Need help ID-ing a cichlid.

[Turbotom92]

I just picked up these cichlids at LFS. I was told that they are some-type of Earth Eaters. They are currently housed in 112l tank with a juvy gibbiceps that's extremely shy, even for a pleco. They just spawned fry last Saturday to my surprise, they laid them in a cave network that I can't see into entirely. I know I'm going to have sell a few of these (there about 50 of them now), I just want to know what exact species this is, or at least what their trade name is. The male is about 4.5 -5 inches long and the female is just under 3. I appreciate anything that can point me in the right directions because I've just spent an hour looking on the web to identify them. The picture doesn't do them justice, their scales are an even brighter blue in person. I have a few weeks before the fry grow to sellable size but I'd like to identify these guys asap. Thanks in advance.

 

[jworth]

jewel cichlid, its an african and is even remotely similar in behavior or temperament to any "earth eater"

 

[Turbotom92]

Thanks, I should have just gone on here instead of wasting time trying to ID based on what a fish store told me. I was also skeptical of them being earth eaters after having them for about a month and I never saw them sift through substrate. I had red headed earth eaters before and the behavior was completely different. Thank for the ID.

 

[smitty03281964]

Healthy looking Jewels.

 

[chefjamesscott]

interesting coloration for a jewel the ones we get here are greyish blueish with red accent never seen one that is yellow

 

[C L O W N K N I F E]

interesting coloration for a jewel the ones we get here are greyish blueish with red accent never seen one that is yellow

Ya, I've never seen yellow jewels either

 

[Turbotom92]

I'm trying to identify them more precisely, I've ended up at Hemichromis bimaculatus. I'm starting to thinking that the reason they were in the SA/CA section of my fish store was because I've read that feral populations exist in the Middle East, Florida, and Central America. Do you think think it's possible that they are wild caught feral fish or possibly the descendants of a feral population. This shop is usually trustworthy, could this be the reason for the mistake. I thought they were some subspecies of geophagus at first but now I'm convinced they're jewels. The reason that I was drawn to these is because at first I thought they were some dwarf species I was unfamiliar with. I never had africans before and besides them being cave dwellers, I actually like them.

 

[Stratoquarius]

looks like flash, notice the quality is pretty poor too, you can guarantee they are really red. I had a pair years ago that were bright red and blue and the male was around 7". they mixed really well with american cichlids so I don't think thats a problem.

also they are definately jewels, they come in red, pinky, brown, mostly blue, or tan. theres quite a few colour variants.

 

[Turbotom92]

They were significantly blue-er last week before the fry, they are starting to regain the blue now. They have a yellow-orange base coat and I guess the the reflection of the glass made it look brighter. I took the pictures using my cell phone, that's the reason for the poor quality.

 

[cage623]

Definitely Jewel Cichlids. I have never had them but I have seen them listed on different sites under CA cichlids before even though they are African. It is also common practice for people to keep them with CA's but I don't really like that idea. I think most often this is done because people don't know about their fish and once they find out since it seems to be working they continue to keep them with CA's. Then they tell others on forums like this that it is OK.

Good luck with your jewels though. They are very popular around here and it is not hard to see why.

-Cage.