Care
The Jewel Cichlid is known from shallow, quiet stretches of large rivers, oxbow lakes, and swampy habitats where there is an abundance of aquatic plants, both submerged and emergent. They are also known from slightly brackish waters in coastal lagoons.
Jewel Cichlids are highly territorial and must be kept in spacious aquaria (ideally minimum 4ft long) with plenty of visual barriers amongst the decor. Their antagonistic behaviour is not so much of an issue in the wild, where fish can easily move from one territory to another, but it can certainly present problems within the confines of the aquarium. Provide a sandy substrate along with plenty of nooks and crannies formed from pebbles, rocks, pieces of slate, flowerpots turned on their sides, and tangles of driftwood - ensuring that lines of sight are broken up. Areas of dense planting will be appreciated, but as this species likes to dig, it is best to stick to robust species that can be tied on and trained to grow on the decor, such as Anubias spp. and Java Fern (Microsorum spp.) plus floating varieties. Filtration should be efficient but water movement not too strong, and frequent partial water changes should be carried out to keep nitrate levels at a minimum. Jewel Cichlids are best maintained in pairs, but picking out a male and a female will not guarantee they are compatible, and the stronger fish may kill off the weaker individual. It is better to purchase a group of 6+ youngsters and allow a natural pair to form, before rehoming the others. Tankmates, if desired, must be chosen with care as Jewel Cichlids become highly aggressive when spawning, but good choices could include some of the larger African tetra species (Alestes, Arnoldichthys, Bathyaethiops, Phenacogrammus spp. etc) or Synodontis catfish. However, be aware it is very likely you will need to relocate the tankmates should the Jewel Cichlids start breeding. This is why many choose to keep these beautiful fish in a species tank environment.
A few strains of this fish have been developed in aquaria and some have been confused with their rarer wild relatives. A form with dark males and bright scarlet females has been traded as lifallili for years, but bears little resemblance to the genuine wild fish, which is much more peaceful. Recently a short-bodied/balloon form has appeared.
Feeding
Flake, green flake, cichlid pellets, and small frozen foods such as white mosquito larvae, bloodworm, vitamin/spirulina-enriched brineshrimp, and Mysis shrimp.
Breeding
Jewel Cichlids are pair-bonded substrate spawners. The water should be neutral to slightly soft and acidic with the temperature set towards the higher end of the preferred range, and there should be plenty of flat rocks such as slate for the female to deposit her eggs on to. The best way to obtain a compatible pair is to purchase a group of young fish and allow them to pair off naturally. Once a pair has formed, the remaining fish should be moved to another tank (this includes tankmates) for their own safety. A large, cool water change often triggers the fish into spawning, at which time the female will turn a deep red colour. The pair will select a spawning site and clean it thoroughly. Spawning is an active affair and the male can be very vigorous in his pursuit of the female. Observe them carefully in case she shows signs that she is unwilling, as the eager male has been known to harass the female to death if she is not ready. Spawning occurs in much the same manner as many other cichlid species, with the female depositing a line of eggs on the cleaned spawning site, then moving away to be replaced by the male who fertilises them. Up to 300 eggs may be laid, and these will hatch within 48 hours. During this time, the female takes care of the eggs, whilst the male fiercely guards the perimeter. Once the eggs hatch, the entire brood will be moved into a pre-dug pit near to the spawning site, and may be moved again to other pits before they become free-swimming (usually a further 4-6 days). At this point, they can be offered baby brineshrimp (Artemia nauplii) or microworm. The parent fish will continue to care for the young for 4 weeks or so, after which point the fry should be moved to another aquarium as the parents are quite likely to spawn again.
