# ANY tank mate for jewels??



## Raschael (May 8, 2009)

We currently have 2 juvie jewels in our 46 g with our other juvie mbuna cichlids. . . I have done a lot of reading and everything I find is soooo contradictory. We are setting up a 75 gal this weekend to cycle and move the mbuna into in a few weeks. I just want to know if there is anything that can go w/ these jewels. As far as I know, the two I have are males, and I would love to end up with a breeding pair. So, one of mine will have to be traded in. Will they have to be the only 2 fish in the tank?? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

try adding 4 or 5 giant danios....i have them in with mine and do really well untill they spawn then they usually kill a couple of em but hey theyre some cheap dithers IMO...for the most part theyre fast enought to avoid them for sometime.


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

Raschael said:


> . . . I have done a lot of reading and everything I find is soooo contradictory. !


Don't believe everything that you read. There's a lot of dogma out there without much scientific basis.

I have kept jewels with other african cichlids as well as central american cichlids. I am currently keeping mine in the same tank as my nyerereis and they seem to be evenly matched in terms of aggression. They tolerate a wide variety of water conditions. Some of them are found naturally in brackish water, so putting them in a rift lake environment is not a big deal for them.

In my opinion, they add a nice touch to a malawi tank, bringing in a bright red color to the usual blue, orange, and yellow.


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## Raschael (May 8, 2009)

Thanks for the replies! If I do end up with a breeding pair, would it be best to keep them by themselves?? mostly for the safety of the others. . . .


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

Raschael said:


> Thanks for the replies! If I do end up with a breeding pair, would it be best to keep them by themselves?? mostly for the safety of the others. . . .


It really depends on the size of your tank, and the amount of hiding places available in the rockwork.

I've not seen any of my breeding jewels go as far as killing other tankmates. I've had the opposite happen several years ago. I had a pair of breeding jewels (cristatus?) in the same tank as malawi haps and mbunas. About a day or two after spawining, one of the jewels was dead. My theory is that it fought hard to protect its turf but was overwhelmed and exhausted by the shear numbers of attackers from all sides looking to snack on the eggs.


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## Raschael (May 8, 2009)

Ok, so I think we are going to try and come up with a breeding pair and keep them in the 46g by themselves just for the safety of the jewels and hopefully fry. So, if I can ask another question. . . what is the best way to end up with a breeding pair?? Should we just go buy 4-6 and see if any of them pair up and then remove those who don't??


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

Raschael said:


> what is the best way to end up with a breeding pair?? Should we just go buy 4-6 and see if any of them pair up and then remove those who don't??


Yes and no.It is a good idea to start with 6. That's what I did. I ordered 6 Hemichromis lifalili, and 2 of them immediatelly paired up. when I separated them, two more paired up.

Having said that, I wouldn't just go out and buy some jewels from your local shop unless they have really nice ones. Most of the ones I see at pet stores are dull and drab, and in my experience didn't color up all that well. I you're going to breed them you really should start out with quality genes.

The ones that I ordered online were great. They started to color up almost immediately, and even the ones not paired up showed some color, though not as intense as the breeding pair.

I now have a few 100 fry that I keep in a separate tank.


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

Here's an example of what you can get. I doubt that you'll find that bright red color at the local pet store.


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## Raschael (May 8, 2009)

My dominant male is just as dark, I didn't think he would color up that well either since he is from PetsMart, but he is really pretty. Needless to say, I was impressed! The other one stays pretty pale though. I still haven't really decided what to do. . . I'm so torn. I have a few weeks to decide since our 75 won't be ready for fish for a couple weeks. . . decisions decisions. . .


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

Raschael said:


> My dominant male is just as dark... The other one stays pretty pale though. I still haven't really decided what to do.


I've had their jewels the past. In my opinion there is really no comparison. The fish in the video is the female, which has the lighter vermillion-red coloration. The male is darker with an intense maroon-red color. I have some dig pics that I can send you, but I'm not able to post them directly here.


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## steve_58 (Jan 20, 2009)

Very nice Jewel but are you sure its a female? It has alot of blue specks or spangles on it for a female and is showing alot of red for a female also.


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## mbargas (Apr 19, 2009)

steve_58 said:


> Very nice Jewel but are you sure its a female? It has alot of blue specks or spangles on it for a female and is showing alot of red for a female also.


I have some dig pics of male and female side by side. I am not able to post them directly on here but I can email them:

[email protected]


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## esparzar1 (Jun 14, 2009)

What about just keeping one Red Jewel? I don't want to breed them, I just want that little extra color in my tank. I currently have 2 yellow labs, 1 red zebra, and one kenyi in my 55 gallon. There's lots of hiding and caves. 
Just like Raschel said, I've ready so many different things about the red jewels that are contradicting themselves. 
Eventually, I will have somewhere around 6 yellow labs, 6 red zebras, and 6 other kinds of mbuna's something blue to give the tank the orange/yellow,blue look. I would like to add one red jewel to give the tank some nice extra color. Will this be okay?


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

u can keep a solitary jewel if u want...chances are it wont color up without other present and id get rid of that kenyi IMO


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## esparzar1 (Jun 14, 2009)

Yeah, everyone has been telling me to get rid of the Kenyi. I'm taking my chances (for now). She bugs the Zebras every once in a while but nothing serious (yet). If it gets bad than I'll get rid of her but for the most part she behaves'
As far as the Jewek goes, I think I'm gonna hold off for now. I'm looking for two centerpeice fish that I can put in the tank w/Labs and Zebras. I was hoping to maybe do a jewel but I only want one (can't do two).


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

u could go with a peacock or hap of somesort....i know the OB peacocks can get fiesty and would be able to hold their own against some mbuna...make sure its at least the same size as the biggest fish in ure tank tho


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