# Need some advice on Hemichromis B lifalili (Blood-Red Jewel)



## easywolf31

I walked into an obscure pet store and there in front of me were a type of fish I've been looking for but never thought I'd find. Around here its always been common Jewel Cichlid territory.

I bought a pair of Hemichromis B. Lifalili (Blood-Red Jewel Cichlid) and would like to give them the perfect (or as close to) setup. Meaning size tank, parameters, environment etc. I really would love to breed these. One of my top 3 fish easily.

Any advice needed! Will go on a research binge tomorrow.


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## Mr Chromedome

The bright red Jewel sold commercially as lifalili is just a really colorful population of the same species as the common Jewel, _Hemichromis guttatus_. This was determined 20 years ago by Anton Lamboj, but your average website is not going to have the correct information. I believe the only one that does is cichlidae.com.

Obviously, the requirements are the same as they are for the common Jewel.


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## easywolf31

Mr Chromedome said:


> The bright red Jewel sold commercially as lifalili is just a really colorful population of the same species as the common Jewel, _Hemichromis guttatus_. This was determined 20 years ago by Anton Lamboj, but your average website is not going to have the correct information. I believe the only one that does is cichlidae.com.
> 
> Obviously, the requirements are the same as they are for the common Jewel.


True I believe you had written this info to me on another thread I had started a while back on common jewels, thanks.

So what happened to the name Hemichromis Bimaculatus?

It was just erased from all the books and replaced by H. Guttatus?
Also, is it than fair than to say a blood red jewel cichlid is a Hemichromis Guttatus "Lifalili" type? Or am I wrong?


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## Mr Chromedome

easywolf31 said:


> True I believe you had written this info to me on another thread I had started a while back on common jewels, thanks.
> 
> So what happened to the name Hemichromis Bimaculatus? It is a distinct species that has only rarely been in the hobby. The error in ID was made nearly 100 years ago, and corrected about 40 years ago.
> 
> It was just erased from all the books and replaced by H. Guttatus? I wish it had been erased; unfortunately, despite the fact that Loiselle had this corrected in the 1970s, it has failed to be properly disseminated. The internet has made it worse by everyone quoting sources that almost predate computers.
> 
> Also, is it than fair than to say a blood red jewel cichlid is a Hemichromis Guttatus "Lifalili" type? Or am I wrong?  A few years ago, Lamboj and friends determined that the true lifalili was the previously unidentified species "Moanda/Muanda", so no, it would not be appropriate to call it a "lifalili type".


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## easywolf31

Hi there. I just added a pair of Lifalili in a 75 gallon. They immediately started hovering around observing their environment. Real smart looking fish, same as thr common Guttatus Jewel fish. The male has now turned blood red ruby red. The female should come along too, they were kind of sufforing in my friend's 5.5 gallon for a day while I went and picked up this aquarium and set it up.
I tried to kind of replicate their natural environmemt with not too much water movement, well oxygenated although maybe I should add another sponge filter with an air stone or a wavemaker for stronget and constant surface agitation.

I dropped the ph from tap/tanganyika aquarium water to 7.4 from 8.4 and the temperature to 74-75F. I added some plants but wondering if I should track down some Congo Basin plants as these are American I think. I don't really know anything about plants honestly..

I got 2 bogwood pieces from the people I got the aquarium from. Really nice and helpful for lowering ph and proving some shelter.

I put a flat slate rock behind the bigger driftwood, maybe they can lay eggs on it someday

Does anyone have some extra tips/suggestions about keeping a species blood red jewel tank?

Here are some pictures of a job I did pretty quickly. Anyone know what kind of rock that is and if it raises the Ph?


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## Fogelhund

You bought a pair, as in a previously bonded breeding pair? Or two fish?


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## easywolf31

Fogelhund said:


> You bought a pair, as in a previously bonded breeding pair? Or two fish?


Hi, the male jewel was with another female in a mbuna tank. It was actually sold to me as a malawi mbuna lol. But, I chose the brightest looking female from the tank next to it. I kinda feel sorry for splitting this pair and leaving his girl behind lol. Anyhow in the other tank it was all females. I kept Jewels about 30 years ago so I know the difference of a male and female just by looking at them

Anyhow they are always swimming together, rubbing each other. I raised the temp from 74 to 77 and will keep raising it to 82 slowly than I'll do a nice water change and bring the temp dow maybe it will imitate the rainy season. Today, a day later after I placed them in I could have sworn I saw the female showing how to and giving the big male chores. She lifted a piece of gravel from 2 flat stones I placed and moved it. As if showing the male this is what you need to do while he was staring like a big goof.

