
Jewel cichlid gladly eats all types of feed, but to get the maximum of its color it’s desirable to feed the fish with live feed: blood worm, tubifex, white worms, fish frames etc. – this isn’t a full list of what this cichlid can feed on. Plant feed can be added to the diet – lettuce leaves or feed with spirulina addition. Tank mates
Do jewel fish eat their fry?
The Jewel Fish is the one cichlid that everyone admires for its beauty, but no one wants in a community aquarium. The parents will not eat their fry like so many other cichlids and will go on making more and more. Give this some thought before you begin, but the rewards of breeding this fish are unending.
How to raise cichlid Fry properly?
In order to raise cichlid fry properly, you will need several extra fish tanks to use as the cichlid fry tank and the grow-out tank. You may even need to separate the fry into several different grow-out tanks if some grow more quickly than others.
How often should I Feed my jewel cichlid?
A full belly is a healthy belly with any growing cichlid, so feeding should be often. Water Conditions: The Jewel fish is not particularly choosy about pH or hardness within reason since they are flood-plain dwellers in nature. However, these fish must be provided an efficient filter system, to ensure clear and clean water at all times.
What fish can I put with a jewel fish?
Some Central and South American cichlids make decent tank mates for the jewel. These fish are not overly aggressive, provided you have an appropriate tank setup. Consider the Jack Dempsey, firemouth cichlid, green terror, or some parrots. Fast swimming, schooling fish can also pair well.

What do you feed new cichlid fry?
Begin to feed the fry two or three times a day with a mixture of protein-rich fry foods and live foods like infusoria and newly-hatched brine shrimp.
What do baby cichlids eat?
For the first few days, they'll need to eat newly hatched brine shrimp, or a specialized liquid or powdered fry food. After around a week, they should be fine eating mashed up pellet or flake food.
How do you grow cichlid fry fast?
0:194:36The fastest way to grow African Cichlid fry! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFor food and feeding schedule feeding a high-quality. Food with the right ingredients for your fishMoreFor food and feeding schedule feeding a high-quality. Food with the right ingredients for your fish will aid them in growth. The more times a day you feed them the faster their metabolism.
What do red jewel cichlids eat?
Jewel cichlids are omnivores and will happily snack on flake food, pellets, and live food. Overall they're pretty easy fish to feed, so you shouldn't have too much trouble managing their diet.
How quickly do cichlid fry grow?
They will grow about 4 inches in the first year or so of life and not reach full size until about 5 years old.
How do you keep fry alive in a community tank?
How to Raise Baby Fish Fry in Your AquariumProtect the Eggs from the Parents. Many fish do not show any parental care towards their offspring and will happily eat their own eggs that they just laid a few seconds ago. ... Remove the Fry. ... Provide Lots of Cover. ... Keep Good Water Quality. ... Feed Tiny Foods Multiple Times a Day.
Why are my cichlid fry dying?
A lot of time with fry there are two potential issues - ammonia and food. If you are getting most of them to about 2 cm and they are dropping off it maybe that the food is too small for them to get enough. If they seem to be dwindling slowly, that would point more to water conditions.
What can I feed my African cichlid fry?
4:4110:25How to care for African Cichlid Fry - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOnce or twice a week I feed them some brine shrimp and krill. But it's not recommended you feed themMoreOnce or twice a week I feed them some brine shrimp and krill. But it's not recommended you feed them every day it's just just feed them sporadically.
How do you set up a cichlid fry tank?
0:554:49AFRICAN CICHLID fry tank setup - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI take juvenile fish or even fry and I put him right into the sixty. Gallon. Yeah. I wouldn't haveMoreI take juvenile fish or even fry and I put him right into the sixty. Gallon. Yeah. I wouldn't have to worry about moving him for a long time. They would they would grow. Sure they would grow.
How many fry Do jewel cichlids have?
During the spawning period, the female lays about 500 eggs, mostly on smooth rocks. You should purify the breeding ground in advance. The eggs take about 2 to 4 days to hatch. Soon after, the parents may move them to grounds considered safe until they are old enough to swim.
How fast do red jewel cichlids grow?
How fast do jewel cichlids grow? Newborn fry will reach a length of about 0.4 inches (1 cm) in about a month. Adults reach their maximum size in about two years.
How can you tell if a red jewel is male or female?
A male jewel cichlid is larger and more deeply colored than the females of the species. While both the male and female are covered with small spots all over their bodies, the male's spots are iridescent, often shimmering in shades of aqua and yellow where the female's appear white or silver.
What do baby cichlid fry eat?
1:092:53FEEDING FRY AFRICAN CICHLID BABY FOOD - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBecause the way I feed them there's no way one could just hog a food what I do is I take flake foodMoreBecause the way I feed them there's no way one could just hog a food what I do is I take flake food and I take a little bit of brine shrimp. And a little bit of bloodworm. And an algae wafer.
How do you take care of baby cichlids?
0:5210:25How to care for African Cichlid Fry - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo the first thing you want to be looking into is the filtration filtration is always a highMoreSo the first thing you want to be looking into is the filtration filtration is always a high priority for any african cichlid let alone the fry.
What do you feed small cichlids?
6:168:05What We Feed Our Cichlids | Tips for Faster Growth - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAbout once per week we also give our cichlids frozen dried shrimp for bloodworms. We found that ifMoreAbout once per week we also give our cichlids frozen dried shrimp for bloodworms. We found that if you do this too often they can get spoiled. And stop eating dry foods.
How often do you feed juvenile cichlids?
Obsese cichlids lose their brilliant colors and die young. I've found that feeding adults once a day works well. Once a week I feed them nothing at all. You can feed juveniles twice a day to promote growth, but taper off feeding once the fish reach maturity.
