# can you identify this fish



## TheAquaticPhoen (May 27, 2015)

can anyone identify this species? I want to rescue him because he isn't being taken care of. Just want to research the fish first and to do that i need to know what it is lol he is the sole inhabitant and the lady is giving the tank away which i don't need but my bleeding heart wants to rescue the fish that she states is a year old and will probably die soon. I was like "you ignorant @!/^%###" most fish live for quite a long time if you are a good pet owner and research how to care for your particular species...etc. anyway folks i keep mostly peaceful fw community fish and don't want to provide a dinner buffet or war zone by adding a fish that could upset the peace in my underwater world. Any help is great. My guesses are south American cichlid. Almost looks like a kirbensis (spelled wrong) but obviously it isn't because it's reddish violet to a deep purple. Thanks in advance... in case the pic doesn't post here is the address for Craigslist post. http://southjersey.craigslist.org/for/5054365437.html


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I'd say a "jewel" cichlid, one of the Hemichromis sp. Can't be more specific without seeing all of the spots. They are west african, like soft, but alkaline water and can be aggressive, but mostly only when breeding. But they can hold their own with CA and malawi cichlids. They usually are reddish to bright red and have some blue or green spangles and a row of black spots on the side. It will likely be okay solo in that tank, but may not tolerate company. Males and females look similar with males slightly larger and with pointier fins.


----------



## TheAquaticPhoen (May 27, 2015)

Yeah i can see the jewel cichlid now that you have mentioned it. Which aren't necessarily aggressive in my experience as far as cichlids are concerned but Def on another level compared to corys and tetras. Perhaps the thing to do would be pick up the tank and keep him in that tank or just pass on the situation all together. I just can't help but get involved ya know?


----------



## Elliott225 (Jan 9, 2014)

Red Jewel. They breed pretty easy. Can be aggressive. I have two tanks of them.


----------



## TheAquaticPhoen (May 27, 2015)

Tank size min. For a single red jewel? Do they prefer to be alone or paired or in groups and m to f ratio if group?


----------



## big b (Aug 17, 2014)

He kept a jewel cichlid in a 10 gallon. Sad ain't it?


----------



## TheAquaticPhoen (May 27, 2015)

evil wizard said:


> He kept a jewel cichlid in a 10 gallon. Sad ain't it?


 Yeah unfortunately i see heart breakers like this all the time and it just pisses me off! Hence the reason I needed to identify the fish and research compatability with my fw community. I keep reptiles as well and i see 4 foot iguanas in 55 gallon tanks with their tails always bent against the glass and struggling to turn. It makes me sick. It all starts in the lps or lfs because it's all about money. I constantly will be checking the live stock out and ill over hear an employee telling a mom and child that silver dollars will do well alone in a ten gallon tank they don't grow that big! I have a mouth on me too my lfs hates me cause i immediately interupted the employee and said ma'am silver dollars grow to the size of a dinner plate and they grow fast. They prefer groups of 4 or more due to their shy nature. I get the evil look from the employee and i know i did something right. I just saved a fish from misery and short life span and a fish beginniner a head ache. You guys have any experiences like this? Or Am i the only one who talks down to some uneducated lfs employees? Lol


----------



## TheAquaticPhoen (May 27, 2015)

Best part about the whole situation is in her emails to me she told me she had more fish but they died. So when you guys identified it as a red jewel living in a ten gallon tank i was like hmmm that's what happened to your other fish... the jewel decided the tank wasn't big enough for anyone but him. Back in the day before Internet i could understand not taking the effort to be knowledgeable about the fish you plan to keep but with Google and forums ridiculously easy and available now your just a lazy animal abuser.


----------



## big b (Aug 17, 2014)

Oh yeah, Petco does not like me anymore. I do buy a lot from them but they know to lower their voices when I walk in. I will walk up to someone and tell them the truth about the fish. I do this in walmart too. I have done this so many times that when I walk in Petco they have a look on their face. The look is "Oh no, here he comes". I have made 1 friend at petco. He does not know anywhere as much as me, but I like him. He has a beard, which I think is cool .


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Hmmm... I've never seen or heard of a Silver Dollar the size of a dinner plate. I've seen pacus and pirahnas that big, but never a Silver Dollar. How did I ever miss that in over 40 years of fishkeeping?


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

jewels vary in size and aggression. H. cristatus is a nice fish. I keep a pair in a 15. the "five-star general" H. elongotus is huge and nasty, but very impressive. Bimaculatus and guttatus are the most common in stores. 

They are all amazing parents and will guard fry until they are nearly the size of the parents. 

Treat them like convicts. Give them enough space and they will coexist with other fish until they pair up. They aren't group fish once grown. Keep them alone or in pairs. If you have a pair, you will have more fry than you know what to do with.


----------



## big b (Aug 17, 2014)

Oh I know what (s)he was talking about. (S)he was talking about a red hook silver dollar. Those fish grow big. I think I read somehting around 16 inches.


----------



## TheAquaticPhoen (May 27, 2015)

lol theoldsalt - red hooks 10" max size, common silver dollars 6" to 8" and the spotted silver dollars 6" to 8"... average size of a dinner plate is anywhere from 7" to 12". not to mention they are schooling fish and would be very unhappy in a 10 gallon tank as the woman in the lfs mentioned she had! perhaps a dinner plate was the wrong comparison... maybe a side plate  lol - and a dinner plate isn't the right comparison for a pacu - probably better suited compared to a trash can lid  haha they get to unmanageable max size for the average hobbyist! but you got my point when I said it! thanks for the back up evil wizard lol


----------



## big b (Aug 17, 2014)

Anytime dude.


----------