She than left and he started working his butt off lol. I think they may be preparing a nice place to spawn on...who knows. They are also digging some small pits around these stones. I wonder if i should put one more airstone in the aquarium for more oxygen..

I took a video found it cool if anyone wants to see for fun
..really love these cichlids.


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## easywolf31

Crazy..just came home and noticed this lol. I'm guessing the male is on top fertilizing them. They cleared all the gravel stones from the slate rock in the back. I put it there on purpose...ha.


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## easywolf31

Quick update...the eggs never made it past day 2 last Wednesday. Could have been because I was banging a 2x4' under their stand. So ate the eggs right after. Could have been because it's their first batch. Who knows.

This Wednesday they laid eggs again. I fed them well all week, put a big stone in front of their slate as well. Plants are growing like crazy. The eggs hatched yesterday and I noticed the pair still kept sharing fanning duties near by the slate. I looked closed and saw little wiggles. Hopefully they won't eat, they look like great parents. It was funny seeing the female inflate her fins and chase the male around when he wouldn't cooperate after the first batch died. The male agressed her for the first 2 days than the female got huge fat. Very intrestung to say the least.


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## easywolf31

Nice spawn. Love the parenting skill on Jewels.

3 days old.


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## easywolf31

How many is there around?


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## easywolf31

What do you guys think? How many fry around? Looks like 400-700! I'm feeding them frozen baby brine shrimp and the food algea that's stuck on glass and substrate. The Northfin fry started food at 250 microns seems just a little too big but I'm sure they are nibbling on it. Will be good for the next week or 2.

What do you guys do with the fry? I'm thinking of siphoning them out in 2-3 weeks into a 55 gallon 48x18x15h? Or if I see them eating one. I don't think I've lost any so far. I see them gobbling up the little ones and bringing them back when they venture too far off. Doing 50% water changes every 2nd day. Ph at 7.2-7.4, Kh 5-6, Gh 5-6.






[youtube]Glt2fXM53U[/youtube]

-Glt2fXM53U


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## easywolf31

Hey all, so the fry are 10 days old now and about 5-6mm long with a black stripe showing in the middle of their bodies. I have a problem though, the female seems to be getting quite fat again and possibly pregnant again. I'm getting a 40G empty tank tomorrow night and have the filters etc already. What to do, what to do? Can I or should I siphon the babies with a 25 foot long aqueon water hose into the 40g? When to do it though? Before or after the new spawn? And what the heck am I going to do with all these babies LOL. I thought they'd stop spawning after a batch, dang. Help lol.


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## easywolf31

An update if anyone cares lol. So I gave up after 16 days and removed all the babies as I finally got the 40G setup and ready. I managed to save about 75 fry. The female must have been eating them as I saw her eat the last one, possibly the dad too. They seemed very happy that I took them away though. A day later (today) they spanwed on a new clean red slate I added. Man, this one's a huge spawn. I think I'll remove them after a week to 10 days this time. Now I need more tanks lol.


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## bhavik95

Hi there congrats on your fry! i am having trouble getting my jewels to breed and i dont know what the reason is!
i bought them a while ago and then next day they ended up breeding but after that they have not bred since the male look interested but the female couldnt careless, i dont know why that is and what i could do?

could you please help me?

thanks


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> Hi there congrats on your fry! i am having trouble getting my jewels to breed and i dont know what the reason is!
> i bought them a while ago and then next day they ended up breeding but after that they have not bred since the male look interested but the female couldnt careless, i dont know why that is and what i could do?
> 
> could you please help me?
> 
> thanks


Hi there, is there anyway you can do any the following:

1) Post a one minute video on youtube and paste the link here, I'd like to see their behavior
2) Tell me where exactly have you placed your aquarium, is there always movement right in front?
3) What is the temperature, PH & KH + GH if possible
4) What are you feeding them and how many times per day?
5) What is the size of the tank?, gallons and dimensions.

