Species Profile
Jewel Cichlid
Hemichromis lifalili
Cichlidsaggressive
Adult size
4″
Minimum tank
30 gal
Temperature
75–82°F
pH
6.5–7.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
mid
Diet
Pellets, frozen, live
Notes
Brilliant red body covered in iridescent blue spots, but the temperament does not match the looks. Highly aggressive, especially when paired and breeding. Best in a species-only setup or with similarly tough West African tankmates.
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Jewel Cichlid
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Jewel Cichlidin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Molly
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Swordtail
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Male Betta
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Pearl Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Angelfish
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Bristlenose Pleco
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Kuhli Loach
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Black Skirt Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Scissortail Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Sailfin Molly
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Cockatoo Apisto
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Kribensis
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: Nicolas COUTHOUIS / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-2.5