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Aggressive to tank-mates when paired; best in a species tank or with robust fish.
33 species in our list are a good match.
Aggressive to tank-mates when paired; best in a species tank or with robust fish.
Frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia and quality cichlid pellets; live foods bring out colour.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Difficult to sex. In males the blue spotting in the middle of the fins forms a net-like pattern.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Substrate spawner (biparental guarders) · Moderate
Substrate spawner that forms a pair; both parents guard the eggs and fry, and brood care lasts about a month. Pairs become very aggressive when spawning.
Buy 6 juveniles and let a pair form; once paired, they defend the spawning site fiercely.
100-150 L tank with a flat stone, flowerpot or cave, a sand or gravel base and cover; separate the pair from other fish while spawning.
Good conditioning with live and frozen foods, a warm water change and a flat stone the pair can clean.
Up to about 600 eggs; they hatch in about 2-3 days and the fry swim freely about a day later.
Both parents guard the eggs and fry, moving them between pits. Feed newly hatched brine shrimp and crushed flake; remove fry before the parents are bothered by tank-mates.
A red, blue-spangled West African cichlid; pairs become very aggressive when spawning. Many 'jewel cichlids' in shops are other Hemichromis species, which are hard to tell apart.
American zoologist Theodore Gill described this species in 1862. Several red Hemichromis species are sold as 'jewel cichlids', which has caused long-standing confusion. It is an aggressive but devoted parent.
First described by Theodore Gill in 1862.
16 facts checked with sources
Gill, 1862. FishBase: 'Species boundaries in the genus Hemichromis remain unclear', and H. cristatus has been moved to Rubricatochromis (Lamboj & Koblmüller 2022). Many red 'jewel cichlids' in the trade are other Hemichromis (e.g. H. lifalili, H. guttatus); Seriously Fish: H. lifalili has 2 flank spots, H. bimaculatus 3.
FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summary · Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatusLegacy has no family; value is new.
FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summarySL figures. Legacy 14 cm is within rounding of FishBase 13.6 cm SL; Seriously Fish 15 cm SL; FishBase says 12 cm in captivity.
FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summary · Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatusLegacy 24-28 inside Seriously Fish (preferred for husbandry) 22-28. FishBase's 21-23 is a narrow wild-water figure.
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatus · FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summaryLegacy has no hardness; value is new.
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatus · FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summary120 x 30 cm base x 30 cm height = 108 L (legacy 150 L). FishBase: minimum aquarium length 100 cm.
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatus · FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summarySeriously Fish: buy a group of young fish and let a pair form.
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatus · FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summaryNo source names a swimming level.
FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summarySeriously Fish's difficulty box says 'Easy', but its text advises against it for beginners; legacy 2 (moderate) kept.
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatusLegacy has no range. FishBase gives a wider West African range (and doubtful Congo/Nile records) but notes one source limits it to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia; species boundaries are unclear.
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatus · FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summaryLegacy 'male larger and brighter' not supported; legacy tip 'hard to sex' agrees.
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatusLegacy 200-500 eggs hatching in 2-3 days is consistent (Seriously Fish gives both 48 h and 72 h).
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatusLegacy story verified; misidentification point added.
Seriously Fish: Hemichromis bimaculatus · FishBase: Hemichromis bimaculatus summary