You need to make them feel comfortable and they need some room, do you also have any plants or driftwood, any flat rocks? How's the oxygenation? They need good oxygen but not much water movement.


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## bhavik95

Hi there thanks for the reply!

for the video i will do that tomorrow as i just did a large water change just now so the behaviour may not be the same as normal.

The aquarium is in the living room but there are alot of hiding places, it has caves and medium planted

temp is around 26-27C i cant measure PH/KH/GH but i have hard water as i live in london but i have a water softer connected to the hot water. but the water change i did today i used only the cold water so let see if that makes a difference

i feed once a day and i feed them flake food, tetra prima and dried live food once/twice a week

the tank is a 200L tank

i mean they should be comfortable as its medium planted tank with hiding spots and caves - the caves are flat inside and on the top so they can breed on there and i have 2 small pieces of driftwood.

oxygen i have 1 bubbler going 24/7 its a decent about of water movement.

once i take a video tomorrow that well help much more.


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## bhavik95

Hi there here are some videos that i took
they werent really active today for some reason i dont think they are like this most of the time
but yesterday they were very close together in the same cave and everything today its different :/













hope this helps


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> Hi there here are some videos that i took
> they werent really active today for some reason i dont think they are like this most of the time
> but yesterday they were very close together in the same cave and everything today its different :/
> 
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> 
> hope this helps


After seeing your videos, nice looking Jewels by the way!, let me tell you that ll those fish in there are dead if they the Jewels lay eggs. That could be a reason. Next, half or more of the fry will probably get sucked in your filter's intake. Add a sponge made for those intakes. Do not try and breed them and leave those fish in there because they are all dead. Angels, etc. I've never seen a more protective and violent fish once eggs and fry are laid/hatched. Both the female and the male.

I would seriously consider not breeding them if that is your only aquarium. Think of what you will want to do with 100-500 fry and the other fish. I would seperate them quickly before they decide to spawn.


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## bhavik95

Thing is when i got them they bred and yes the were aggressive but once they controlled the area where they spawned the other fish did not come near them and werent hurt.
The only reason i lost the fry is i decided to put them in a breeding net which had a small hole in where they all escaped :/
Since then they have not bred i have not seen them digging the substrate or laying eggs, so i was wondering if you could help me out on that?

I dont mind the fry i can sell them on or even keep them in the tank

please could you help me out as to why they arent breeding

thanks


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> Thing is when i got them they bred and yes the were aggressive but once they controlled the area where they spawned the other fish did not come near them and werent hurt.
> The only reason i lost the fry is i decided to put them in a breeding net which had a small hole in where they all escaped :/
> Since then they have not bred i have not seen them digging the substrate or laying eggs, so i was wondering if you could help me out on that?
> 
> I dont mind the fry i can sell them on or even keep them in the tank
> 
> please could you help me out as to why they arent breeding
> 
> thanks


I've realized these fish aren't stupid. I don't think they want to breed there because they know all the fry will be lost. For now cover at least that filter intake with a sponge. How big is that aquarium?

When you took out the fry the first time how old were they? Didn't the parents freak out?


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## bhavik95

Ok i will do that. how do i get them to feel and make them feel like they wont lose the fry and encourage them to breed?
its a 200L tank and they must have been about a week old.

sort of they were looking for them in the tank for the rest of the afternoon


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> Ok i will do that. how do i get them to feel and make them feel like they wont lose the fry and encourage them to breed?
> its a 200L tank and they must have been about a week old.
> 
> sort of they were looking for them in the tank for the rest of the afternoon


Cover the intake and sng them a nice long lullaby 

If you really want them to breed non stop remove all the other fish, sell or give them away, cover the intake, put them a slate flat rock, red preferably, feed them good food 2-3 times a say, try some regular freeze dried shrimp and frozen blood worms every 2-3 days, adjust the Ph to 6.7-7.5, temp 77-79F. I say it's the other fish and you that they are worried about mostly. You should remove the fry after 10 days next time or if you see the Female pregnant again. Add a real plant or 2 also if you don't have and do water changes 20-40% every 3-4 days.


