Jewel Cichlid — Complete Care Guide
Published: 2026-09-18 · FishyKart Blog
The Jewel cichlid (Hemichromis bimaculatus) is a West African cichlid named for its striking colouration — a red body covered in iridescent blue-green "jewel" spots, with three dark blotches along each flank. It grows to 10-15 cm, needs a 30-gallon (115-litre) minimum tank for a pair, and lives 8-10 years. The trait that defines keeping this fish isn't its size or colour, though — it's how dramatically its temperament shifts the moment a pair decides to breed.
Photo: Zhyla — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tank Requirements
- Tank size: 30 gallons (115 litres) minimum for a pair
- Temperature: 22-26°C
- pH: 6.5-7.5
- Substrate: fine sand or smooth gravel — Jewel cichlids dig and rearrange substrate around a chosen breeding site
- Decor: flat rocks or broad leaves as a spawning surface, plus sight-breaks for any tank mates
- Water changes: 25-30% weekly
Feeding
Omnivorous and unfussy — high-quality cichlid pellets as a staple, supplemented with bloodworms, brine shrimp, and occasional blanched vegetables. Feed once or twice daily; avoid overfeeding, which worsens water quality faster than the fish's modest size would suggest.
Why Aggression Spikes During Breeding
Jewel cichlids are biparental substrate spawners — both the male and female actively guard eggs and, later, a tight school of fry. Outside of breeding, a pair is only moderately territorial. Once spawning begins, that changes sharply: the pair will attack anything approaching the nest site, including fish considerably larger than themselves, and tank mates that were previously tolerated. The only reliable way to protect other fish during this window is to remove them, not to intervene in the tank.
Breeding
- Pairs choose and clean a flat surface — rock, leaf, or substrate patch — before spawning
- Eggs hatch in roughly 2-3 days; fry become free-swimming a few days after that
- Both parents shepherd the fry as a tight group for several weeks, moving them between pre-dug pits
- Remove any other tank inhabitants before this stage begins — see above
Buy Jewel Cichlid Online
FishyKart's Jewel Cichlids are quarantined and health-checked before listing.