then both types of fish would be better off.


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

beggin pardon ... the electric yellows and pretty much everything else will "want" water up in the 8 ph range ... 7 would be WAY too low Jewels are much more tolerant to higher ph than malawians are to lower PH. Jewels being more of a river fish by nature they have to be ability to tolerate a wide range of conditions as a good rain or flood up stream will change their conditions dramatically ... in a very short time span. The "rift lake" cichlids habitats, however, are much more stable and constant there for the fish aren't required to adapt to such a change in conditions. 

here's some info on'em:
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_jewel.php
and here:
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/universal-viewid277.html

There's literally 100's of "profiles" out there


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## joe kool (Jan 24, 2005)

Cichlid Man said:


> Oh really? I thought they were still making those wooden tanks.lol



I think they were talkin about the brand of tank they have ... but it could be a slate botom LOL ... I still see some of them from time to time


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## Vermifugert (Jun 15, 2006)

joe kool said:


> EEEKKK!!! ... I hope you have a good hiding place the crayfish can get into that the fish can't becouse the first time he sheds his exoskeleton those cichlids will make short work of him. espicially the bigger jewels. The 6" jewel probably stays hidden not becouse he's shy but becouse he's the meanest in the tank and keeps the best hiding spot LOL the dominate fish in a tank usually camps out in the best "hidey hole" in the tank then everyone else tries to find the next best thing


He’s already shed a few times. With no problems so I must be doing something right.


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## Vermifugert (Jun 15, 2006)

joe kool said:


> I think they were talkin about the brand of tank they have ... but it could be a slate botom LOL ... I still see some of them from time to time


Yes the band is "all glass"


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## Vermifugert (Jun 15, 2006)

joe kool said:


> EEEKKK!!! ... I hope you have a good hiding place the crayfish can get into that the fish can't becouse the first time he sheds his exoskeleton those cichlids will make short work of him. espicially the bigger jewels. The 6" jewel probably stays hidden not becouse he's shy but becouse he's the meanest in the tank and keeps the best hiding spot LOL the dominate fish in a tank usually camps out in the best "hidey hole" in the tank then everyone else tries to find the next best thing


On that note my EBL just shed again! i'm gona try and get some pics of it!!!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I've never seen turquoise jewels are they H. bimaculatus?


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

emc7 said:


> I've never seen turquoise jewels are they H. bimaculatus?


It's a Hemichromis sp, a cultivated form.
Here is a juvenile:


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