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## bhavik95

i dont want to remove the fish that are already in there. i did put in a large slate in their but they didnt use it the caves that i have are flat can lay in them or on top of them. i do have 2 pieces of driftwood next to the caves where they can breed and where they layed their eggs last time.

i have shrimp but they are too large for them to eat also about the bloodworms does it make a difference if i feed them bloodworm pellets or so i really feed them frozen bloodworms? and is feeding bloodworms the same as feeding them something like tetra prima?

But at the rate they are going they arent breeding :/ the female doesnt seem interested but the male is on her case

all the plants in the tank are real


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## bhavik95

any help?


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> any help?


http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/h_guttatus.php

http://tipsforaquarists.blogspot.ca/201 ... jewel.html

https://www.google.ca/#q=breeding+jewel+cichlids


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## DJRansome

I agree that the mix is the problem and expecting it to work with breeding Jewels is an unrealistic expectation.


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> Hi there here are some videos that i took
> they werent really active today for some reason i dont think they are like this most of the time
> but yesterday they were very close together in the same cave and everything today its different :/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hope this helps


So I had some time and watched all 3 videos more closely. They definitely look like they want to breed and they will. Really nice video quality and very nice looking Jewels by the way. Here's what I would do.

1. I think they will spawn on the right side. Collapse that cave and make it flat maybe just very slightly lifted, just a few mm.
The top part as it is right now is not good as it's too exposed and when they hatch they may just scatter around. The cave is too small also. They are substrate spawners not cave. Next move some plants just a bit more front so they can make pits around the flat rock. They will place the hatchlings in there once they hatch.

2. Fix the left side as well do the exact same thing. You will need to lift the filter intake from there or place it in the middle of the aquarium.

They look kind of happy and still exploring where to spawn, to me at least.

Can you tell us when you placed these Jewels in the aquarium? Who came first in the aquarium the other fish or the Jewels?

It looks like a new tank, when did you set it up? Also when did you add those caves?

And like we've warned you, you will definitely lose or seriously get some of the other fish hurt.


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## bhavik95

Thanks!

What do you mean collapse the cave as in break it down? to lift it i could put some more gravel under it in that side would that work?
when you say substrate spawners do they actually lay in the gravel as last time they ended up laying on a piece of driftwood and they ended up digging the gravel themselves

This is what i have done before you posted would this work?
https://ibb.co/diZ7tF
https://ibb.co/itzwna

Was thinking of doing the same thing but just on the right as on the left there is the filter intake. Would this work?

The jewels have probably been in the tank for about a 7-8 months i think maybe more. the jewels were the last fish i added

no the tank has been running for years now cant remember when it was first started as for the caves i added them last month

yes i understand but they were fine last time they ended up breeding.


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## easywolf31

Take out the cave that is on the right side and put that new slate rock there. No idea why you would put it next to the filter intake.

This is what you need...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K9A15G/re ... lzbZV550XQ


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## bhavik95

but if i was to remove the cave there would be no cover for the fish?

and at the moment the slate rock is put up against the cave so its leaning on it and there is a piece of driftwood underneath where they can breed on


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## DJRansome

They like a slate in the corner. You wanted to encourage them, right?


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## bhavik95

so is my setup the way i have it right now fine?

but just that i need to move it away from the filter intake?

yeah i want to encourage them


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## easywolf31

3 1/2 week old Red Jewel fry in 40g & 5 day old fry with parents in 75g. I freed up a 55g and will move the new fry there in 5-6 days if I see the parents eating them or if the female gets pregnant again. If that happens 3rd batch will stay with the parents.


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## bhavik95

any help please


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> any help please


Remove right side cave, place left slate flat on the right side, cover intake with a sponge and measure your ph, kh and gh next. Also temperature and TDS if possible. Let me know once you've done half of that.


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## bhavik95

hi there so what i have done now is have the same setup as posted before but on the right hand side away from the filter but in between the slate and the cave i have now put a small piece of flat slate rock. is that better?

*** put a sponge filter over the intake and the temperature is around 26-27C.
i cant measure ph, kh,gh but i do have hard water coming out from the tap as i live in the UK


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## easywolf31

Hi, that sounds much better. The only small problem now is the hardness of your water. Do you think it's extremely hard? These Jewels like it acidy or under say 7.8 at least, but I don't really think that's the problem. Unless of course your hardness and alkalinity is over the top.

