jewel cichlid tankmates

[darth pike]

Turns out most lifalili in the hobby are just a really colorful location of guttatus. One of the undescribed jewels is currently thought to be the true lifalili.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

I have never done Jewels with Dithers, but I have done them w/ Rift Lake species and SA/CA species and they do MUCH better w/ SA/CA species than they do with Africans. Try just getting ONE Jewel instead of a pair and mixing it w/ other mildly or semi-aggressive SA/CAs - I have kept them frequently w/ Jack Dempseys, Green Terrors and Convicts, but I have also kept them w/ Flowerhorns, Red Devils, Firemouths, Jaguars, plus Polypterus, and Corydoras, Hoplo, Pleco, Raphael, Sun/Eclipse, Colombian Shark, Pimelodus, Asian Bumblebee, and Synodontis catfish, and also Chinese Algae Eaters


Ottocinctus will get destroyed, single or by a pair. Go armored catfish or at least semi-aggressive, but keep the size under 8-10" or make sure the adult catfish have small mouths


how many females does your male Jewel spawn with and do they tolerate/raise each others' fry?

That's interesting, I've had great success keeping them with Mbunas and Peacocks. Nobody messed with him.

 

[Frank Castle]

That's interesting, I've had great success keeping them with Mbunas and Peacocks. Nobody messed with him.

oh me, too, but when the Malawis get bigger and meaner, the Jewels are at the bottom of the tier list. They stand no chance against Mbuna/Hap's sharps flat cutting teeth , despite they are for snipping algae and vegetation. It's like getting bit by a Box turtle - Herbivores have some of the strongest bites out there, believe it or not.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

Interesting, like how a lot of Vieja are mostly vegetarian but are also some of the most aggressive cichlids. Thanks for the info

 

[Cichlidfever]

Wow!! Wailua Boy, he looks good, he is built (all mussel)

 

[duanes]

Although the carnivores are predatory, I believe the vegetarian cichlids are much more truly aggressive. They are in a sense much more territorial, often defending turf, and feeding areas.
I have had Vieja species and their cousins (especially the Maskaheros (argentea and regain)) pin much larger Parachromis (even dovii and managuense) into upper corners of tanks on multiple occasions, especially when the tanks are too small for Vieja adults to be confined in a community setting, such as the 150 to 220 gallon range.