African River Biotope

[HerCrenVie]

Here's my sparsely planted tank, designed to mimic a slow-moving West African river, filled with five 2" Hemichromis lifalili and one 6.5" Polypterus palmas polli, one 7" female Polypterus senegalus and one 8.5" male albino Polypterus senegalus. Sorry for the less-than-satisfactory pics by the way. These jewels are possibly the most colourful fish I've ever had, and the pics don't do them justice, really.

 

[fugupuff]

that's fantastic, keeping a tank that is geographically compatible, not many people are doing that these days! those jewels are real nice, there are actually some more from the region that are very colorful as well!

 

[HerCrenVie]

that's fantastic, keeping a tank that is geographically compatible, not many people are doing that these days! those jewels are real nice, there are actually some more from the region that are very colorful as well!

Thanks! I wish I could get some of the rarer species but they're practically non-existent here in Singapore due to virtually zero demand...and people like me suffer. =(

 

[HerCrenVie]

It seems I have H. cristatus instead of H. lifalili:

"The easiest way to distinguish Hemichomis cristatus from all other red jewel cichlids is that the central spot in the centre of the body is surrounded by a a light yellow area. This fish along with H. lifalili are sold under the trade name of the Red Forest Jewel. It differs from H. lifalili by being a more orange colour at maturity, in having the aforementioned marked light area surrounding the spot in the centre of the flanks and by retaining, in some individuals, a faint shadow of the spot on the caudal peduncle. H. cristatus also has a yellow-gold colour on the operculum, which is not present in H. lifalili."

 

[gomezladdams]

Those jewels are beautiful!Very nice tank!

 

[HerCrenVie]

Those jewels are beautiful!Very nice tank!

Haha thanks!

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

beautiful pix and collection, those juwels are stunning.

 

[HerCrenVie]

beautiful pix and collection, those juwels are stunning.

Thanks! I'm gonna go downstairs to pick some dipterocarp leaves to lower the hardness and pH of the water, and that'll intensify the jewels' colour even further. More pics to come!