# 55g jewel tank



## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

setting up a 55g tank specifially for Hemichromis Bimaculatusciata Red Jewel Cichlid. how many can i home in a 55g? and what can i add for tank mates? if anything. any experts on here with jewel please tell me anything i need to know.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

i found answers for tank set up


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Any other questions? It sounds like you found the search button.  Jewels are beautiful fish!


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

i've had the jewels a little over a week now maybe. looked in tank yesterday afternoon and they were hovering over at least 100 babies.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Congratulations!


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

hi my jewels have a cave full of eggs. tank is only holding mom and dad and the eggs. i have a tank divider. at what point should i separate mom and dad from the babies?


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

When they are free swimming.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

ok ty


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

doing my weekly water change i did this tank. the eggs are no longer in the cave. they either moved the eggs to a divet in the gravel by the heater or they ate them. if that is the case does the water change put them into spawning mode? which would make them eat eggs to start over? otherwise they are still acting secretive over by the heater so maybe they just moved them. looking for some expert opinions and i will keep my eyes on them to see if they just moved the babies. with my tank divider if they lay the eggs in the cave again can i just split mom and pop from the eggs? unless they do something to the eggs the only threat in the tank to the babies is the parents.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

well no they didnt kill the babies have a tank full now i tried to separate the tank in half but i have a bunch of babies on both sides. female jewel has herself half dead from caring for the babies. wondering can i put mom and dad in those breeder boxes for awhile while i try to separate the babies better? they are like little screen boxes is what i have in mind.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Why not put the adults back in the 55G and keep the babies in the fry tank?

Breeder boxes are good for short-term accomodations (overnight...a week in an emergency) but I don't like them for anything longer term.

If you raise so many babies you will need more tanks anyway...may as well get one going now. :thumb:


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> Why not put the adults back in the 55G and keep the babies in the fry tank?
> 
> Breeder boxes are good for short-term accomodations (overnight...a week in an emergency) but I don't like them for anything longer term.
> 
> If you raise so many babies you will need more tanks anyway...may as well get one going now. :thumb:


the plan was to divide the 55g with the tank divider. problem is babies are so small the divider isn't working real great. i think i have it pretty secure at this point other issue is divider was not in place before the babies hatched. when i started messing around in the tank it made dad eat some of the fry. this batch isn't all lost though i hope. i have it quarantined better now and am hoping for the best.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

pfoster74 said:


> i've had the jewels a little over a week now maybe. looked in tank yesterday afternoon and they were hovering over at least 100 babies.


How did you get them to breed so quickly? Wow. And did I understand correctly, they spawned again? Would love to see some pictures. Good luck.


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## pfoster74 (May 13, 2012)

yeah this is the 2nd set first set was lost. i can't set up any more fish tanks. i have 5 tanks running and the 2 small ones are 55g.plan is to divide the tank raise the fry up and sell them or give them away. not possible to keep a tank full of jewels together is it? i think the store had them labeled as turquoise jewels. the mama jewel is looking a little better today. yesterday she was laying sideways on a rock. she really wore herself out watching over the eggs. seems a little stronger today though.


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