[rafini]

Good Evening all,

I picked this guy up as a "Blue Peacock" I believed this is what he was, however his behavior makes me think otherwise.
From the moment I introduced this guy to the tank he was a bully, he has killed several fish already and he constantly chases and nips at the other fish.
He lived in the sump for for a while so the other fish could grow, hes back in the tank and has lost his mostly blue coloration and gained a blackish tint on his body, this could be from stress as it varies in pictures and in real life.

I have kept O.B's, German reds and sunshines in the past and have always found them to be peaceful lower tank inhabitants.
That Is why I would like to know if he is in fact a different species (or hybrid) that has a higher aggression level. I looked through the profiles and I guess there is a possibility he is a Fryeri hybrid, as he spends all his time in the open water and never really sifting sand.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Auballagh]

Nice pics, (And, I have no idea what that African Cichlid actually is....).
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Mostly curious, is that a young Jack Dempsey in there 'photobombing' your shots?

 

[Auballagh]

Oh.... sorry. Your little photobomber is this, isn't it?

Red Jewel Cichlid, Hemichromis guttatus.

 

[rafini]

Hey, Actually they are a Hemichromis sp.
I picked up some juvies as they looked very different to typical "Jewels' Some odd shaped markings on their sides and red lips.
I've kept the Standard Jewels, Lifalili, "Super red" and turquise colored jewels in the past and noticed these guys were unusual so wanted to grow them out.
This is when I got them

They developed a nice yellow base tone, and are very docile for Hemichromis sp.
Now:

A pair had fry recently and were bright yellow with red bellies, mouths and fins. Unfortunately I did not snap any pictures and now they are stressed again from the blue menace

Still very interested to find out what the heck the blue guy is, and what I can put in there to challenge him a little

 

[rafini]

Heres the female that recently had fry:

Sorry to derail about jewels.

As you can see I have 13 Yellow labs and I picked the blue peacock based on its supposed compatibility and peaceful attitude.
I'm pretty sure this is not a blue peacock, but I`m gonna need the experts as all the blue haps look the same to me lol...

 

[BC in SK]

With these new pictures I'll definitely give my opinion on the Jewel cichlid. I think it is Hemichromis cristatus. It's definitely not the common Jewel (H. guttatus).
Now as to the bright blue fish, my initial impression is a Fryeri hybrid, but I am really not too sure nor have I spent anytime trying to compare with Aulonocara species that could possibly be a match.

 

[Fogelhund]

The blue fish is indeed a fryeri hybrid.

 

[Auballagh]

Sorry about the Hybrid Blue Guy.....
And, I actually thought you had an unpaired Jewel in there. Wouldn't be too surprising that it's color would be a bit 'washed' in comparison to it's normal look, when it's dealing with something actively trying to assassinate everyone in that aquarium.
And.... there's an actual spawning pair of those Jewels in the aquarium, and, whaaaa.....???!!!
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Hooookaayyy.... and it's almost always the nasty little African Riverine Cichlids handing everyone their fins in a tank with a situation like this. This is most uncommon. And, have you thought of possibly moving those uncommon and peaceful little Hemichromis into their own setup or something? Maybe start a pretty cool breeding project.... a lot of people would appreciate a Jewel species with a much calmer disposition to stock in community tanks.
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As for mean ol' Hybrid Big Blue? Maybe he would enjoy a nice transfer over to the Hemichromis elongatus spawning tank? Now THAT would be some aggression, that a hard core African Cichlid like that could really sink his teeth into. :roll:

 

[rafini]

There are actually 4 jewels in there all purchased together. Don't get me wrong the jewels can handle big blues aggression pretty well, it's the poor yellow labs that have to deal with his chasing.

This is the only aquarium I have right now.
In case anyone is curious this is an 80g aquarium with a 40g sump system. I've been trying to fill out the numbers to reduce aggression.
I still have all 13 of the yellow labs. I'd also like to point out his torn fins, he got that from the little female jewel I posted above when he went close to their brood.

 

[Auballagh]

I'd also like to point out his torn fins, he got that from the little female jewel I posted above when he went close to their brood.

"CLEVAHH GIRL....."

So, the African Riverine Hemichromis we all know and 'love' is definitely still there, hmmmmm?

 

[DJRansome]

I don't think adding cichlids will prevent jewel aggression when spawning.

 

[rafini]

Hey,
I am looking to reduce the aggression of the large blue cichlid, not the jewels.
The jewels are territorial of their spawning site, that's it. The blue cichlid claims the whole tank as his own