Jewel Cichlid Breeding Guide (Hemichromis bimaculatus)

Breeding Hemichromis bimaculatus: a prolific biparental substrate spawner that lays up to 600 eggs on a flat surface and intensifies to brilliant red.

Overview

The Jewel Cichlid, Hemichromis bimaculatus, is a colourful West African cichlid that is a biparental substrate spawner. It is one of the easier cichlids to breed, forming monogamous pairs with highly developed brood care, and both parents intensify to a brilliant red coloration before spawning.

Sexing

Sexing is noted as difficult. Adult males display reticulated blue patterning in the caudal fin and develop more pointed dorsal fins; brighter body coloration is generally evident in both sexes during breeding.

Conditioning

Slightly soft, acidic water suits spawning, with a pH of around 6.5 to 7.0 and a temperature of about 24 to 28 degrees Celsius (75 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit). Pairs intensify dramatically in colour as they come into condition.

Breeding Setup

Provide a flat rock (often an area angled slightly), the side of a flowerpot, or even the aquarium glass as a spawning surface, plus pits in the substrate for relocating fry.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The female deposits eggs on the cleaned surface, and up to 600 eggs may be fertilised. The eggs hatch within approximately 48 hours, and the fry become free-swimming around 72 hours after spawning.

Egg & Fry Care

Both parents share care, with the male defending the site while the female tends the eggs and roles swapping between them; parents relocate the brood to substrate pits several times before the fry are free-swimming. Free-swimming fry accept microworm and brine shrimp nauplii. Brood care typically continues for about a month, after which the fry should be removed because the parents may spawn again.

Common Challenges

Jewel cichlids are highly territorial and aggressive, especially when guarding eggs and fry, and will attack tank mates. Their fertility means frequent spawns can quickly overpopulate a system.