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

37K views 49 replies 7 participants last post by  tabmos 
#1 ·
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.
 
#2 ·
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.
 
#3 ·
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?
 
#4 ·
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".
 
#5 ·
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?



 
#7 ·
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.





 
#8 ·
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.



 
#9 ·
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.
 
#10 ·
Nice spawn. Love the parenting skill on Jewels.

3 days old.

 
#11 ·
How many is there around?

 
#12 ·
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
 
#13 ·
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.
 
#14 ·
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.



 
#15 ·
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
 
#16 ·
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.
 
#17 ·
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.
 
#19 ·
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
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.
 
#20 ·
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
 
#21 ·
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?
 
#23 ·
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.
 
#24 ·
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
 
#26 ·
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