Jewel cichlid care
Hemichromis bimaculatus · West Africa
Jewel cichlids are brilliant red cichlids from West Africa with blue spangles, and they are fiercely territorial, above all when breeding.
- Tank size
- 40 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Adult size
- 6 in
- pH
- 6.5 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 5 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5 to 8 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 40 gallon breeder
36 3/16 × 18¼ × 16 15/16 in outsideHow to keep jewel cichlids
Jewel cichlids are brilliant red cichlids from West Africa with blue spangles, and they are fiercely territorial, above all when breeding. A pair needs a 40 gallon or larger tank of their own, or with sturdy fish, at 72 to 82 °F, with caves and open sand.
Diet: Carnivore: cichlid pellets, frozen and live foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Jewel cichlid tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Every likely tankmate in our list comes with a caution for jewel cichlids. These can share a large tank if you watch them closely:
Giant danio: Jewel cichlids are aggressive and may fight with giant danios.
Three-spot (blue) gourami: Jewel cichlids are aggressive and may fight with three-spot (blue) gouramis.
Electric blue acara: Jewel cichlids are aggressive and may fight with electric blue acaras.
Yellow lab cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive and may fight with yellow lab cichlids.
Rainbow cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive and may fight with rainbow cichlids.
Acei cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive and may fight with acei cichlids.
Blue acara: Jewel cichlids are aggressive and may fight with blue acaras.
Salvini cichlid: Jewel cichlids and Salvini cichlids are both aggressive and may fight.
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as neon tetras.
Cardinal tetra: Adult jewel cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Black neon tetra: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as black neon tetras.
Green neon tetra: Adult jewel cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult jewel cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Glowlight tetra: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as glowlight tetras.
What a jewel cichlid tank needs
A tank of 40 US gallons or more (such as the 40 gallon breeder) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Fluval U3
Rated by the maker for up to 40 US gal, which covers a 40 gallon jewel cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Hang-on-back Canister Filter 7W
Rated by the maker for 20–40 US gal, which covers a 40 gallon jewel cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 200W
Jewel cichlids need 72 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding jewel cichlids.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 40 gallon tank · Heaters for a 40 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common jewel cichlid problems
- Breeding pairs attack any fish near their eggs and fry; a species tank is the safe plan.
- Two adults put together often fight; let a pair form in a group of young fish.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Hemichromis bimaculatus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yellow lab cichlid Julian Matz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainbow cichlid Happy Birthday To You!, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Acei cichlid Toby Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blue acara Loïc Tremblay, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salvini cichlid Banteo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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