Help identifying Jewel

[FreakIndeed]

Just wondered if anyone could tell which Jewel this is? I know the common name gets thrown around a lot. I picked him up a couple weeks ago at the LFS for just $2.98. He's a beauty. He does have a small black spot at the base of his tail too, although it's not very bold in this photo.

Also, I was under the impression by the LFS that these don't get that mean. Is this true? He's in a 125 with a much larger Gold Severum, JD, and Firemouth. Eventually I'm going to add an Electric Blue JD (growing him out in his own tank right now) about the same size as the Jewel.

Thanks!

[MySpace Mike]

That would be a Red Jewel Cichlid, they are known to be a little fiesty and aggressive to other fish. They are normally from africa.

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_jewel.php

[Nolapete]

that would be correct

[tha cichlid man]

It's a Jewel cichlid (Hemichromis guttatus) & as for the getting mean part I had one a while back with about six other african cichlids and it petty much stayed to it's self.

[MySpace Mike]

I owned one a couple years ago in an african community tank, it stayed to itself also, but feeding time it would chase all the other fish around. he was quite the charactor

Hemichromis bimaculatus ;)

There's different one's with different names, but are all commonly called the Jewel Cichlid

Hemichromis bimaculatus Hemichromis guttatus Hemichromis lifalili

[tikitiki]

Gorgeous fish aren't they? I have one, and the only fish he had a problem with was the firemouth. Just the typical mouthing thing when one went into the other's territory. No damage to either of them, they've lived together for about 8 years battling over their spaces...sadly Mr. Firemouth just died yesterday...What's funny I guess, when I originally bought my jewel, he went into the African cichlid tank. Only lasted a few hours, they tore him apart. I had to temporarily house him in with my oscar at the time lol....

[Slappy*McFish]

I had a breeding pair of H. Lifalili a couple of years ago. Great fish and very beautiful.
Yours looks like H. Bimaculatus to me.

Here's an old link that may prove useful.
http://www.sydneycichlid.com/old_scp/hemichromis.html#G

[richos]

I believe what you have there is a Hemichromis cristatus (from Guinea, Ghana & Nigeria)
They along with the lifalili, are called Red Forest Jewels
The distinguishing feature that sets them apart from the lifalili and the guttatus (Common Jewel) is that the cristatus has a yellow gold colour on the spot on the operculum (gill cover).
The spot on the tail will fade with maturity and it should be a more orange colour rather than the red of the lifalili & redish brown of the gutatus or bimaculatus when fully mature.
Most people who think they have bimaculatus realy have gutatus (the bimacs are quite a dark brown and dont have many iridescent spots)
Its a very nice looking fish, a bargain at 3 bucks :)

Ive found quite a large variation of behaviour with the ones ive had...I had a lifalili that was an awesome red colour with a temprement to match...it would go apesh.t at anything that went in the tank with it including my wifes sycotic flowerhorn. But then ive seen them happily living in comunity tanks with fish it could easily kill.

As they come from riverine areas in west africa, they shouldnt generaly be found with you rift lake africans, they are often sold with and labeled incorectly as Central/South americans because they enjoy similar conditions.

[FreakIndeed]

Thanks for all the info and advice, guys. It's been very helpful!