What is a jewel cichlid?
The Jewel Cichlid: A Feisty Flash of Fire. As their name suggests, jewel cichlids are both strikingly beautiful and, well, cichlids. This means that a sparkling flash of color in your tank comes with a fiery personality to match.
What temperature should a jewel cichlid be?
Keep the temperature in the range of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (24 to 27 degrees C). The pH should stay between 6.5 and 7.5 and the hardness between 4 and 16 dGH.
What is the name of the jewelfish?
The jewel cichlid ( Hemichromis bimaculatus) goes by several names, including blue or green or popular red jewel cichlid and African jewelfish. It is occasionally mistaken for another African cichlid with the scientific name Hemichromis letourneuxi, which has a similar appearance and is an invasive species in parts of Florida.
How big do jewel cichlids get?
In captivity, the jewel cichlid will grow to a length of about six inches (15 cm). Interestingly, wild cichlids can grow significantly larger, up to a foot (30.5 cm) in length!
What is the goal of a jewel cichlid tank?
The goal for setting up a jewel cichlid tank is to recreate their natural habitat as closely as possible.
How to make a cichlid hide?
Add large rocks, clay pots, or driftwood to create hiding spaces and territories that your cichlids can claim.
What is the shape of a jewel?
The body shape of the jewel is long, pointed, and compressed laterally. It has large eyes and a strong, upward-turned mouth. Just past the head, a hump rises then blends into the rest of the body. Adult jewel sporting a well-defined hump.
What do Jewel fish fry eat?
Food for Days 8–21: Jewel Fish fry will eat baby brine shrimp, micro worms, and finely ground fry food, all of which are very rich in protein. Food Beyond 21 Days: The fry will constantly be hungry, foraging as a cloud of fry, under the parents' careful and watchful eyes, but at this point, they can eat high quality, high protein flake food, ...
How do jewel fish breed?
Breeding Method: As with other medium-sized cichlids, Jewel Fish go through a mating ritual which looks like fighting; then the pair will be close to each other for several days, finally laying eggs and fertilizing them side by side, egg by egg.
What color is a jewel fish?
When not in breeding season, the Jewel Fish is a dull olive color overall, with three black dots on its sides.
What temperature do jewel fish need to be?
It is also important to maintain a steady temperature from 78 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit for breeding to take place.
How to tell if a jewel fish is ready to lay eggs?
To tell the difference between the sexes, look for a plump female: when in breeding condition the female will be full of roe (eggs).
How long do fry wiggles stay hidden?
Fry Wiggling: Once born, the fry will be hidden by the parents for several days, probably still within the safety of the flowerpot. They are helpless during this time but protected by the parents with their very lives.
How many eggs do jewel fish have?
Egg Size and Number: Mature Jewel Fish produce 250–300 yellowish eggs that are about 2 mm in diameter. Hatching Time: The eggs hatch in three days; 1 no intervention is required or suggested. The parents will constantly fan the eggs with their fins and pick at them to remove fungus and dead eggs.
How big should a fry tank be for cichlids?
Depending on the number of cichlid fry you intend to raise, a grow-out cichlid fry tank should be between 20 and 30 gallons in size. Equip your grow-out tank with adequate heating, lighting and filtration to ensure water circulation and a stable water temperature around 78° F. It is also a good idea to frequently check the pH level ...
How long do cichlids care for their young?
To determine whether or not this is the case for your cichlids you may need to do a little bit of basic research. If you are able to determine that your cichlids do not typically care for their young it is best to remove the adults from the tank as soon as spawning is complete.
How do cichlids breed?
When it comes to breeding cichlids, these fish can be divided into two main groups by their breeding methods: one group contains mouthbrooders and the other contains substrate spawners. In mouthbrooding species, the process of mating is typically no different from other cichlid species. After the eggs have been released by the female, however, one of the pair will gather the eggs in its mouth and hold them there until they hatch. In some cases, the female will gather the eggs in her mouth and the male will fertilize them afterward. There are even a few species of cichlid (namely tilapiines) which exhibit paternal mouthbrooding. Once the eggs have hatched, the fry will often remain close to the parents as they grow, relying on them for food and protection.
What to put in fry tank to increase oxygen?
You may also include some live plants like java moss or hygrophila to increase the oxygen content in your fry tank. When decorating your grow-out tank, be sure to leave enough open space for the fry to swim freely - keep the rock caves and piles concentrated in the corners of the tank so the middle remains open.
How to use water from a breeding tank?
Use water from the breeding tank to fill it and equip the nursery tank with a quality aquarium heater and a sponge filter. It is important that filtration and water circulation be achieved in the fry tank, but you do not want to use anything powerful enough to hurt the fry.
How big do cichlids grow?
Once your cichlids grow to about two inches in length, you may consider it safe to introduce a few of them into your community tank, without overcrowding the tank, or sell them to other aquarists to further support your hobby. YouTube. havo02. 793 subscribers.
Where do cichlids deposit their eggs?
Substrate spawning species of cichlid can be further divided into groups based on where they deposit their eggs. Some species scatter their eggs over a wide area on substrate and plants while others deposit them on a flat surface. Still other species dig a nest in the substrate and deposit the eggs directly into the nest.

Natural Habitat
Appearance and Biology
Gender Differences
Size
Lifespan
Behavior
How Many Per gallon?
Tank Setup
Tank Mates
Food and Diet
- Jewel cichlids are omnivoresand not especially picky ones at that. They are benthopelagic predators of convenience in the wild, taking advantage of available food sources along the stream bottom. Feed your fish a high-quality flake food or cichlid pellet six days a week and allow one day without food for digestion. A couple of times a week, switch ...