Lake Turkana Jewel Cichlid

[tiger15]

Has anyone kept this jewel cichlid? This is not a riverine Hemichromis species from west Africa, but a rift Lake species from Lake Turkana in east Africa. I saw them for sale in my lfs and it has striking color resembling Mbuna. Lake Turkana is an alkaline / brackish Lake, so I would like to know if it is easy to keep in tap water conditions before buying it.

VIDEO - Below Water Profiles Hemichromis exsul - AMAZONAS Magazine

Oliver Lucanus couldn't have chosen a more lust-worthy example to kick off his new video series than this off-the-beaten-path Lake Turakana Jewel Cichlid.

www.reef2rainforest.com

 

[Stephen St.Clair]

That is truly a pretty Jewel variety. I don't know of any ever being sold in my area. Be a good idea to ask the manager of your LFS if they alter the tank water to accomadate the Jewels.
Hopefully you tap is hard w/ elevated PH. If not, hardscape with limestone, use one of the commercial African Cichlid specific substrates. Post pics if you decide to buy the Jewels.

 

[tiger15]

Its the first time I’ve seen it. But the literature said that it was already discovered in 1930s. In my LFS, they are housed in the same water system as rift lake cichlid. The lack of a central dot typical of Hemichromis species and intense color gave me a first impression they were Mbuna. They look like orange Lab with blue spangled fins from a distance. On closer look, their pointed head and upturn mouth are undoubtedly Hemichromis. They are priced for $20, and I am sure they will be in demand. I will likely take a pair and see if I can breed them efore price drop.

 

[tlindsey]

WOw! Never heard of a Jewel Cichlid specie from Lake Turkana. That pair is beautiful.

 

[tiger15]

Bought 4 of them, and a pair has claimed a corner territory . The color is deep orange with dark fins, and lacking the central dot that make them look like Mbuna. They are about 1.5 inch, very active, and constantly challenge one another.

 

[tiger15]

Update.

The two pairs are down to a trio, as one male was killed by the other. The sole male is now courting two females each took up one corner of the 75g. They breed almost continuously, and the male is busy going back and forth between two females. The two females occasionally butt head, but not too rough.

It's been 4 months since I got them, and the male has grown to 2.5 inch, and the females under 2 inch. Except for size difference, I don't see any obvious sexual dimorphism. I am not sure how much bigger they will grow, but look like smaller than regular jewels.

I've been trying to raise the fry, but managed to get only 6 surviving. I am not sure what caused a slow die off of the fry, but will keep trying. They are beautiful fiercy jewels, and I am trying to cultivate a colony for introduction to my 125 show tank.

 

[tiger15]

Update on the pics of the parents and F1 offspring. It’s been 7 months since I got the original pairs. The trio have been breeding alternatively in clockwork, and I managed to raise a few from the first and subsequent batches. There was substantial died off among 100 of fry but the few that made it grow extremely fast, reaching sexual maturity in 6 months. The sexual dimorphism is subtle when young but as the fish get older, the male gets darker, larger, and the hump more obvious than the female as depicted by comparing the older pair with younger F1 pair.

 

[tiger15]

I moved the parents and F1 to my 125g . The fast growing F1, less than 8 months old, are already approaching the size of the parents. They take comfort in the big fish tank without fear soon and within a month, the parents have a new batch of fry. Both patents take on bright red color and guard one side of the tank against fish much bigger than the are.

 

[dr exum]

looking good! quite a mixture there! any problems from the Severum?

 

[Deadeye]

Those fish are beautiful! How did they get along with the mbunas or peacocks in the 75?