I think they may realize that if they breed you will snatch their babies or there will be no room in the aquarium with all the fish, or they will need to kill all the other fish. If they don't breed in a month or 2, than remove the other fish or place them in another aquarium. Not much else can be done I think. Good luck.


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## bhavik95

No i dont think my water is that hard i mean i keep red cherry shrimps in the same water as i keep the other fishes and jewels. i dont know if that helps

Ok hopefully now they feel more safe and comfortable to breed as i have covered that area up so only the jewel fish can get in and out and added quite a few plants around that area

i was also thinking of doing a 40% water change maybe tomorrow and getting some bloodworm pellets, do you think that would help?


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## easywolf31

They love frozen blood worms best but i see them going for the freeze dried blood worms very strongly too. There's blood worm pellets too lol?


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## bhavik95

yes there are bloodworm pellets, would it make a difference if i feed them that instead of frozen bloodworms?
atm i dont have any frozen bloodworms would need to go to the pet shop to get some :/


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## bhavik95

here is what the setup look like

https://ibb.co/btUi2a
https://ibb.co/mQe5Fv

if you can see on the second picture in the reflection you can see the small slate on the substrate does this meet their needs?


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## easywolf31

For the top slate, probably not, too exposed, If there is a slate under it, depending on the size, is it small? that may probably work. If I were you, I'd remove everything from that corner, place the big slate ONLY with about 10 gravel pieces on it. If they move the gravel pieces you will know they are looking to mate. So just put one gravel slate, the biggest one, on that corner, and not so high up lol. Just lay it flat, maybe on a 5 degree angle upwards only. They need some room to fan the eggs. So get all that **** out of there, looks like a Bombay slum or something the way it is all piled up and stuff.


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## bhavik95

LOL! yeah there is a small piece of slate under it.

if i was to remove everything from there and place the biggest slate flat wouldnt it be exposed as well?


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> LOL! yeah there is a small piece of slate under it.
> 
> if i was to remove everything from there and place the biggest slate flat wouldnt it be exposed as well?


Haha just do it you will not regret it. I meant exposed because it's really sticking out and very high.


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## bhavik95

Yeah ok i will try that! i'll sprinkle a bit gravel on the top surface and see what happens.

but will they still breed even though its all open in that corner?


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## easywolf31

bhavik95 said:


> Yeah ok i will try that! i'll sprinkle a bit gravel on the top surface and see what happens.
> 
> but will they still breed even though its all open in that corner?


Yes they don't care for caves and hiding they are open substrate spawners. Let me know if you see them picking up the gravel and spitting it away. Once you see that happen they should start laying eggs in 24 hours. Just don't bother them until then.


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## bhavik95

would it benefit them if i put a cave just before i lay the slate flat on the floor?

this way they can hide in it if they want to?

ok i will let you know thanks!


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## BC in SK

Easywolf, I noticed a while back, you no longer have jewels listed in your signature. what made you decide to move on from them?

It isn't my thread, so at the time I didn't think I should weigh in on the advice behavik95 was seeking from easywolf. But I will now. I do not agree with DJ Ransome and Easywolf's advice to behavik95. I think that behavik95's jewels not being so prolific any more, has absolutely zilch to do with decor. Nor do i think his set up of decor to be inferior in any way to the set up that easywolf has. Some times pairs of cichlids are prolific and then they slow down. Nothing much more then that. Fish are still breeding many more times in captivity then they ever could in the wild. I've had jewels every decade starting in the 1970's and I've had a whole range of set up with more open areas and shelter. IME, given a choice, jewels will lay their eggs in good shelter even when there are no other fish in the tank. Very, very seldom have I had them lay eggs in open areas. But of course I am giving them a choice. They are like most cichlids and should be provided with some good shelter in the tank.


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## tabmos

easywolf31 said:


> Hi there, is there anyway you can do any the following:
> 
> 1) Post a one minute video on youtube and paste the link here, I'd like to see their behavior
> 2) Tell me where exactly have you placed your aquarium, is there always movement right in front?
> 3) What is the temperature, PH & KH + GH if possible
> 4) What are you feeding them and how many times per day?
> 5) What is the size of the tank?, gallons and dimensions.
> 
> You need to make them feel comfortable and they need some room, do you also have any plants or driftwood, any flat rocks? How's the oxygenation? They need good oxygen but not much water movement.


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